Upon attending her first NAFB Conference in 2015, Corryn La Rue cemented her career as an agriculture reporter, now doing just that for the Ag Information Network. La Rue graduated from Utah State University with two Bachelors of Science degrees in agricultural communications and journalism with a broadcast emphasis.
“Since I grew up in the agriculture industry, it was a no-brainer that I would go to college to study ag. At first, I thought journalism would be my second major, but I fell in love with journalism and made it my priority,” La Rue said.
“I was lucky enough to get into a niche part of the industry that allows me to utilize each of my degrees.”
During La Rue’s freshman year of college, Dr. Kelsey Hall, associate professor at Utah State University, introduced her to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Conference.
“She helped me sign up to be a student member, and I immediately knew farm broadcasting was what I wanted to do with my life. Afterward, I dove deep into every opportunity NAFB offered to student members.”
La Rue continued making connections through NAFB and completed ten internships throughout college, including one in Washington D.C., with Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc. She is passionate about journalism and has become an active voice for rural mental health.
“Growing up in the ag industry, I have seen [the mental health] struggle firsthand. The resources we have for rural mental health right now is getting better, but they are not enough.”
Throughout her experience as a journalist, La Rue has found there is generational stigma against mental health and knowing when to seek help.
“In the ag industry, there is so much of a farmer’s or rancher’s job that is directly rooted in his/her identity. When something is failing with a family business, it’s not just the mindset of losing a job, it’s that person’s ancestral identity at stake,” La Rue said. “There is such an intense connection between farmers and their work, it is much more painful to handle failure.”
La Rue strives to change the narrative of mental wellness in rural America. Her passion for journalism and rural mental health fuels her involvement in farm and ranch news.
