Radio Is Growers’ First Choice For Farm News, Driving Product Purchasing.

Results from a survey of 1,000 farmers and ranchers, commissioned by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, show that 42% of respondents say farm radio is their first choice for reliable agricultural news and information, far outpacing other media sources.

The study, conducted during January and February by agricultural market researcher Kynetec, also found that 89% of listeners listen to ag radio while driving a vehicle, 73% do so while operating farm equipment, and 26% tune in on digital sources, including streaming, podcasts, and web videos.

“Farm radio is local, it’s mobile and it’s trusted,” NAFB’s release says. “Even with the abundance of multiple media and information sources that U.S. farmers have at their fingertips today, [this] shows the trust in the farm broadcaster still leads listeners to rank agricultural radio as their number-one choice for daily ag news and information.”

The trust in ag radio extends to farm-related products advertised on the medium. The survey found that more than half of farmer listeners say they learn about new ag products or inputs from broadcast or streamed farm radio, and that 65% turn to their local retailer, and 63% to online resources, to learn more about these products.

“Growers value radio as a trusted source of quick, accurate updates on ag markets, prices and local weather,” Kynetec VP/North America Agriculture Debbie Boyle says. “They trust farm broadcasters so strongly that after hearing a broadcaster mention a product, they are likely to engage in follow-up actions and purchases.”

NAFB Executive Director Gardner Hatch adds, “This is powerful validation of the importance of farm radio in the media mix, and its impact in the buyer’s journey — from brand awareness to inquiry to ultimate purchase consideration.”