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“There is one voice that is recognized by farmers and ranchers
across America. It is a respected and trusted voice that is listened
to at home, in the tractor or combine, in the shed or in the family
car. It is the voice of the professional farm broadcaster.”
– National Association of Farm Broadcasters
According to the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB),
“broadcasting information to farmers is almost as old as
AM radio.” The first “farm broadcast” was aired
in January 1921 when a station in Madison, WI began airing weather
reports for farmers. The public’s hunger for farm-related
news was soon apparent. By 1922, 35 out of the 36 licensed radio
stations in the U.S. had been approved to broadcast USDA market
reports.
More than 80 years after that first farm broadcast, farmers throughout
North America continue to depend on farm broadcasters for reliable,
accurate news and entertainment. Thousands of farmers tune in
daily to television, radio and Internet sites to get weather reports,
the latest local, national and worldwide farm news and market
information.
Many of the voices so familiar to U.S. farmers are members of
the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. The NAFB was born
in 1944 as NARFD (the National Association of Radio Farm Directors)
with 50 members. Today, NAFB includes nearly 200 voting and 400
associate members. Voting members are professional farm broadcasters
who work for a commercial radio or TV station or network or who
deliver their news and information via the Internet. Associate
members come from the ranks of agribusinesses, government, farm
groups, commodity organizations, advertising and public relations
firms, and the broadcast sales and marketing industry.
New Holland is proud to be a sponsor of “the voice of the
American farmer,” – the NAFB.
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