WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 22, 2025) –
Bob Quinn, long-time WHO radio ag broadcaster, once said, “I’m sometimes asked how we find a good farm neighbor. I tell them, ‘Raise your window shade and look across the field. You’ll probably find the very definition of one.”
The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) didn’t have to look far for their 200th recipient of the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award. He was right before their eyes.
Quinn was presented the award on Friday, August 22nd at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.
“Bob, and his advocacy for agriculture, is the very essence of what makes a good farm neighbor,” says CSIF Executive Director Brian Waddingham.
For 21 years, Quinn has presented the Good Farm Neighbor Awards, honoring farmers in all but 14 Iowa counties.
He is often joined in the effort by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, who had the honor of presenting the award to Quinn.
“For over four decades, Bob Quinn’s voice on WHO Radio’s “The Big Show” has shared these families’ stories with authenticity and passion while also delivering trusted insights on markets, trade, ag policy, conservation, and so much more,” says Naig. “His warm storytelling, observant commentary, and devotion to highlighting the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award recipients have made him a household name throughout our state. I am delighted to present the 200th award to my good friend Bob, a true pillar of Iowa agriculture, as this milestone honors his profound impact as a steward and champion of our state’s agricultural legacy.”
The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award, sponsored by the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, is an opportunity to tell the story of livestock farming in Iowa and highlight the families who make it so successful. Families who receive the award raise livestock successfully and responsibly, care for their land, and are involved in their community.
“It’s about taking pride in doing things right, about going above and beyond as environmental stewards and animal caretakers, and good neighbors,” says Waddingham
“The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award has celebrated 200 Iowa farm families who demonstrate exceptional care for their land, livestock, and communities, embodying the ingenuity and heart of our rural heritage,” says Naig. “These awardees, through innovative conservation practices, outstanding animal husbandry and dedicated community leadership, have demonstrated why they are the backbone of Iowa, preserving our natural resources, driving economic vitality, and nurturing the values that make our state famous for agriculture.”
The award is named for long-time WHO Rado Broadcaster Gary Wergin, who created the award, then named the Helping Hands Award. “It personified Gary and his approach to life,” says Quinn.
When Wergin died unexpectedly in 2004, the award was renamed and continued with CSIF as a sponsor. “It goes hand in hand with what the Coalition is about,” says Quinn. “The award is very popular with our listeners. They take as much pride in it as the honorees do. They want to be proud of Iowans.”
This time they can be proud of Quinn, who says the Good Farm Neighbor Award “speaks of Iowa.” He speaks to Iowa, and the nation, about agriculture and rural life with passion and a little bit of humor as Farm Director at WHO Radio and host of “The Big Show,” a nationally respected farm and consumer radio program that airs weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on NewsRadio 1040 WHO.
Quinn discovered his love of agriculture news while doing extension work at Iowa State University. Since joining WHO Radio in 1983, he has covered farm policy and commodity markets, weather, and global ag events. He’s known for his on-the-ground reporting, often traveling to farms and agricultural events to connect directly with farmers, including presenting the Good Farm Neighbor Awards and celebrating CSIF livestock facility open houses.
In his interviews with industry experts, policymakers, and farmers, he provides diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in the form of timely, relevant information that impacts farmer’s daily decisions.
In 2023, he was honored with the Ruth White Media Award by the Mid America CropLife Association for his consistent, objective, and accurate reporting on American agriculture.
“Presenting Bob with the 200th Good Farm Neighbor Award is the perfect way to recognize him for all that he has done for the agriculture industry in Iowa, says Waddingham. “Bob has a unique way of sharing the many great things happening on livestock farms and that has provided a way for Iowans to see agriculture with a new perspective, to see what farmers are doing and how they are going above and beyond on their farm and in their community. I can’t think of a more deserving person to present this award to.”
Quinn lives in West Des Moines where he enjoys time with his family and remains deeply connected to Iowa’s farming community professionally and personally.
The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award is made possible by the financial support of the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers and is presented with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and “The Big Show.”
Nominations for the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award can be submitted through the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers website.
The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers was created by farmers to help farmers raise livestock successfully and responsibly. It’s a joint partnership involving the Iowa Beef Industry Council, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Egg Council, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Turkey Federation and Midwest Dairy. The non-profit, non-partisan organization provides assistance to farmers at no cost. CSIF does not lobby or develop policy. Farm families wanting a helping hand can contact the Coalition at 1-800-932-2436 or www.supportfarmers.com.
(By Terri Queck-Matzie for CSIF. Queck-Matzie is a freelance writer from Greenfield).
