PLATTE CITY, Mo. (November 18, 2024) – The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) recognized excellence in agriculture broadcasting and exceptional contributions to the farm broadcasting industry with multiple awards during its annual convention Nov. 13 – 15, 2024, in Kansas City. More than 700 broadcasting professionals, ag industry leaders, newsmakers and students attended the association’s 81st convention last week.
Sabrina Halvorson was honored as Farm Broadcaster of the Year. Halvorson, an award-winning, 30-year media veteran, created and implemented California’s first all-agriculture morning news show in 2014. She currently reports for AgNet West, Hoosier Ag Today and Michigan Ag Today.
Winning the prestigious Doan Award was Spencer Chase, senior director of communications for the Corn Refiners Association, for his audio report titled “Deep Dive on Farm and Food Policy Drivers” when he was managing editor at Agri-Pulse last year. The Doan is named after Stewart Doan, former farm broadcaster and senior editor at Agri-Pulse, who passed away in 2012. Doan was known for his excellence in farm and rural policy news.
Stephanie Hoff, Mid-West Farm Report Network, received the Horizon Award, which annually recognizes an outstanding member broadcaster in his or her first five years of professional work.
The 2024 Workhorse Achievement Award was presented to Brian Winnekins, farm broadcaster at WRDN AM-FM in Durand, WI, for his years of service to the farm broadcasting profession and, in particular, his leadership in advocating for farmers and the farm broadcasting industry to ensure access to AM radio in vehicles.
The Dix Harper Meritorious Service Award was presented to Augie Aga, director of national sales for Northern Ag Network, for his contributions to the association and farm broadcasting.
Veteran broadcasters Curt Lancaster and Mark Oppold were honored as 2024 Hall of Fame inductees. Together, Oppold and Lancaster have more than 100 years in the broadcasting industry. They both have developed career-long reputations for being trusted voices in agriculture and in their rural communities. See related media release here.
Additional awards included:
- Herb Plambeck Awards, recognizing top creative farm broadcast advertising, went to Your Ag Network and Midwest Communications.
- Broadcast Contest Awards (Audio) first-place winners: Marketcast (Stephanie Hoff); Newscast (Mark Dorenkamp); Feature (Jesse Allen); Interview (Stephanie Hoff).
- Broadcast Contest Awards (Video) first-place winners: Marketcast (Marjorie Kulba); Newscast (Bryce Doeschot); Feature (Clinton Griffiths); Interview (Chad Moyer).
- NAFB News Service Awards: Editor’s Choice (Todd Gleason); Editor’s Choice for Exceptional Merit (Riley Smith); Excellence in Ag Reporting (Stephanie Hoff).
NAFB is a non-profit professional organization whose mission is to lead, promote, and support growth in agricultural and rural broadcasting for the benefit of its members, audiences, and industry.
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