48 Years On And Still Going Strong 

\A locally-produced television show meant to inform Mississippi farmers about ag issues has now has become the longest running show news show in the state. And one of the longest running in the entire nation.

“Farmweek,” produced by the Office of Agricultural Communications for the Mississippi State University Extension Service, the thirty-minute weekly show airs on the RFD-TV network on Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. central time/5:30 p.m. eastern time and on the Mississippi Public Broadcasting network Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. central with a replay on Monday at 6:00 a.m. central.

The program debuted — live — on Oct. 3, 1977, on what was then Mississippi Educational Television in Jackson, now Mississippi Public Broadcasting, where it was produced for its first fourteen years in the station’s studio.

At the time of the program’s beginning, Mississippi and U.S. agriculture was experiencing unprecedented growth. The program’s designed purpose was to use television as a way to quickly communicate news and information to Mississippi’s agricultural community.

Since October, 1991 the weekly production has taken place in the studios of the University Television Center on the campus of Mississippi State in Starkville. Close to 2000 episodes have aired.

Beginning in September, 2004 the program began airing weekly nationwide on the RFD-TV digital cable and satellite television channel. Later, it also became available for viewing through a website on the Internet and is also heard on SiriusXM Radio. The program continues to be produced by Mississippi State Extension.

“Farmweek” reporters have produced news and stories about almost every type of farm in Mississippi, including row crop, poultry, catfish, forestry and all the others anyone would expect. They also have visited many of the more unusual agricultural operations, such as those producing worms, mushrooms and llamas.

The origin of the program was due to the forward thinking of Artis Ford and Leighton Spann at MSU Extension.

“Extension wanted a television program as part of our educational service for Mississippi farmers,” says Bill Bost, Extension Director from 1962 to 1981, on the “Farmweek” website. “The late Charlie Deaton, the Leflore County representative in the Mississippi Legislature, had the same idea and suggested in 1976 that we approach ETV about carrying such a program. A year later we had a crew of professionals ready to put the program on the air.”

A nationwide search was conducted to find the right host for the program, and veteran newsman and Missouri School of Journalism graduate, Bruce L. Johnson, was hired as the program’s director and first anchor. During the summer of 1977, Johnson began all the tasks associated with creating a TV program, not the least of which was selecting the right name.

Through an agreement with Mississippi ETV, the Extension crew would videotape about ten to fifteen minutes of news stories from around the state. This footage would then be incorporated into a program taped in the ETV studios in Jackson on Monday about two hours before it was broadcast at 7:30 the same night. In addition to the prerecorded stories, the program contained about 10 minutes of agriculture-related news, five minutes of commodity market news and two minutes of weather.

With changes in technology have come changes in the production and delivery of “Farmweek.” Production was moved to the Television Center on the MSU campus in 1991 where the show is produced by the Office of Agricultural Communications.

Moving production to campus also created opportunities for student workers to gain journalism and broadcast experience by working on the program, with many moving on to successful careers with a number of national outlets in both print and television.

Emmy-winning ag journalist Mike Russell is the current Managing Editor and Co-Anchor for “Farmweek” alongside Zac Ashmore who also is the show’s Associate Producer. Ashmore also acts as Video Producer/Journalist for Extension. 

Russell, a veteran writer/producer/director whose work has been seen at some of the highest levels of the television world, Russell brought years of highly creative and multifaceted experience in broadcast news, production, promotion, and online media development. He’s been honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Colorado Broadcasters Association, the Public Relations Society of America, and the Telly Awards.

Before coming to MSU Extension in February, 2018, Russell anchored and reported for NBC affiliate WTVA. His investigative stories were seen regularly in a series of reports known as “The Mike Files.” He was also the host of a radio show on SuperTalk Mississippi radio network, and was the inaugural president of the Tupelo Film Alliance.

Earlier in his career, Russell owned a video production company and worked on-staff at large-market TV stations in San Diego and Denver, winning 4 Emmy Awards.

“I started out in newspapers, doing writing and photography,” says Russell. “But then, I was drafted by  the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball team at third base out of high school. However, I didn’t sign and instead went to school at Grossmont Community College and Long Beach State.”

Russell also has served in the U.S Air Force (active duty — South Dakota/ Bomber squadron) and in the Navy Reserves (Miramar) fighter squadron.

“I’m extremely grateful for the scope of my media experience,” says Russell. “From traveling the country for PBS’s MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour early in my career, to producing magazine shows for syndication, to shooting air-to-air footage from helicopters, every step has added depth to my skills as a professional communicator — and I’m happy to use those skills to deepen Farmweek’s reach across the nation.”

While originally born in California, Russell has deep roots in Mississippi. Many members of  his family were born—and lived their entire lives—in the state. 

“Both of my parents picked Mississippi cotton in their early years,” says Russell. “Some of my fondest memories are their stories of farm life in the Magnolia State. Now, I get to use my skills to show viewers everywhere just how important farmers are to America. That’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly.”

Ashmore, who moonlights a musician who plays regular gigs when not working at Extension, says that content for “Farmweek” is never in short supply. 

“There are so many incredible stories to cover here in Mississippi,” says Ashmore. “Neither Mike nor I had backgrounds in agriculture when we started hosting the show but we learned quickly. While production technology, sets and other parts of “Farmweek” have changed over the years, the focus of the program remains the same: service to the people of Mississippi delivered in an accessible and informative manner,” adds Ashmore, a Starkville native.

A recent program, for example, covered disaster payments to farmers in the billions being set, how tornado recovery is faring in Rolling Fork (that Ashmore wrote and produced), and how to raise CITRUS in containers.

Some stories hit closer to home then others though, says Russell. 

“I’ll personally never forget the aftermath of the Yazoo Backwater flood,” says Russell. “Just before Covid hit in March of 2020, we’d sent a “Farmweek” crew to the Delta to shoot footage of the flood—and interview nineteen residents about the flood’s impact on their lives. Some of them had lost their homes and virtually everything in them. Their suffering was immense – and it was even more of a gut-punch knowing the flood could have been prevented—or at least mitigated—in the first place. With no reason to believe the pump system would be completed, they had every reason in the world to feel hopeless,” he says.

“But as we went through all those taped interviews, it was clear that despite unimaginable loss, these Mississippians chose to remain positive,” says Russell. “Some even smiled through their tears, recalling how their neighbors came together and supported one another. How could we NOT be humbled and inspired by these folks? 

“So, one of our producers — Brian Utley — spent the Covid lockdown sorting through hours and hours of footage. Then we teamed up to produce a powerful 6-part series called ‘Voices from the Flood.’ It was powerful because of what these Delta residents had to say — and how they said it — not necessarily because of anything we did). It eventually earned two Emmy nominations,” says Russell.

“Bottom line, in my opinion, every one of those residents represented (and still does) the very best of Mississippi. I hated having to tell their story, but was very proud to tell it. And that goes for both me and Zac for every show. We both write, produce and edit and go out and find the stories we air, together and independently,” says Russell. 

Both Russell and Ashmore believe that it’s the people and their stories the two cover and report that have kept “Farmweek” on the air for so long. They also believe those same stories will continue to drive the success of the show.