Rita Frazer President of National Farm Broadcasting Association

The National Farm Broadcasting Association (NAFB) passed its presidential gavel to Rita Frazer Friday night.

Frazer, previously president-elect, will now serve as national president. She was elected national vice president in 2017 and has served on the executive committee the last two years. Frazer, a 30-year farm broadcasting veteran, is a longtime member and leader of the organization.

“Being a part of this organization has truly shaped my career from the start,” said Frazer. “I don’t think I would have had the start that I had, or any of the career that I’ve had, without NAFB. The connections I’ve made over the years and the skills I’ve learned – I can trace them back to experiences I’ve had with this group.”

Frazer has served in various leadership positions within NAFB over the years, including national vice president​, east region vice president, chair of the NAFB awards committee and chair of the NAFB liaison with ag organizations committee. Frazer has led the RFD Radio Network for the Illinois Farm Bureau as director of network and audio services since January 2015. She joined the RFD team in 2011, first serving as network anchor and broadcast editor. As director, Frazer is responsible for the management and administration of the RFD Radio Network. Rita is also a full-time farm broadcaster, working with her team to produce and distribute more than a dozen programs each weekday used by more than 80 Illinois radio stations.

Frazer has been serving agricultural communities since 1990 when she first joined WSMI Radio in Litchfield as a farm broadcaster. She has received several awards for her farm reporting and service to Illinois agriculture over the years.

Frazer remains dedicated to the NAFB organization and farm broadcasting profession. She strives to serve the farm broadcasting community to the best of her ability, uplifting the profession and farming industry.

“In farm broadcasting, we want to create synergy and build lasting relationships with those we’re interviewing,” said Frazer. “Farmers have so many ways to get their information – that’s one challenge we face. But we are lucky because we have these relationships that are not just relationships – they’re friendships. Farmers recognize that. I think that farm broadcasters rise to the top as far as media across the board because of our commitment to relationships and our clear focus on getting the best information to farmers.”

As president, Frazer will serve on the NAFB Board of Directors and will represent NAFB at several national events, including the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention and Trade Show, Commodity Classic and many others over the next year. “It is quite an honor and responsibility to have the opportunity to serve such a great group of people,” Frazer said. “I look forward to carrying on the tradition of the strong leadership that we’ve had in this organization.”