PLATTE CITY, Mo. (July 17, 2025) – The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) has named veteran ag communicators Janet Adkison and Gale Cunningham as the 2025 inductees in the NAFB Hall of Fame. They will be celebrated at the Night of Honors banquet on Thursday, Nov. 20, attended by farm broadcasters and ag industry leaders during the 82nd NAFB Convention in Kansas City.
In addition to their careers as trusted voices in agriculture and in their respective communities, both Adkison and Cunningham have served in regional and national leadership roles within NAFB. Adkison, a longtime broadcaster who is now director of public affairs and advocacy for the Missouri Farm Bureau, served as NAFB president in 2014. Cunningham, farm director at WYXY Classic 99.1 FM Radio in Champaign, IL, was the association’s president in 2021.
“Janet and Gale have been strong leaders within the NAFB and have reputations for selflessly giving back to their communities and supporting the next generation of ag communicators and youth in agriculture,” says Carah Hart, chair of the 2025 NAFB Hall of Fame Committee and an anchor/reporter with Brownfield Ag News. “We are delighted to honor them as this year’s inductees.”
Each year, NAFB recognizes members who have made long-lasting contributions to the farm broadcast industry. They are nominated by members and honored for their leadership, outstanding career achievements, NAFB contributions and impact on the agriculture industry.
Janet Adkison
Adkison has served as a long-time and well-recognized on-air voice of agriculture, having worked at RFD-TV for 10 years. During her tenure at the network, she served on the anchor desk for Market Day Report and Rural Evening News, hosted coverage of the National FFA Convention, structured programs for Rural Radio 147 on Sirius XM and led the news bureau for RFD-TV in Washington, D.C. Prior to that position, she served in broadcaster roles at Arkansas Radio Network, Brownfield Ag News, KFRM Radio, and served seven years as the farm director for KMZU Radio.
A native of Houston, MO, Adkison grew up on a beef farm and graduated from Missouri State University with a degree in agricultural communications. Today, as director of public affairs and advocacy for the Missouri Farm Bureau, a position she has held since 2023, Adkison is still communicating agriculture’s story through farm and mainstream media channels and also through the association’s quarterly publication, Show Me Magazine.
While no longer officially behind the microphone, Adkison remains connected to the industry by working with NAFB members and promoting opportunities available to young people interested in agriculture communications.
Gale Cunningham
Cunningham has been described as a farmer’s friend and advocate of agriculture for more than 50 years. He has been a longstanding and trusted ag broadcaster voice in Illinois and Indiana, delivering local, regional, state and national ag and rural policy news to listeners for many years.
A native of Hoopeston, IL, where he grew up on a grain and dairy farm, Cunningham is known for his passion for the industry, and particularly his dedication to youth in agriculture. He and his station have hosted broadcasting interns for many years.
Today, Cunningham keeps a tireless schedule reporting on agriculture and covering state and county fairs, state FFA conventions and many other industry events on a state and national level.
About the NAFB Hall of Fame
Established in 1986, the NAFB Hall of Fame has recognized pioneers of the industry. In total, there are 81 inductees, including Adkison and Cunningham, in the Hall of Fame. Inductees are known leaders who are powerful advocates in the field of agriculture.
About NAFB
Founded in 1944, 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. NAFB membership comprises farm broadcasters, ag media sales and marketing professionals, allied industry and associations, and students studying agriculture communications. For more information, visit nafb.com.
Comments