NAFB Blog

A new book chronicling the life and broadcast career of Larry Steckline, written by his current wife, Carla Stovall Steckline, former Kansas Attorney General, she also shares her professional life, their courtship and her exit from politics. The book offers a comprehensive look at challenges Larry overcame and achievements he attained in his 50 years of farm broadcasting in Kansas. The book cover says about Larry, “He grew up using an outhouse, became an ag broadcasting powerhouse, was an invited guest at the White House, and now lives in a penthouse – this is the story of Larry Steckline, the ‘farmer's friend.’”Carla said, “We are selling this book on www.larrysteckline.com on behalf of local National Association of FFA chapters. The entire $20 purchase price is being donated to FFA because Larry wants to give back to the agricultural community that made him – personally and professionally – the man he is.” 

Sabrina Hill (AgNet West Radio Network, Sanger, CA) traveled to the Midwest for two weeks to experience June Dairy Month in Wisconsin and follow up on dairy stories in South Dakota. There she sat down with the governor for an in-depth interview and also talked with several other agriculture leaders. She toured parts of Minnesota and North Dakota and learned more about agriculture in those states. During her two-week tour, she also represented California agriculture and was featured on radio stations in Wisconsin and South Dakota, where she talked about the struggles California producers are having with the drought. “I’ve worked in news for a long time, but I’ve never found the camaraderie among colleagues like there is within farm broadcasting. A few weeks ago, I traveled from California to the upper Midwest to follow several dairy stories and share the story of California agriculture. 

AgNet West Radio Network in California is one of the recipients of an NAFB Foundation internship grant. College senior Allison Rosa is joining the team for the 2015 fall semester. Rosa grew up on a small, but popular, dairy farm in Hanford, CA, and is attending Fresno Pacific University and majoring in communications. “Agriculture has been a huge part of my life, not only through my family but also with my participation in FFA, 4-H, and serving as a Kings County Dairy Princess through the California Milk Advisory Board,” she said. “Along with my passion for the agricultural industry, I have an appreciation for news and media. After graduation, I plan on starting a career within the agricultural industry focusing on either radio or print media.” 

While many were preparing for a long holiday July 4th weekend, Red River Farm Network farm broadcaster Mike Hergert (Grand Forks, ND) spent the last week of June in central France on a Limagrain press trip. Founded in 1965, and managed by more than 2,000 French farmers, Limagrain Coop is the leading French seed manufacturer and the fourth-largest seed company worldwide. It is vertically integrated, from wheat and corn breeding, crop production, to milling and baking. A 26-member media delegation from nine countries participated in an exclusive Limagrain tour with Mike being the only U.S. journalist on the trip. 

After 17 years in radio, farm broadcaster Jody Heemstra is changing careers, returning to her home state to become Public Affairs Manager for the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) headed by Secretary of Agriculture Lucas Lentsch. Jody worked in radio in South Dakota for more than 15 years, before joining the Red River Farm Network (Grand Forks, ND) in August 2013. "I've had the chance to work with several great broadcasters and journalists during my radio career.