AgriTalk host Mike Adams was raised in a small farming community in central Illinois and grew up working on a grain and livestock farm. He served west-central Illinois on WLDS radio in Jacksonville, for 27 years. Adams served in several capacities as Disc Jockey, Sports Announcer and Farm Director. Mike has covered state and national agricultural events in 11 countries, met Pope John Paul II and five U.S. presidents. Mike took over as host of the nationally syndicated talk show, AgriTalk, in July of 2001. He facilitates a discussion about issues and ideas important to rural America, traveling over 100 days a year for remote broadcasts across the country. Adams is a voting member and past-president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). Adams has received numerous awards

from agriculture and civic organizations including the Illinois Friend of 4-H award, the National FFA Honorary American Farmer Degree, the United Soybean Board's Communications award and the Illinois commodities groups Friend of Agriculture award. His peers have also honored him as a past recipient of the Prestigious Farm Broadcaster of the Year award. He received, the 2008 Illinois Farm Bureau Eagle award and the 2008 Outstanding Service to Agriculture award from the Missouri Farm Bureau.Adams served 20 years as a certified lay speaker including 16 years as a lay pastor for a rural Illinois United Methodist church. Mike and his wife Patty have two grown children and currently reside in Jacksonville, IL.