AgDay TV: History, Anchors, Segments and Farm Journal Ownership
Profile updated November 2026
AgDay TV is a half-hour daily farm news program that has aired in syndication since August 16, 1982, making it one of the longest-running agricultural shows on American television. Owned since 1998 by Farm Journal, it airs early weekday mornings on more than 120 local stations with farm news, markets, weather and rural features. This page covers its history, hosts, segments and audience.
| First aired | August 16, 1982 |
|---|---|
| Creators | Executive producers Gerald Badeaux and Neal Nussbaum |
| Owner | Farm Journal, since 1998 |
| Production | WNDU, South Bend, Indiana |
| Reach | 121 affiliate stations and more than 53 million viewers a year, per Farm Journal in 2022 |
| Host | Haley Bickelhaupt, since March 2026 |
| Official website | AgWeb.com |
History of AgDay
AgDay was created by executive producers Gerald Badeaux and Neal Nussbaum and launched by satellite, then a new technology, on a handful of local stations on August 16, 1982. It was first taped at WTHI in Terre Haute, Indiana, with co-anchors Wayne Jenkins of WTHI and Bob Jenkins of ESPN, who were not related; Brian Baxter later replaced Bob Jenkins. Production moved to Indianapolis that December and passed through several facilities before settling at WNDU in South Bend.
The show is credited with pioneering syndicated agricultural television and with helping many local stations add early morning newscasts. Originally owned by Creative Farm Media and Creative Media Productions, it was acquired in 1998 by Farm Journal, which merged its production with U.S. Farm Report and added national television to its magazine business.
Longtime host Al Pell retired in 2010 and was succeeded by Clinton Griffiths, a New Mexico ranch native who anchored AgDay for more than 15 years and also became editorial director and, later, the 12th editor of Farm Journal magazine. AgDay celebrated its 40th season in 2022, the year veteran farm broadcaster Michelle Rook joined its staff.
AgDay TV Today
In March 2026 Griffiths left the program and Haley Bickelhaupt took over as host and producer. The distribution model has also changed: in March 2025 Farm Journal moved AgDay and its other shows behind a paywall on Farm Journal TV, while live streams remained free through Farm Journal Now and podcasts stayed free. The show's run on RFD-TV ended in 2025 when Farm Journal ended its programming relationship with that network.
AgDay remains, at its core, a local-station program, airing in early morning slots on affiliates across farm country.
What AgDay TV Is Covering Now
Farm news
Each episode opens with national agricultural news, from policy and trade to crop progress, livestock and agribusiness.
Markets Now and weather
Market analysis with commentators and a farm weather forecast help producers plan sales and fieldwork.
Features
Tractor Tales profiles vintage tractors and their owners on Mondays, and In the Country closes the show with rural life stories.
AgDay Editors and Staff
Coverage of AgDay names these current and former hosts:
- Haley Bickelhaupt - Host and Producer, since March 2026
- Michelle Rook - Farm broadcaster, joined AgDay staff in 2022
- Clinton Griffiths - Former anchor (2010-2026)
- Al Pell - Former host, retired 2010
- Wayne Jenkins - Original co-anchor (1982)
- Bob Jenkins - Original co-anchor (1982)
Who Watches AgDay TV
AgDay's audience is farmers and ranchers who catch the show before heading out for chores, along with agribusiness professionals and rural viewers of local morning television. Its national scope suits Corn Belt grain growers, southern cotton farmers and western cattle producers alike.
Viewers rely on the show for context on federal data. USDA NASS reports, from crop progress to the Census of Agriculture, are staples of AgDay news segments, and NASS Quick Stats lets producers check the same numbers by state and county.
AgDay TV viewers have started their mornings with markets and Tractor Tales for more than four decades, and plenty of them enjoy a chuckle with the coffee. farm.FM provides it, with farm satire that treats rural headlines the way a coffee shop regular would. Its farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes make a fine chaser after the weather segment.
farm.FM got there first as the nation's first satirical farm site, and it backs the writing with Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Here is one contributor's collection of farm satire to start with.
AgDay Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- AgWeb: Happy 40th birthday, AgDay TV - Farm Journal's account of the show's history.
- Wikipedia: AgDay - the program's history, anchors and production.
- Farm Journal: Clinton Griffiths bio - the longtime anchor's background.
- USDA NASS: Census of Agriculture - federal farm data often reported on AgDay.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - crop and livestock statistics by state and county.
AgDay FAQ
When did AgDay TV start?
AgDay first aired in syndication on August 16, 1982.
Who owns AgDay?
Farm Journal, which acquired the show in 1998.
Who hosts AgDay now?
Haley Bickelhaupt became host and producer in March 2026, after Clinton Griffiths left.
Where can I watch AgDay?
On local affiliate stations in early morning slots, and through Farm Journal's streaming services. It no longer airs on RFD-TV.
After more than four decades of early mornings, AgDay TV remains one of the most durable daily farm news programs on American television.