Blog—March 19, 2025-10-11—It’s YOUR Agri Business

  I always enjoyed anchoring television news—5,000 TV shows---and one of the things that was always challenging but rewarding---was running the TV show as if it was like driving the plans of 20 or so stories down the road—and if there was breaking news have a plan.

  That was like our 4,763rd It’s YOUR Business and It’s YOUR Agri Business Radio show today.

  The obvious story to lead with was what was happening in Washington DC—the USDA announcing that is was issuing up to $10 billion in direct payments to ag producers thru the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program for the 2024 crop year.

   The challenge was that the voice and source—Gail Gullickson in South Dakota hadn’t been given the green-light to release it when we started the show at 10:06.

    She hoped they would allow her to make the announcement—but it was too good a story not to lead the show with. So----South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke was willing to explain it at 10:06---and it allowed us to talk about it—again share that NO FARM BILL was a problem—and what ingredients were important. It turned into a chance to weigh in on not only that, the farm bill, but hurricanes and floods---how the new Governor Larry Rhoden was doing as well.

    We served our audience while waiting for the clock to hit the now approved appointed release time as 10:30 or so.

    So we included Brent Baloun---Plains Commerce Bank---Planning---is what they talk about for the 8 or 9 banks---so we asked how they would plan with new married couples, retired and aging couples, businesses, and then those with challenges in Agriculture.

    Our Sister Station KFGO in Fargo always throws their Growing Harvest Network in for 2 minutes—good stuff—just North Dakota instead of South. Matt Swenson had the morning commodities and Wall Street—

    Then at 10:35—Gail Gullickson had been cleared to share the numbers from DC on the lead story. Her approach was different than President Sombke---but we were able to share what it truly meant to our listeners in the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska. And we always have listeners from all over the country too. 

    Then we had the opportunity to share a special story we have been promoting all-week---on Ag Appreciation Week. April 3-4-5—the State FFA Convention on the SDSU Campus in Brookings. We talked with Haley, Terry, and Colton---all STAR contenders---and they had a chance to even talk about their future and one shared the price of eggs too.

     One of the most colorful guests we have on the show—is a professional called “Mr. Tree”---John Ball was just returning from the Black Hills—we talked about what else—TREES—the shape they are in---and what he was seeing around the state and around the country in 2025. 

     We are fortunate enough to work with 2 State Climatologists—Laura Edwards from South Dakota and Justin Glisin from Iowa. Today was Justin’s day---Iowa was getting more snow than South Dakota---and Justin talked about what they can expect for the weekend---and appreciated being on our Agri Business Show—but couldn’t wait to get me out on the golf course in warmer days.

    Our It’s YOUR Agri Business Show did the scheduling, the waiting for something to be released—but at no time did we run out of information that our audience would want to listen to or live with our PODCAST.

    Norm Anderson posts the Podcast---my job is to schedule the guests, prepare them to go on the air----and often fill time as we wait for a story to be properly released. Listen live to the show at 1320, 105.1, 107.9—use the KELO App, Streaming on line or just ask Alexa.

    Questions for me—feel free to call/text at 605-728-BILL (2455) or email me at bill.zortman@mwcradio.com.