The National Association of Farm Broadcasting has named veteran broadcast journalists Rita Frazer and Tom Cassidy as this year’s inductees into the NAFB Hall of Fame.
They will be celebrated on Nov. 19 at the Night of Honors Celebration Banquet during the 83rd NAFB Convention in Kansas City.
According to a release, in addition to their careers as voices in agriculture and their service roles in their communities, Frazer and Cassidy have also served in regional and national NAFB leadership positions.
Frazer is audio news manager for the Illinois Farm Bureau’s marketing and communications division and served as NAFB president in 2020.
Cassidy, who recently retired as farm director and general manager at Ag Radio Network in Barneveld, N.Y., was NAFB’s president in 2018.
“Rita and Tom have been trusted voices for agriculture for decades, delivering the news and information that farmers and ranchers depend on every day,” said Don Wick, president and owner of the Red River Farm Network and chair of the 2026 NAFB Hall of Fame Committee, in the release.
Serving Illinois farmers
Frazer has 35 years of experience in agricultural broadcasting, delivering news, markets and public policy information through the Illinois Farm Bureau’s RFD Radio Network.
Under her leadership, the network continues to reach producers across the state through its 85 affiliate stations.
Prior to her present position, Frazer served as network anchor/broadcast editor at WSMI(AM/FM) in Litchfield, Ill. She joined the staff there in 1990 and served local farmers and the mid-Illinois community for 22 years.
During her time at WSMI, Frazer received multiple awards for her farm reporting and service to Illinois agriculture. She joined the RFD Radio Network full time in 2011 and replaced long-time director Alan Jarand in January 2015.
A past president and 35-year member of NAFB, Frazer has earned accolades that include the 2024 NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the Year Award.
New York dairy farm days
Cassidy got his first taste of radio at the age of seven when he recorded a commercial for a drive-in.
Still, growing up on the family dairy farm in New York state, Cassidy said in the release that he assumed he would be a lifelong dairy farmer.
“Our family farm had the motto ‘Feeding America since 1927’ on the sign out front,” Cassidy said. “I could think of no job more noble. When I realized my voice could encourage other farmers to better feed the world, I was hooked. Receiving the NAFB Hall of Fame award is a great honor and a wonderful culmination of my career in broadcasting.”
For around five decades, Ag Radio Network has been a voice for agriculture across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. It was founded by Ed Slusarczyk, with Cassidy being named farm director at the network in 2000, and later general manager.
Under Cassidy’s leadership, the family-owned network has delivered ag news tailored to the region’s diverse agricultural industries.
Early in his career, Cassidy won the NAFB Horizon Award, which recognizes emerging leaders in farm broadcasting. He also served as East Region NAFB vice president in 2006-2007 and national president in 2018.
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