Blog---March 28, 2025—10-11—It’s YOUR Agri Business

   We had a chance in our last Friday show of March---to talk agriculture and business on an interesting set of topic.

   As we like to do on Friday—we start with Darren Hefty---Ag PHD---with his brother they do the farm business in a way that gets a lot of notoriety not only in this part of the world but heard each day on Sirius 147 or is it 143----nationwide. Darren with his brother have been around and are well respected for their farm land in Baltic and all they do nationwide.

    Today Darren talked about the beans---being perhaps the first crop that would be planted---but early planting could be in the works as well.

    We did talk about passing the torch to the next generation—how it will be done—and just what families go thru ---to see that the land---the buildings---the family are on the same page. 

     We backed that segment up with Scott Vanderwall---long time leader with Farm Bureau. He was one of the 50 that was part of Capital Meetings around DC---including the session with the Dakota dudes---Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds and Representative Dusty Johnson.

     Scott helped this week and so did Reid Jensen—who previewed---the meeting with the big three and then helped us to understand what they were asking---and what their hopes were. 

      Mr. Johnson joined us a couple of times---and Senator Rounds plans to be in Sioux Falls next week and is expected in our studios Mid-week. 

      Tough times---in DC---challenges----concerns-----and our job is to be EVEN-HANDED----and share stories for our listeners, readers, and viewers.

      We did follow South Dakota Farmers Union with their meetings in DC and their national convention earlier this month in Oklahoma City. Our job is to ask the questions----and be available for those elected officials that can help us tell the stories.

      We know it must be spring---Pfeifers has been around we’re told for 81 years. We have worked with them thru the years---and we know that our listeners expect us to tell stories on equipment—what’s going on and options those in ag have. We did that this morning with Jake Hanson--- mowers compact—orange tractors----and expectations for the growing season---what we started with this morning. It is the rental season and we were told to watch out for the upcoming Bobcat’s National Sales event.

      Sarah Heinrich---KFGO Fargo had the growing harvest network update ----Matt Swenson---Swenson Commodities--- the grains—the meat—and the Big Board on Wall Street.\

      Big week ahead for FFA in South Dakota---coming up in Brookings on April 3-5—thousands of FFA members ---many stars---many looking to pick-up the torch for the next generation have set the stage this week—and we’ll continue to follow along during the event next week. Today it was Geri Eide---long time leader---and Bialey Weegar—State FFA Treasurer. We’ll be working all next week---to set the stage for this organizations work to keep Agriculture the #1 industry in South Dakota.

     16 stars will be a part of the competition set for Friday April 5th. We’ll keep you posted –and we know the organization deserves all the reporting we can do. 

      On Friday--- we talk with Alla---who came from Ukraine to the United States 12 or so years ago---since then---sisters have made the trip----mom made the trip and so did dad. Right now it’s a tough time----Russians bombed their home town—there is no home to go back to. Alla is trying to keep them here---and keep us posed on what is going on. We too have seen businesses in South Dakota want to increase the number of Ukrainians working in South Dakota. I’ve been to a number of meetings where business owners and leaders were pushing to have more Ukrainians come to South Dakota.  Peacekeeping isn’t a word that we see much of with Ukraine---we standup for the businesses in South Dakota that want to have hard working people find work –regardless of whether it is Ukraine or somewhere else.

     This is Ag Appreciation week in Iowa---much like it was in South Dakota last week. Our hope was to work with Iowans—and next week---Minnesota. 

      One of the hopes we had was that Justin Glisin---Iowa State Climatologist would join us on a trip to California—that didn’t happen however---we did have Jake “The Flagman” Droge –a certified reverse Mortgage Professional on with us---and he has 

Been saluting so many service-men in this country. He even saluted me---I was called to active duty during the Pueblo Crisis---in Korea and Vietnam. I was called to active duty with the Sioux City Air Guard---and wound up being sent with hundreds of others to be ready to join the war if needed—while being trained at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis New Mexico.

       When I was finally released I was at that point working television at KVII-TV in Amarillo, Texas. Helped as a reporter, then anchor, and finally news director to take the news audience from a 7% share to 70% ten years later. I was sent to the sister station in El Paso Texas—yes along the border to Juarez. And helped build an audience there. I spent time in Montgomery, Alabama, Knoxville, Tennessee—and built an audience there as well. With the work I did on the 30th Anniversary march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama---I was actually chosen by the retirement system of Alabama—to be one of the 3 original share holders of 40 some TV stations. All of that had Jake Droge—submit what I had done as a soldier and other events----on the civil rights march---as a Veteran who was still helping today.

       What he submitted on line has been read by 17,700---the most of any submission in the country today.

      I was just being Bill—loving my country—and still working today---while I did 5,000 TV newscasts around the country---I’m approaching 4800 radio shows in Sioux Falls. Any chance I get I salute and honor our military. We will get some Iowa soldiers saluted as well.

     Listen live to the show at 1320, 105.1, 107.9—use the KELO App—streaming on line or just ask Alexa.

     Norm Anderson posts the Podcast----I interview and schedule the guests and write the blog.