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Thank you.

Commentary

I’m writing this column from my hotel room in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, November 13, 2009. All members of the Brownfield Ag News team are here for the annual convention of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, and it has indeed been a wonderful 3 days. This meeting is part family reunion, part business networking, part news coverage, part professional improvement, and part annual business meeting for our professional association. This is my 22nd annual NAFB Convention, and the friendships forged during this meeting in those early years are some of the closest I have today.

Many of the members of the Brownfield Ag News team were those I learned from when I became a farm broadcaster 25 years ago. Tom Steever, Ken Anderson, Dave Russell, Jerry Passer, and Bob Meyer have been in the business of telling the stories of agriculture for a long time. The NAFB Convention each November in Kansas City gave me the opportunity not only to observe them “at work” but to get to know them personally. Today, I am honored to have them on my team.

It is with great pride and admiration that I share with you some highlights from this convention for our team: Tom Steever was elected to the office of national vice president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting for the year 2010. Julie Harker and John Perkins were both recognized for outstanding market reporting, taking 2ND and 3rd place honors, respectively. After 17 years as a member of the NAFB Foundation, having served the past several as Vice President and Auction chair, I decided it is time to let someone else take over. Ken Anderson from our team was elected to take over my post as VP and thanks to the generosity of numerous donors and buyers the total dollars raised at the annual auction broke the last record, which was set in 2007.

The greatest surprise and most humbling experience for me at NAFB Convention came last night during the annual “Night of Honors” celebration when I was awarded the Oscar in Agriculture for a series of interviews and reports I did focusing on what farm families are “doing right.” To say I was surprised would be a serious understatement.

Thanks to New Holland for the beautiful crystal Oscar in Agriculture award set on a marble base presented to me last evening. I will treasure it for the rest of my life.

In the early 1800’s, Jonathon Young settled in and began farming in Scott County, Illinois where my family still farms today. I accepted the award last night in honor of all of them. Had I not been completely overwhelmed with emotion and a bit more prepared to receive the honor, I would have also recognized all of you family farmers out there who are “doing it right.” It has been my pleasure to spend the past two and a half decades telling your story.

Thank you. I am a better person and a better journalist because I have known you.