Brownfield

Jim Evans

Many involved in ag communications know the name "Jim Evans."  I received notice this morning of a fund-raising project underway for a new James F. Evans Endowed Chair in Agricultural Communications at the University of Illinois.

Efforts to raise funds for a new James F. Evans Endowed Chair in Agricultural Communications will kick off at 6:00 p.m., Nov. 8, at the I Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 First St., Champaign.

Jim Evans’ career of distinguished teaching and research spanned 33 years. Before his retirement in 1995, Dr. Evans was an internationally and nationally recognized leader in agricultural communications education. The new chair is being established to acknowledge Evans’ many years of exemplary service as well as his considerable contributions to the founding of the Ag Communications Program at the University of Illinois.

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and the College of Media have a long-standing relationship that dates back to the 1940s. Over the past year, these two colleges have been developing a proposal to formalize and reposition portions of the Agricultural Communications curriculum in the College of Media. The objective of such a move is to strengthen the program, with the overall goal of ensuring that the University of Illinois continues to educate students in agricultural, consumer, and environmental communications through the joint cooperation of the two colleges.

A major key to the long-term success of the Agricultural Communications Program is the establishment of an endowed chair, the faculty position that will provide leadership for the program.

Following approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees and the Illinois Bureau of Higher Education, a one-year transition phase is expected. The colleges are already working together to admit the first class of freshmen to this proposed joint program in 2008-09.

Register online for the November 8 event. Cost is $40 per person.

VI years

Brownfield Commodity Market reporter John Perkins reminded us this morning that today is his six-year anniversary with Brownfield.  Happy Anniversary John!  And the same to Jerry Passer, Brownfield Livestock Market Reporter, who is actually celebrating 6 years and 2 weeks on the team!

On stage

Much of what members of the Brownfield team do as ag communicators is behind the scenes - conducting interviews, editing, producing, writing, etc.  We also do a lot of public speaking, emceeing and moderating.  Being on stage for work is much different than being on stage performing in a play or a musical, which is something a few of us are doing these days:

Tom Steever was the first on our team to take the plunge in a musical:

The year before last, I was on the boards winning the part of "second old man wearing coat" in A Christmas Carol here in town, but in 2000, with Naperville Community Theater, I was M. Lindsay Woolsey in Mame, singing, speaking and believe it or not, dancing.

- Tom Steever

I just received a phone call from the director of the play “It’s A Wonderful Life,” I auditioned for the play this past Monday and have been cast for the role of Mr. Potter, I can’t tell you how excited I am, I have never done Community Theater, in fact, I haven’t been in a play since high school.

- Dave Russell

 
I had a bit part in the opening scene of The Innocents, a play directed and acted by members of my church.  We held the play in a small "black box" theatre beneath a shop in downtown Jefferson City.  It was great fun. This is the first play I've been in since college and I have never lost the acting bug.

-Julie Harker

(pictured: Julie on stage)

Sea of humanity in blue and gold

Dave here, checking in from the 81st National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. What an event, thousands of FFA members, agribusiness people, government types, it’s a sea of humanity.

I had the opportunity to judge, along with Jim Kinnett of Monsanto, the Ag Sales Career Development Event again this year, I believe this is the third year I’ve judged this contest, but looking back, I judged my first National FFA Contest in 1979 and if memory serves me correctly, I judged with another Brownfield farm broadcaster, Tom Steever. Both Tom and I were just kids at the time.

One of the students competing in the Ag Sales CDE was a foreign exchange student from Russia, Yekaterina Grishina, thank goodness she said we could call her Kate. She did a great job and after I was finished with the judging I interviewed Kate, I’ll share that interview later.

Ag Secretary Ed Schafer is scheduled to address the convention Friday morning and I’ll be there. Until then, be watching and listening for Brownfield’s coverage of the National FFA Convention.

Settling in

Ken Anderson, Waitt AgriBUSINESS Farm Director is settling into his new digs in Lincoln, Nebraska as is evidenced by this picture of his office! 

New office in Lincoln

As we told you a few days ago, Ken Anderson is the newest member of the Brownfield Ag News team.  Ken is the new Waitt AgriBusiness Farm Director, headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.  His office is up and running now.  If you would like to contact Ken, you can do so by calling him at 402-486-0421 or send him an email message at kanderson@brownfieldnetwork.com

He took this picture as the office was "coming together" Monday morning.

Pete Shinn update

In August, Pete left his position as Waitt Agribusiness Farm Director on the Brownfield Ag News team.  Why?  Because the National Guard Bureau notified him of their intention to activate him for a period of four years. Pete is now serving as Faculty Advisor for the Academy of Military Science at McGhee Tyson ANGB near Knoxville, Tennessee.  (For more detail on his position, you can read the post where we announced this activation.)

We remember a kinder, gentler Pete than the one shown in this picture.  My favorite caption to go with this photo comes from Brownfield's Bob Meyer:

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE THE CROP PROGRESS REPORT YET?"

Welcome aboard, Ken!

Please join me in welcoming Ken Anderson as Farm Director for Waitt Agribusiness.  Ken will work from his home office in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Here's the official release:

Lincoln, Ne. (October 17, 2008) – Brownfield, Ag News for America welcomes Ken Anderson as Farm Director for Waitt Agribusiness in Lincoln, Nebraska. 
 
“Ken’s roots run deep in agriculture in the region served by Waitt Agribusiness.  His experience on both sides of the microphone and his high level of professionalism make him a true asset to the Brownfield team,” said Cyndi Young, Brownfield Farm Director.

As Farm Director for Waitt Agribusiness, Anderson joins an award-winning team of agriculture communication experts.  With Ken Anderson on board, there are now nine National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Broadcast Council members on the Brownfield Ag News team.

Anderson is a director of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Foundation.  He has also served on the executive committee of the National Agri-Marketing Association and is currently president-elect of the Nebraska Agribusiness Club.

Previously employed with NC+ Hybrids in Lincoln, Nebraska and KRVN radio in Lexington, Nebraska, Anderson was most recently with an advertising firm in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

Ken and his wife Ardella have four children and four grandchildren.

Waitt Agribusiness was acquired by Brownfield in 2006 and provides agribusiness news, markets and weather programming for producers in the states of Nebraska, South Dakota and western Iowa.  Brownfield, founded in 1972, is America’s largest ag radio network, providing commodity and livestock reports, agribusiness news and other feature programming to more than 300 radio stations across the Midwest.  BrownfieldAgNews.com features news, markets, weather, event coverage and ag-related features.  Brownfield also offers “Agriculture Today,” a daily e-mail newsletter providing readers with a snapshot of what is happening in agriculture. 

Big cookie

I have the greatest staff in the universe.  Members of the Jeff City, Missouri crew who were in the office today (Mike Cady is traveling, visiting affiliate radio stations) along with our newest staff member (more coming on that) surprised me this afternoon with a big cookie to celebrate Boss's Day. 

It is also World Food Day, but there wasn't enough room on the cookie.

Thanks team!

Dave in Philly

Dave here – On Wednesday, October 15 I was in Medford, New Jersey, located just outside of Philadelphia, to moderate a teleconference hosted by the United Soybean Board. The teleconference was held to recognize the 10th anniversary of the Medford Township Public School District using biodiesel in their school buses. Joining me on the call were, on my right, Michael Frohlich, director of communications, National Biodiesel Board, on my left, Rick Stern, a member of the United Soybean Board, and farmer from Cream Ridge, NJ and Joe Biluck, director of operations and technology for the Medford Township Board of Education.

It’s quite a success story, in the 10 years they’ve been using biodiesel, the Medford school buses have traveled over 4 million miles, consumed 615,000 gallons of biodiesel, displaced over 123,000 gallons of diesel fuel and they have reduced the overall cost of fleet operations by $80,000 a year, money that can now be used for education, rather than fuel.

Congratulations to the Medford Township Public School District.