NAFB Blog

Congratulations George! After 57 years in broadcasting, George Gatley (Western Agri-Radio Networks, Inc., Yuma, AZ) retired at the end of August. The son of a Boy Scout executive who was raised in Wisconsin, George grew up working on a family friend’s farm where he learned about the hard work of farming. Initially, there were no tractors. Two Belgian horses did the wagon-pulling and hay field work.

Meghan Grebner (Brownfield Ag News, Fishers, IN) returned August 22 from travel with a group of young farmers to Panama and Ecuador to see their soybean checkoff dollars at work. The annual See For Yourself Tour is sponsored by the United Soybean Board. Participants represented a variety of agricultural regions, but shared at least one common bond – soybeans. To put this in perspective, Meghan said, “A recent study from Texas A&M showed that for every $1 that goes into the soybean checkoff, a farmer sees a $5.20 return on investment.”

Patrick Cavanaugh, owner of the California Ag Today Radio Network, participated in a southern California hour-and-a-half forum on August 21, entitled, “The Future of Water in California,” hosted by KPCC, a public radio station in Pasadena, California. Panelists included Los Angeles public water leaders and consultants, as well as the senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

Market Rally host, Chip Flory, and Pro Farmer Editorial Director grew up on a typical 1980s-style diversified family farm in Oxford Junction in eastern Iowa. Chip was very active in 4-H.  He was an Iowa delegate to the National Congress, received the National Beef Award, served on the State 4-H Council and was a State Officer in 1982-83.  

Update from the John Harvey Hootenanny

I gave a number of radio and TV interviews at the John Harvey Hootenanny.  We had a long line of Classic Tractors, two from Maryland and others from throughout the Midwest.” He continued,  “Two men brought a New Holland self-propelled machine that we'd featured on the calendar, and they drove all night to get to the event.  One collector attended who had had major heart surgery a few days before.  They are a good, gritty breed; unpretentious goodness is spread all around.”