Betsy Freese

Last updated
Betsy Freese
Education Iowa State University (BS)
Occupation(s)Editor, blogger, radio personality
EmployerMeredith Corporation

Betsy Freese is an American editor, blogger, and radio personality who focuses on small and large-scale agriculture journalism as executive editor for Successful Farming and Living the Country Life. [1] [2] [3] She was the host of both the Living the Country Life radio series and TV show. [4] [5] [6] She produces the exclusive annual Pork Powerhouses ranking of the largest 25 pork producers in the U.S. and Canada. [7]

Contents

Early life

Betsy Freese was raised in Maryland, one of three children. [8] She was exposed to agriculture from a young age through her father, Phil Johnson, who raised pigs and grew corn. [8] In 1975 her father purchased a turkey farm from his father, Warren Johnson. [8] The farm was originally used to grow turkeys, and provided one of the first turkeys for the White House Thanksgiving under president Harry S. Truman. [8] Betsy’s father converted the farm to raise confinement hogs and grow strawberries. [8]

Education

Betsy attended Iowa State University, majoring in agricultural journalism. [9] [10] There she met her future husband, Robert Freese, who was a major in animal science. [11] She served as Issue Editor for the Iowa State University Yearbook, writing stories on agriculture and politics. [9] She graduated in 1984 with a degree in agricultural journalism. [9]

Career

Betsy began her career at Meredith Corporation, working for the farming focused magazine Successful Farming. [1] There she started her annual exclusive article Pork Powerhouses, which ranks the largest 25 pork producers in the U.S. and Canada. [7]

In the early 2000s, Betsy began working on a new project under Meredith Corporation aimed at small farms and acreages. Betsy recognized that agricultural journalists needed to expand past just using print media into new forms such as the internet. [12] This culminated in Living the Country Life, which would consist of a quarterly magazine, internet presence via blogging, radio and television show. [13] [14] The Living the Country Life magazine was first released in 2002 and is produced quarterly. [13] [14]

Launched in 2004, the Living the Country Life television show aired on RFD-TV, running for a total of 5 seasons. [5] [15] [16] [17] Betsy was chosen to host the TV program because of her passion for country living as well as believability on the topic of running a small farm. [18] Betsy hosted the first four seasons of the show, while a fifth was hosted separately. [19]

The Living the Country Life radio show launched in 2007, and continues to air on 307 stations reaching 1.9 million listeners. [4] [13] [14] [15] The show is hosted by Betsy Freese and Jodi Henke and features stories and advice on small farms and acreages. [13]

Honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agritourism</span> Tourism involving agriculture

Agritourism or agrotourism involves any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch.

<i>The Archers</i> British radio soap opera

The Archers is a British radio soap opera currently broadcast on BBC Radio 4, the corporation's main spoken-word channel. Broadcast since 1951, it was famously billed as "an everyday story of country folk" and is now promoted as "a contemporary drama in a rural setting". Having aired over 20,000 episodes, it is the world's longest-running present-day drama by number of episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organic farming</span> Method of agriculture meant to be environmentally friendly

Organic farming, also known as ecological farming or biological farming, is an agricultural system that uses fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal and places emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting. It originated early in the 20th century in reaction to rapidly changing farming practices. Certified organic agriculture accounts for 70 million hectares globally, with over half of that total in Australia. Biological pest control, mixed cropping, and the fostering of insect predators are encouraged. Organic standards are designed to allow the use of naturally-occurring substances while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances. For instance, naturally-occurring pesticides such as pyrethrin are permitted, while synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are generally prohibited. Synthetic substances that are allowed include, for example, copper sulfate, elemental sulfur, and veterinary drugs. Genetically modified organisms, nanomaterials, human sewage sludge, plant growth regulators, hormones, and antibiotic use in livestock husbandry are prohibited. Organic farming advocates claim advantages in sustainability, openness, self-sufficiency, autonomy and independence, health, food security, and food safety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intensive pig farming</span> Method of animal husbandry

Intensive pig farming, also known as pig factory farming, is the primary method of pig production, in which grower pigs are housed indoors in group-housing or straw-lined sheds, whilst pregnant sows are housed in gestation crates or pens and give birth in farrowing crates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agricultural subsidy</span> Governmental subsidy paid to farmers and agribusinesses

An agricultural subsidy is a government incentive paid to agribusinesses, agricultural organizations and farms to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities, and influence the cost and supply of such commodities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community-supported agriculture</span> Type of sharing system for food production and distribution

Community-supported agriculture or cropsharing is a system that connects producers and consumers within the food system closer by allowing the consumer to subscribe to the harvest of a certain farm or group of farms. It is an alternative socioeconomic model of agriculture and food distribution that allows the producer and consumer to share the risks of farming. The model is a subcategory of civic agriculture that has an overarching goal of strengthening a sense of community through local markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Farm Bureau Federation</span> Lobbying group in the United States

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), more informally called the American Farm Bureau (AFB) or simply the Farm Bureau, is a United States-based 501(c)(5) tax-exempt agricultural organization and lobbying group. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Farm Bureau has affiliates in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Each affiliate is a (state or county) Farm Bureau, and the parent organization is also often called simply the Farm Bureau.

<i>Real Simple</i> American monthly magazine

Real Simple is an American monthly magazine published by Dotdash Meredith. The magazine features articles and information related to homemaking, childcare, cooking, and emotional well-being. The magazine is distinguished by its clean, uncluttered style of layout and photos. In 2013 it had approximately 7.6 million readers, 90% of whom were women. Headquartered in New York City, the magazine is currently edited by Sarah Collins, who began serving as interim editor-in-chief in September 2016 after the departure of previous editor Kristin van Ogtrop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in India</span>

The history of agriculture in India dates back to the Neolithic period. India ranks second worldwide in farm outputs. As per the Indian economic survey 2020 -21, agriculture employed more than 50% of the Indian workforce and contributed 20.2% to the country's GDP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orion Samuelson</span> American agricultural broadcast journalist

Orion Samuelson is a retired American broadcaster, known for his agriculture broadcasts and his ability to explain agribusiness and food production in an understandable way. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003.

<i>AgDay</i> American TV series or program

AgDay is a syndicated daily half-hour television program presented in magazine format focusing on agriculture news, agribusiness, and country living. It generally airs in early morning timeslots on stations throughout the country and also airs weekday mornings on the digital cable and satellite channel RFD-TV. It is taped at WNDU studios in South Bend, Indiana. It is hosted and produced by Clinton Griffiths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Taiwan</span>

Agriculture is one of the main industries in Taiwan. It contributes to the food security, rural development and conservation of Taiwan. Around 24% of Taiwan's land is used for farming.

Max Armstrong is an American agriculture broadcaster from Chicago, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in New Zealand</span> Overview of agriculture in New Zealand

In New Zealand, agriculture is the largest sector of the tradable economy. The country exported NZ$46.4 billion worth of agricultural products in the 12 months to June 2019, 79.6% of the country's total exported goods. The agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector directly contributed $12.653 billion of the national GDP in the 12 months to September 2020, and employed 143,000 people, 5.9% of New Zealand's workforce, as of the 2018 census.

Agriculture in Singapore is a small industry, composing about 0.5% of the total GDP, within the city-state of Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Desjardins</span>

Raymond L. Desjardins is a senior research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in the Agrienvironment Division of the Ottawa Research and Development Centre. His areas of expertise include agricultural meteorology, micrometeorology, air quality, and climate change. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, was co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007, and in 2018 was appointed as Member of the Order of Canada for his research in agrometeorology and for his innovative devices to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Larry Steckline is a prominent Kansas broadcasting entrepreneur, and radio and television personality, particularly known for his Kansas agriculture news/feature/commentary programs. His company, Steckline Communications—formerly known as the Mid-Kansas Ag Network—provides various media services, including agricultural news syndicated to radio and television stations throughout Kansas. Steckline has also owned and operated 27 Kansas and Oklahoma radio stations.

Punjab Agri Export Corporation Limited (PAGREXCO) is a government enterprise established by the Government of Punjab in the year 1997 as the nodal agency for agricultural export from the state of Punjab, India. The company works for export of fresh and processed agricultural produce, infrastructural development and policy implementation in the state. It is a subsidiary of Punjab Agro Industries Corporation. The company has been awarded Sustainable Development Goals Action Award by the Punjab Planning Department for Sustainable Organic Production and Innovative Marketing System. It has also received Leadership award in Agriculture Marketing.

<i>Clarksons Farm</i> British television documentary series with Jeremy Clarkson

Clarkson's Farm is a British television documentary series about Jeremy Clarkson and his farm in the Cotswolds. The series documents Clarkson's attempts at running a 1,000-acre (400 ha) farm in the Cotswolds, and has received largely positive reviews. The first series premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 11 June 2021.

Hannah Quinn-Mulligan is an Irish farmer and journalist. She has worked for the BBC, RTÉ and The Irish Times and in 2020 won three awards at Ireland's Guild of Agricultural Journalism Awards.

References

  1. 1 2 "Betsy Freese". Successful Farming. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  2. ↑ "Living the Country Life". www.livingthecountrylife.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  3. ↑ "Contact Us | Meredith Agrimedia". www.meredithagrimedia.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-22. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  4. 1 2 "Check out the stations airing our radio show". Living the Country Life. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  5. 1 2 "LCL TV schedule". Living the Country Life. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  6. ↑ "RURAL RADIO - Radio for Rural America - SiriusXM Radio". SiriusXM. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  7. 1 2 "Be persistent and have a thick skin". www.ifaj.org. Archived from the original on 2016-12-22. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "High-Value Crops Perfect for High-Value Land - Fruit Growers News". Fruit Growers News. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  9. 1 2 3 "1984 Bomb :: Bomb (ISU yearbook)". cdm16001.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  10. ↑ "AgriMarketing.com - AAEA Announces Lifetime Achievement, Distinguished Service Awards". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  11. ↑ "1983 Bomb :: Bomb (ISU yearbook)". cdm16001.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  12. ↑ "AgriMarketing.com - Print Perspectives". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "AgriMarketing.com - Rural Lifestyle Media Updates". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  14. 1 2 3 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2016-12-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. 1 2 "Learfield is Living The Country Life". AgWired. 2007-04-25. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  16. ↑ "Living the Country Life". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  17. ↑ "AgriMarketing.com - Successful Farming Teams Up With RFD-TV". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  18. ↑ "AgriMarketing.com - Rural Lifestyle TV Program Debuts". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  19. ↑ "AgriMarketing.com - NAMA Marketer of the Year". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  20. ↑ "AgriMarketing.com - Print Perspectives". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  21. ↑ "AgriMarketing.com - North American Agricultural Journalists Name Annual Award Winners". www.agrimarketing.com. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  22. ↑ "Awards | American Agricultural Editors Association". www.ageditors.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.