By Tyler Harris
Editor, Nebraska Farmer
I’m excited to begin serving on the AAEA board of directors as an at-large director, and I’m looking forward to working with and learning from more experienced board members.
As a relatively young ag editor, I’ve been fortunate to spend the last 7+ years covering the latest ag practices, tech developments, as well as ag policy updates and severe weather events and their impact on local agriculture – from interviewing livestock and crop producers in Iowa and Missouri to covering irrigated agriculture in Kansas and now Nebraska.
Over time, I’ve been lucky enough to call some of the best editors in the industry my colleagues, and I’ve developed a passion for reporting on complex, technical issues and potential impacts on producers’ bottom lines – in particular, the unique challenges faced by irrigated and dryland growers on the Great Plains.
Although I’ve been a member of AAEA for as long as I’ve been an ag editor, I didn’t become what I’d call an active member until the last couple years. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with veteran ag editors and fellow young ag communicators alike, and the strong sense of community that comes from working with people in the same industry.
Moving forward, I plan to continue collaborating with AAEA Special Interest Groups in planning webinars and other professional development programs. I’m especially looking forward to learning from experienced board members and providing some input in guiding the direction of the organization on behalf of fellow young ag communicators and editors.