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 into an aspiring young leader in agriculture.

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 to keep a family farm going — and why succession planning so often ends up becoming "the monster under the bed."

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 matter more than ever. Don't miss a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the wins, the worries and what's ahead for Illinois ag.

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 families head into the holidays.

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 adjusting to a new life — and turning pain into purpose. 

Resources:
Alzheimer's Association: alz.org

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 Radio's Rita Frazer brings together Mattoon attorney Angel Wawrzynek and Garrett Thalgott, Illinois Farm Bureau's assistant general counsel, for a conversation on what's missing in legal representation in rural Illinois — and why it should matter to everyone.

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 learned? Andrew Margenot from the University of Illinois joins Illinois Farm Bureau Vice President Evan Hultine for this important update.

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