NAFB Blog

Andy Schwab, farm broadcaster for Northern Ag Network, received the Portavoz Award on July 13 at the 2nd Annual Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival. 

The Portavoz Award recognizes outstanding year-long coverage of the sheep industry by a media professional who has exhibited a strong commitment to fair, balanced, and consistent reporting locally, statewide, and/or nationally. 

Brett McRae, farm broadcaster for Northern Ag Network, traveled to Colombia for ten days in June on an agriculture trade mission. 

“The Montana Department of Agriculture and the Montana Pulse Crop Committee organized the trip,” McRae said. “Colombia is the sixth-largest export market for U.S. agricultural products, and the country is an important market for U.S. pulse crops. Montana happens to be the largest producer of pulse crops in the U.S.”

 The trade mission was set up to build beneficial relationships. 

Sabrina Halvorson is the national correspondent for AgNet Media Inc., and she completed the Lead with Influence Program hosted by the Poynter Institute throughout June. Halvorson contributes to radio networks, including AgNet West, Southeast AgNet, Hoosier Ag Today, and Michigan Ag Today.

Lydia Johnson started working for Agri-Pulse as a broadcaster on June 1. 

Johnson grew up on her family farm in central Iowa before attending Iowa State University. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in agricultural communications in May. 

Erin Anderson joined the Brownfield Ag staff as an anchor/reporter on April 29.

The Illinois native attended Danville Area Community College to obtain an associate of arts degree. She then transferred to Purdue University and graduated with her bachelor's degree in agricultural communications in May 2024.