Behind the Scenes

Brownfield’s Legendary Livestock Market Reporter to retire

In October of 2002 Jerry Passer came out of retirement, signing a 6-month agreement to cover livestock markets for Brownfield. Nearly 15 years later, the veteran farm broadcaster is hanging up his microphone.

“For almost 35 years of a broadcast career that spans 51 years in July, I have worked for two of the best broadcast companies in the business. Nearly 20 years at WMT Radio and TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and 14 ½ for Brownfield,” said Passer. “Without a doubt my time at Brownfield has been the best. The people I have worked with are the best in the business.”

Although he perfected the role of Livestock Market Reporter for the largest agricultural radio network in the country, it is Passer’s passion for mentoring that his co-workers will miss the most. He has said many times that his proudest career achievement is training 15 farm broadcast interns at WMT, many of whom are still in the industry.

Jerry Passer is a graduate of Brown Institute of Broadcasting and a Vietnam Era war vet, U.S. Navy. Following a stint in the Navy, he began a broadcast career that spanned 5 decades. Passer worked at radio stations in Blue Earth, Albert Lea and Austin Minnesota, Cedar Rapids and Oelwein, Iowa and spent nearly 20 years as Farm Director for WMT in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He traveled extensively, including trips to North Africa, Belgium and Mexico with Agriculture Secretary John Block.

Passer has been recognized by all major farm organizations in Iowa, received the Communications Award from American Soybean Association in 1986 and is an Honorary Iowa Master Pork Producer. He is a Charter member of Cornbelt NAMA. Passer served as a Regional Vice President of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting and chaired the NAFB awards committee. While chairing the NAFB ethics committee, he wrote the first ethics policy for the organization.

Passer looks forward to spending more time in Texas with his daughter and grandchildren during his retirement years.

Anchor/Reporter Meghan Grebner will assume the responsibilities of livestock market reporting in a newly created role on the Brownfield Ag News team.