NAFB Blog

Michelle Rook (WNAX, Yankton, SD) will be recognized as the 2016 South Dakota Governor’s Ag Ambassador on June 2, at the annual Governor’s Agricultural Summit in Brookings, SD. “Agriculture has a tremendous advocate in Michelle,” said Governor Dennis Daugaard. “She has devoted many years to telling the story of farm and ranch families who work hard to provide a safe, affordable food supply in South Dakota and beyond.”

Pam Fretwell (Farm Journal Broadcasting, Quincy, IL) produces several regular podcasts each week. One is Straight from the Heartland Show, which airs every Tuesday and Thursday, gives a look at current events and subjects important to farmers. Another podcast is Consumer Ag Connection, which airs once a week and is also broadcast on radio stations in seven states.

The North American Agricultural Journalists presented Agri-Pulse with the Audrey Mackiewicz Special Award April 25 at the group’s annual banquet at the National Press Club. The award honors the association’s first woman president and long-time Executive Secretary-Treasurer and is given to publications who have expanded their coverage of agriculture.

“Firefighters grappling with the biggest wildfire in Kansas history got a welcome Easter assist from pre-dawn snow that blanketed the hardest-hit area,” reports Kelly Lenz (Kansas Agriculture Network/WIBW-AM, Topeka, KS). The National Weather Service says about half an inch of precipitation in rain and snow fell early Sunday (March 27) southwest of Wichita in Barber County.

Veteran farm broadcaster TODD WHALEN (KDHN, Dimmitt, TX) rejoined NAFB in March.  He purchased KDHN in June 2015. He had been an NAFB member earlier from 1983 to 2003. Todd grew up on a central Iowa corn and soybean farm and raised purebred Suffolk sheep as his FFA project.