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.

The two-week visit was a success due largely to the help and enthusiasm of fellow farm broadcasters in the areas I visited.” NAFB President-Elect Brian Winnekins (WRDN, Durand, WI) was Sabrina’s main point of contact in Wisconsin, where the trip started. She spent several days there, visiting various dairy operations and being on the air with Brian, talking about California agriculture and sharing information about the drought. “Brian made sure I learned about more than just Wisconsin cheese. He set up tours at a hops farm and a cranberry farm, two crops we don’t grow in California. We also went on a private tour of a sand mining operation and, of course, a cheese factory.” Sabrina enjoys ribbing Brian about dairy production; California is number one in the nation, Wisconsin is second.  Sabrina said, “Brian and I attended a dairy breakfast at a lovely family dairy farm. It was my first dairy breakfast, as they don’t seem to be as popular in California as they are in Wisconsin. While at the breakfast Brian made sure to introduce me to Congressman Ron Kind.” There, I met farm broadcaster Bob Bosold (WAYY/WAXX, Altoona, WI).” After Sabrina’s teasing Bob about his picture being on the side of a station van, Bob asked her for an interview. “I’m used to being on the other end of the recorder, but who can turn down Bob Bosold? He asked me thoughtful questions about the California drought and how farmers are making it through. We also talked about the differences between California and Wisconsin in dairy production and the dairy breakfast we were attending.”  

Sabrina did an interview with the Congressman on changes he would have made to the farm bill, ag trade and its importance in California, Trade Promotion Authority and other ag topics. While Sabrina was in Wisconsin, NAFB member Bill Zortman (KELO, Sioux Falls, SD) invited her to call in and be on the air with him. “We discussed my trip, what I had done so far in Wisconsin, the California drought, and my plans for talking with South Dakota agricultural leaders the following week.” Bill had Sabrina on air with him earlier in April to talk about California’s dairy industry and South Dakota’s push to get dairies to consider starting up businesses in that state. She said the professional highlight of her South Dakota visit was the opportunity to do an interview with South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard. Her discussion with Governor Daugaard went in-depth on why South Dakota is looking to California for new dairy businesses, the differences between the two states, and what South Dakota can offer Californians who are willing to set up shop there. “As a Californian, I was surprised when they referred to zero degrees as simply ‘cold’ and anything lower as ‘very cold’. Yes, I knew South Dakota winters were brutal. Still, having the local farm broadcaster there to make a point of explaining it was quite helpful.”  To read more and hear Sabrina’s interviews from her trip, click here.

Before returning to California, Sabrina went to North Dakota, where she spent time visiting fellow farm broadcaster Jody Heemstra (Red River Farm Network, Grand Forks, ND). The personal highlight of Sabrina’s trip was something completely different. Her family started out as cattle ranchers in the very areas she visited. “I had never seen where my family was from, so it was moving experience for me.” The story, along with pictures and some Native American flute music, can be found here.

Sabrina concludes, “While working in general news, I never experienced the sense of teamwork like I did during this trip. All these other farm broadcasters wanted to help me get the stories told, and I wanted to help them get California’s story told. We worked together to help each other be successful, despite being with different companies. It was a refreshing perspective on what we do.” A good example of farm broadcasters helping each other “air on the side of agriculture.