Menu

by Lynn Snyder

Fresh from his recent induction to the Radio Hall of Fame, Orion Samuelson said he has had two missions in his broadcast career: to provide information helpful to producers and to help nonfarm consumers understand what it takes to put food on the table.

"Everyday we have the opportunity to help them understand," he said. He has attempted to develop a trust with consumers in the hope they will turn to his broadcasts for answers.

Samuelson hosted "An Evening with Orion Samuelson" as part of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting, Dec. 3 to 5 in Columbus. He is farm service director for WGN Radio and WGN Television and vice president of WGN Continental Broadcasting Company. He hosts a daily syndicated radio program, "National Farm Report," and a weekly television show, "U.S. Farm Report." Samuelson is the first and only agricultural broadcaster to be inducted to the Radio Hall of Fame.

He told members, "City people want to like you," but groups such as PETA, Animal Liberation Front, Environmental Working Group and Greenpeace are well-funded and through emotion raise questions in the minds of city listeners about "how good you really are."

He said Farm Bureau and similar agriculture organizations, including commodity check-off programs, are a strong voice for agriculture. He mentioned the power in a collective voice, as well as the cost benefit of pooling resources. But he also said the best communication is one-on-one communication. He said if agriculture doesn't get involved in communication, investing time, talent, money and energy, then the communication won't get done, or it will get done the wrong way.

One idea he had for county Farm Bureaus was a version of the welcome wagon. He said if new rural residents feel welcome, then maybe they would become farmers' advocates.

There is a "Not in my backyard" syndrome in some rural areas, but Samuelson said he can't think of a better organization than Farm Bureau to help people understand.