Taking Stalk with Illinois Farm Bureau

Working in agriculture often means spending long hours in the sun — and a heightened risk for skin cancer. Stephanie Porter, an outreach agronomist with the Illinois Soybean Association, experienced this firsthand nearly seven years ago. A sore spot that wouldn't heal led to a melanoma diagnosis teetering on the edge of Stage 4 cancer. In this conversation with host Rita Frazer, Porter shares her...

There's no shortage of people who will say farming is difficult. But Charlton and Michaela Greathouse want to tell a different story, one that's inspired by their passion for regenerative agriculture and farm-to-table food. Based in Albion, Illinois, the fifth-generation farmers are living what they love — growing a farm, a market and a family legacy. In this episode of Taking Stalk, the Greathous...

Freelance movie producer Sam Goldberg grew up in New York City, but it's rural America that captured his interest as a filmmaker. Beginning in 2019 with his feature film  Silo,  Goldberg seeks to bridge the urban-rural divide through the power of narrative storytelling.  In this episode of Taking Stalk, Goldberg tells host Rita Frazer about a forthcoming release of a six-part limited series titled...

You’ve heard his voice on the airwaves. Now it’s time to hear his story.   In this episode of Taking Stalk, RFD Radio Network Senior Anchor DeLoss Jahnke sits down with host Rita Frazer for a conversation tracing his journey from Kansas farm kid to president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Together, Frazer and Jahnke also reflect on the importance of mentorship, the evolution of...

Jeff and Lisa Broom turned their succession challenge into a new opportunity. With no one in their family interested in taking over the Macoupin County orchard, the Brooms found a path forward with new owner, Marcus Rutherford. In this episode, host Rita Frazer shares the transition story of two unrelated families that are working to keep a farm alive — and the memories tied to it — through partne...

Join host Rita Frazer at the 14th annual Women in Agriculture Conference, where one woman's story of loss, legacy and saying “yes” to the unknown sets the tone for a series of powerful conversations about leadership, burnout and building a life in agriculture that actually works. Plus, meet women leading county Farm Bureaus across the state and learn how they work to empower Illinois Farm Bureau m...

He's a farmer. A leader. A family man. But who is  Philip Nelson, really?  In this episode of Taking Stalk, host Rita Frazer goes beyond the title to learn more about Illinois Farm Bureau's 17th president — discussing everything from Nelson's deep roots in agriculture to how he likes his steak cooked. Don't miss a chance to learn more about what drives Nelson in the day-to-day — and why he returne...

How does a non-farm kid end up competing on a national stage at a Farm Bureau discussion meet? That's the power of an ag teacher. Kade Hill, an Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader, and retired ag teacher Doug Anderson from Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District join host Rita Frazer to share how an ag class, teacher mentorship and competition of FFA helped turn Hill from a curious high school student i...

Of all the challenges facing farm families, succession planning may be the most universal. Illinois farmers Chase Brown and Chad Rupert know firsthand the difficulty of such conversations. Each come from multigenerational farm families and are fighting to make sure there is  a next generation. In this episode of Taking Stalk, Brown and Rupert join host Rita Frazer for a discussion on what it takes...

What does it take for farm to table to work? Celebrity Chef Stephanie Izard joins RFD Radio Network's Rita Frazer at the Everything Local Conference to dish on why farmers and chefs need to talk more — and how those conversations turn into better relationships for those on either end of the fork. 

As farmers head into the 2026 planting season, tight margins and rising input costs are forcing tough decisions in the field. During this episode of Taking Stalk, Rita Frazer is joined by agronomists Jason Webster of Precision Planting and Todd Steinacher of Acher, who share real-world data, research insights and practical advice to help farmers “farm smarter."  

Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II joins Rita Frazer to take a look back at the stories that shaped Illinois agriculture in 2025 — from state fair milestones and infrastructure upgrades to an uptick in wheat acres and expanded meat and poultry inspections.  Costello also digs into the pressures farmers are facing, the impact of tariffs and why strong trade relationships...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or is it? While the holidays bring a certain magic for many, they can be difficult for people experiencing stress, depression, anxiety and grief.  In this episode of Taking Stalk, RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer is joined by licensed counselor Rachel Brown for a timely conversation on how to manage stress, find balance and maintain emotional wellness as farm famil...

Adam Nielsen spent years advocating for agriculture as Illinois Farm Bureau's director of national legislation. After a shocking diagnosis forced him to retire early, Nielsen decided to draw from his well-honed skills to advocate for a new cause: Alzheimer's awareness. In this episode of Taking Stalk, Nielsen and his wife, Dayna, join RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer to share their family’s story of adjust...

On paper, the 80,000-90,000 registered attorneys in Illinois suggest a state well covered by legal professionals. But many of those attorneys are concentrated in the more metropolitan parts of the state, leaving rural communities outside of Chicago and surrounding counties with too few attorneys to meet the high demand for legal services in downstate Illinois.  In this episode of Taking Stalk, RFD...

2025 marks 10 years since the establishment of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), a  collaborative, science-based effort to reduce nutrients in waterways. The goal is to reduce  phosphorus and nitrogen loads by 45% with interim targets set at a 15% reduction in nitrogen and a 25% reduction in total phosphorus by 2025. Is the strategy still the right approach? What have we learne...

Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan welcomes Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, to discuss ethanol's history, its promising future and what it all means for farmers and consumers. More resources:  Growth Energy: growthenergy.org

It happened so fast. "I went in there and was poking around on it, and all of a sudden it broke loose, and the grain just started. It just swirls around you, and you can't get away from it. No matter how hard you try, you can't get out of that volume of grain." John Boland hopes sharing his story -- which thankfully has a happy ending -- will save someone else. In this episode, Boland, a farmer fr...

GLP-1 medications, the “me era,” the “Make America Healthy Again” movement and private label grocery products are among the latest trends changing consumer food demand. And farmers should pay attention. "At the end of the day, it's the consumer who decides the fate of the products the farmer produces," said Tom Bailey, a senior consumer foods analyst with Rabobank. In this episode, moderated by RF...

RFD Radio's Rita Frazer taps into the expertise of Ag Economist David Kohl and the wisdom of Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan, as they have a hard but hopeful conversation about today's farm economy.   Transcript available here: https://www.farmweeknow.com/podcasts/now-and-then-a-deep-dive-into-the-farm-economy/article_5610561a-3ede-4956-bd04-d6a84a5c5666.html

Illinois state fairgoers can find much more to eat than corn dogs and lemonade shakeups. And that’s by design. Agriculture advocates have been working for years to incorporate local food options at the state fair to meet consumer demand. It also serves as an important way to connect Illinois agriculture to consumers. In this episode, RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer brings together a talented group of agvo...

Tucked among the corn and soybean fields in DeWitt County, visitors can find a place to slow down, connect and breathe in the simple joys of life. It’s the vision of Mariah and Greg Anderson, first-generation farmers in Clinton. They began their farming adventure growing 300 mums and have expanded over the years to add strawberries, produce, pumpkins, donuts, flowers – and much more. RFD Radio’s R...

Who represents farmers in the food supply chain? What battles are being fought? In this episode, RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer joins Jenny Webb, Illinois Farm Bureau’s associate director of industry affairs, and Jill Brokaw, an Illinois farmer and ag industry sustainability expert, to discuss how they help bridge the gap between manufacturers, retailers, restaurants and farmers.

In the latest episode of Taking Stalk, we dig into two farmer favorites: markets and the weather. Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien's principal atmospheric scientist, and Joe Camp, director of managed programs at CommStock Investments, join Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan to discuss how the weather and markets are affecting the 2025 growing season. Plus, learn about the signficance of the Fourth...

Tim Stuenkel ’s sisters, Julie and Jill, light up when talking about their smart, fun, lovable, younger brother. They miss him so much. Nearing the three-year anniversary of his death, his sisters courageously share the story of finding Tim after he chose to end his life at the age of 44. They also share the pain, regret and guilt they carry. “It’s hard on the people left behind. You think about t...