NAFB Blog

 Eliza Petry did not set out to become a television news anchor. Her path began on a grain farm in northern Illinois, where agriculture was not a career concept but a way of life.

“I grew up on a grain farm up in northern Illinois,” Petry says. “I just naturally had a passion for ag, just like any other farm kid.”

As the dairy industry continues to expand and grow throughout the United States, Farm and Ranch Media is launching a dedicated daily program discussing all aspects of the dairy industry. Inside Dairy officially launched on January 5, 2026, as a new program, under its longstanding American Ag Network brand and hosted by FARM/AAN broadcaster Susan Littlefield. The program features interviews with dairy industry professionals, dairy market commentary, innovations in the dairy industry and much more.

In January 2026, NAFB President DeLoss Jahnke wrote a column for Radio World, where he described the connection that farm broadcasters make every day with farmers and ranchers.

In the column, he tells the story of how farm broadcasters break through the noise every day with trust and relevancy to reach farmers, ranchers and rural audiences.

For Anita Vanderwert, agriculture has never been a phase or a profession—it has been a lifelong calling shaped by family, experience and service. Raised in Missouri’s cattle community, Vanderwert grew up learning the industry from the ground up, spending her formative years alongside her parents in barns, show rings and pastures across the Midwest.