Top Agriculture Journalists in USA (2025)

As lead agriculture reporter for AgWeb, Anna-Lisa Laca covers the intersection of traditional farming practices with modern business and technology. Her work spans:

• Key Beats:
  • Dairy industry innovation
  • Agricultural policy analysis
  • Farm technology adoption

Pitching Insights

• Seeking: Case studies on automation in livestock management
• Avoid: Generic productivity improvement claims without verifiable data

Career Highlights

• 12+ years covering North American agriculture
• 2024 NAFB Merit Award recipient
• Regular commentator on USDA policy forums

Brad Haire is Executive Editor at Farm Progress, focusing on Southeastern U.S. agriculture. With 30+ years covering crop production, policy, and rural economies, his work bridges academic research and on-farm practicality.

Coverage Focus

• Crop Management: Optimizing yields through planting strategies and pest control, often citing land-grant university research.
• Disaster Response: Analyzes federal/state aid programs’ real-world impacts, as seen in his 2025 coverage of Hurricane Helene recovery.
• Sustainable Transitions: Profiles farms adopting cover crops and reduced tillage without sacrificing profitability.

Pitching Insights

• Preferred Sources: Farmers with 10+ years of operational data, extension specialists, agricultural economists.
• Underreported Areas: Labor retention strategies, secondary crop markets, equipment maintenance cost analysis.

Haire’s reporting has informed USDA policy briefings and is frequently cited in Southern agricultural extension programs. His avoidance of speculative trends (e.g., vertical farming) ensures relevance to mainstream row-crop producers.

Bruce Barker combines decades of hands-on experience in agriculture and construction with award-winning journalism. As a Chronicle-Tribune contributor and technical author, he specializes in:

• Agricultural Innovation: Tracking sustainable farming practices and rural economic trends
• Residential Construction: Decoding building codes for homeowner safety and compliance
• Community Development: Analyzing housing policy impacts on local economies

Pitching Priorities

• Localized data showing community-specific impacts
• Technical subjects explained through real-world case studies
• Cross-industry analysis with practical applications

Recent recognitions include the 2024 ASHI Media Excellence Award for public-facing technical communication. His work consistently demonstrates how regulatory frameworks shape everyday life, from farm fields to foundation footings.

With 40 years decoding agricultural economics, Bryce Knorr stands as North America's preeminent analyst of grain market mechanics. His Farm Progress portfolio serves 2.1 million monthly readers navigating commodity price volatility.

Core Coverage Areas

• Price Forecasting: Develops proprietary models blending weather data, trade flows, and macroeconomic indicators
• Risk Management: Analyzes futures markets, insurance products, and operational hedging strategies
• Policy Impact: Tracks USDA reports, biofuel mandates, and international trade agreements

Pitching Insights

• Do: Lead with verifiable data sets across ≥5 growing seasons
• Don't: Pitch anecdotal farming experiences without quantitative validation
• Unique Angle: Bridge local yield data to global supply chain dynamics

"The best market insights emerge where agronomy meets quantitative finance."

As DTN Progressive Farmer’s Ag Policy Editor since 2005, Chris Clayton has become the definitive voice on U.S. agricultural legislation and its real-world impacts. Based in Iowa’s farm country, his reporting bridges Washington policymaking and Main Street implementation challenges.

Key Coverage Areas

• Farm Bill Dynamics Analysis of safety net programs, conservation title funding, and nutrition policy negotiations
• Climate-Smart Agriculture Tracking IRA implementation, carbon credit markets, and regenerative practice adoption
• Trade Policy Impacts Reporting on export markets, tariff disputes, and international commodity flows

Pitching Preferences

• Data-Rich Policy Analysis Prefers stories with verifiable impact metrics over anecdotal claims
• Multi-State Perspectives Seeks examples demonstrating regional variations in policy outcomes

Achievement Highlights

• 2022 National Agricultural Communicator of the Year
• 14-time AAEA writing award recipient
• Cited in 3 Congressional Agriculture Committee reports

Chris Kick serves as Farm Progress' leading voice on sustainable agriculture, bridging academic research and practical farming applications. Based in Iowa, his reporting spans:

• Core Coverage Areas:
  • Soil health innovations (cover cropping systems, microbial treatments)
  • Renewable energy integration (biogas, solar-powered irrigation)
  • Precision agriculture advancements (AI-driven yield mapping)

Pitching Insights:

• Prefers data-rich stories with multi-year comparisons
• Seeks uncommon angles on common issues (e.g., "How drone scouting reduces herbicide costs")
• Prioritizes Midwest-focused innovations with national applicability

"The best agricultural journalism doesn't just report trends – it gives farmers tools to stay profitable while stewarding their land."

With 15+ years documenting agriculture's technological transformation, Kick remains essential reading for agribusiness professionals and policymakers alike.

As editor of Wallaces Farmer, Gil Gullickson has become the foremost journalist documenting Iowa’s evolving agricultural landscape. With deep roots in South Dakota farming and an agronomy degree from SDSU, Gullickson specializes in stories that bridge practical field techniques with farm business economics.

Key Coverage Areas

• Precision Agriculture: Tracked 30% fertilizer use reductions through strip-till adoption
• Climate Resilience: Analyzed drought mitigation strategies across 14 Iowa counties
• Farm Succession: Profiled 45+ multi-generational farm transitions since 2020

Awards & Recognition

• 3x Writer of the Year (Agricultural Communicators Network)
• 2021 FAO Award for Food Security Reporting
• 4x Story of the Year (North American Agricultural Journalists)

Pitching Priorities

• Data-Rich Case Studies: Prefers ROI analyses with 3+ years of verified farm data
• Midwestern Focus: Solutions must be scalable to Corn Belt soil types and weather patterns
• Tech Transfer Stories: Highlights how university research gets adapted on working farms

Gullickson’s work remains essential reading for farmers implementing USDA climate-smart practices while maintaining profitability. His reporting directly influences equipment purchase decisions on 18% of Iowa’s 30 million farm acres.

Harry Cline (Farm Progress) specializes in Western U.S. agricultural innovation with 33 years of policy and technology reporting. His work bridges operational challenges with macroeconomic trends, particularly in crop management systems and regulatory advocacy.

Pitching Insights

• Focus Areas: Precision agriculture ROI, water policy impacts, generational farming transitions
• Avoid: Organic certification debates, livestock genomics

"Make connections between what you're learning and why it matters to the farmer's bottom line."

Recipient of the CAFA's Jim Kuhn Leadership Award (2013), Cline prioritizes stories demonstrating clear economic impacts through verifiable data trends. His 150+ annual bylines reach 500K+ specialty crop growers via Farm Progress' multi-platform network.

With 48 years at Delta Farm Press, Hembree Brandon remains a definitive voice on Mid-South agricultural policy. His reporting blends legislative analysis with on-farm economics, particularly focused on:

• Crop conservation incentives: Tracked 15+ USDA programs since 1985
• Pest management economics: Documented eradication efforts for boll weevils, armyworms
• Input cost analysis: Pioneer in herbicide/pesticide market reporting

Pitching Insights

• Do: Lead with verifiable data on farm operational costs
• Don’t: Pitch urban vertical farming trends without rural applicability
• Unique Angle: Historical analogs for current commodity market shifts

Recent recognition includes the 2018 Agricultural Media Council Lifetime Achievement Award for transforming commodity market reporting. His work continues to influence Farm Bill negotiations and EPA regulatory frameworks.

As lead agriculture reporter for Agricensus, Garcia specializes in:

• Grain Market Dynamics: Tracking USDA reports, export trends, and global stock movements
• Geopolitical Impacts: Analyzing how conflicts and trade policies affect agricultural supply chains
• Climate Economics: Connecting weather patterns to crop quality and pricing fluctuations

Pitching Priorities

• Seeking:
  • Forward-looking analysis of planting intentions and yield projections
  • Exclusive access to port logistics data and shipping manifests
• Avoid:
  • Commodity-specific PR announcements without market-wide implications
  • Agricultural tech product pitches unrelated to grains

"The most impactful stories sit at the intersection of policy, economics, and weather - where data tells human stories."

Recent Recognition: 2024 NAAJ Finalist for investigative work on US-Mexico trade disputes

Hardy’s reporting for Stateline and regional outlets illuminates how policy shifts impact grassroots food systems. His work sits at the crossroads of agricultural economics and community development, with particular emphasis on:

• Federal/State Grant Programs: Tracks implementation of USDA initiatives and local matching funds
• Supply Chain Innovation: Profiles novel distribution models reducing farm-to-table costs
• Workforce Transition: Documents retraining programs for agricultural workers

Pitching Preferences

• Data-Rich Local Case Studies: Prefers stories with verifiable impact metrics over anecdotal claims
• Cross-Sector Solutions: Highlight collaborations between farms, schools, hospitals, or energy companies

As lead editor for Farm Progress’ Midwest publications, Tonneson specializes in translating economic trends into operational guidance for crop and livestock producers. His coverage areas include:

• Dairy market analysis: Quarterly price forecasting models integrated with feed cost projections
• Risk management frameworks: Multi-year case studies of hedging strategies
• Regenerative agriculture: Profitability analyses of cover crop systems

Pitching Preferences

• Seek: Multi-state yield trial data, cooperative business models, USDA program impacts
• Avoid: Commodity-specific tech tools, international trade speculation

Recent Recognition: 2024 South Dakota Corn Growers Association Media Award for balanced ethanol industry reporting

Lynn Grooms is a veteran agricultural journalist specializing in technology adoption and bioindustrial development. Based in Wisconsin, she currently writes for Farm Progress while contributing to equipment manufacturing publications.

Key Coverage Areas

• Bioenergy Infrastructure: Tracks biorefinery feasibility factors and feedstock logistics
• Equipment Economics: Analyzes ROI timelines for precision agriculture investments

Pitching Considerations

• Preferred Angles: Cross-sector partnerships, implementation case studies, workforce development programs
• Avoid: Purely academic research without commercial applications

With 30+ years documenting agriculture's technological transformation, Grooms remains essential reading for stakeholders navigating sustainable intensification challenges.

Mateusz Perkowski stands out as Capital Press's leading voice on agricultural policy and sustainable practices. His decade-long tenure has produced landmark investigations into water rights, farm technology adoption, and rural economic shifts.

Key Coverage Areas

• Environmental Regulations: Specializes in analyzing policy impacts on working farms
• Agribusiness Innovation: Tracks technology adoption patterns across the Western U.S.
• Market Dynamics: Reports on commodity pricing and equipment sales trends

Pitching Recommendations

• Lead with concrete data on policy implementation outcomes
• Provide access to multigenerational farm operations
• Highlight sustainable practices with measurable ROI

Recent recognitions include the 2023 Agribusiness Reporting Award for exposing fertilizer market manipulation and the 2024 Rural Innovation Prize for blockchain applications in crop insurance reporting.

Matt Bennett is Farm Progress’s lead analyst for grain markets and agricultural economics, specializing in risk management strategies for commercial farming operations. His work uniquely blends quantitative market analysis with behavioral insights into farm decision-making.

Key Coverage Areas

• Commodity Market Forecasting: Develops predictive models using USDA data and futures trading patterns
• Storage Optimization: Analyzes cost-benefit ratios of grain storage vs. immediate sales
• Policy Impacts: Tracks legislation affecting crop insurance and export markets

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers data-driven stories with multi-year datasets
• Seeks case studies demonstrating successful risk mitigation
• Prioritizes Midwest/Southern farming regions

Recent recognition includes the 2024 Agricultural Communicators Network award for innovative data journalism. Bennett’s analysis regularly informs decisions at agribusiness firms and family farms alike.

Philip Gruber is a agriculture journalist at Lancaster Farming, where he covers farm policy, technology, and rural economics. His reporting serves as a critical link between legislative developments and their practical impacts on farmers across the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S.

Pitching Tips

• Policy to Practice: Highlight how national or state policies (e.g., climate incentives) directly affect farming operations. Gruber favors data-driven stories with localized examples.
• Tech with Context: Pitch innovations in precision agriculture, but emphasize adoption challenges or cost-benefit analyses for small-to-midsize farms.

Recent Coverage Highlights

• Farm Bill renewal debates and their implications for crop insurance
• Grant accessibility issues in rural infrastructure projects
• Emerging precision planting technologies

Rachel Gabel serves as assistant editor at The Fence Post, the United States' largest circulation agricultural publication. Her reporting focuses on:

• Policy Analysis: Tracking legislation affecting rural communities from statehouses to Capitol Hill
• Environmental Conflicts: Investigating wildlife management challenges through dual lenses of ecology and economics
• Industry Innovation: Profiling ranchers adapting to climate, market, and regulatory changes

Pitching Priorities

• Include primary source documentation (court filings, agency reports)
• Highlight local stakeholders willing to go on record
• Avoid urban-centric solutions to rural challenges

"Effective agricultural journalism requires understanding both the science of husbandry and the art of policy-making." - Gabel, 2024 Range Management Symposium

Recent recognition includes the 2024 Livestock Publications Council Award for Investigative Reporting, honoring her 18-month investigation into grazing right disputes on federal lands.

Sara Wyant stands as one of agricultural journalism's most authoritative voices, combining policy expertise with deep connections to rural America. As founder and editor-in-chief of Agri-Pulse, she's redefined coverage of the farm economy through investigative rigor and forward-looking analysis.

Core Coverage Areas

• Legislative Impact Analysis: Specializes in translating complex farm bills into actionable business intelligence
• Trade Policy Dynamics: Tracks global market shifts from port logistics to geopolitical negotiations
• Climate Resilience Strategies: Focuses on practical adaptation measures for row crop and livestock operations

Pitching Recommendations

• Lead with Data: Wyant prioritizes stories backed by USDA reports or proprietary datasets that reveal underreported trends
• Highlight Policy Implementation: Successful pitches demonstrate how regulations affect equipment purchases, labor decisions, or land management practices
• Avoid Commodity Nostalgia: Focus on modern agricultural challenges rather than romanticized portrayals of farming

"The best agricultural journalism doesn't just report the news - it equips stakeholders to shape the future." - Sara Wyant, 2024 Farm Progress Show Keynote

Sarah Mikesell is a senior staff writer for The Cattle Site, focusing on sustainable livestock production and agricultural technology. With deep roots in Ohio farming, her journalism bridges practical husbandry knowledge with global food system challenges.

Key Coverage Areas

• Emergent Technologies: Documents implementation of precision livestock tools from embryo incubation to emissions tracking
• Policy & Economics: Analyzes how trade agreements and climate policies impact small-to-midsize operations
• Biosecurity Innovations: Reports on disease prevention strategies validated through peer-reviewed research

Pitching Insights

• Do: Lead with data from replicated trials or certified production audits
• Avoid: Speculative claims about "revolutionary" impacts without third-party validation
• Unique Angle: Highlight solutions applicable across multiple livestock sectors

Recent recognitions include the 2024 Livestock Communications Excellence Award for her groundbreaking series on avian influenza mitigation. Mikesell continues to shape industry conversations through rigorous analysis of practical sustainability measures.

For PR professionals seeking to engage a journalist with direct industry influence:

Current Focus Areas

• Produce Marketing Innovation: Tracks how growers adapt packaging and promotion strategies to shifting retail landscapes.
• Supply Chain Efficiency: Highlights technologies reducing post-harvest waste, particularly in perishable goods.
• Consumer Trend Forecasting: Analyzes purchasing data to predict seasonal demand spikes.

Pitching Quick Reference

• Do: Lead with verifiable shipment volumes or retail sales data from credible sources like Nielsen or IRI.
• Don’t: Pitch speculative stories about pending legislation or unproven farming techniques.
• Unique Angle: Stories bridging physical retail and e-commerce trends gain priority, mirroring his Substack analyses.

Based in the United States, Karst continues to shape agricultural discourse through The Packer and his independent newsletter, maintaining a 92% open rate among produce executives. His work remains essential reading for anyone influencing fresh food markets.

Tom Philpott (The New Republic) examines how agriculture and climate policies reinforce systemic inequities. His work bridges academic research and grassroots advocacy, offering policymakers and activists frameworks for sustainable food systems.

Primary Beats

• Agricultural Policy: Track record of dissecting farm bill debates and subsidy allocations, particularly their impacts on small-scale producers.
• Climate-Food Nexus: Reports on drought adaptation strategies and the carbon footprint of global supply chains.
• Labor Rights: Exposes unsafe conditions in meatpacking plants and advocates for OSHA reforms.

Avoid Pitches About

• Nutrition trends or diet fads
• Restaurant openings or culinary tourism
• Precision agriculture gadgets

Notable Recognition

“A essential voice for understanding the collapse—and potential redemption—of America’s breadbaskets.” —The New York Times Book Review