Ron Hays | 2010

“Howdy, neighbors.” With this signature greeting, Ron Hays has been the voice and advocate for Oklahoma farmers and the agriculture industry since 1977. He has been recognized for excellence in serving farmers and ranchers in Oklahoma and surrounding states for more than thirty-five years.

Ron grew up on a farm in Kentucky that focused on raising Duroc hogs and swine production has always been near to his heart. He attended the University of Kentucky where received one of the first Agricultural Communications degrees from that university. He began his career at KFH radio in Wichita, Kan., reporting farm news.

In 1977 Ron moved to Oklahoma and established the Oklahoma Agrinet. The Agrinet is a unique network of radio stations that carried Ron’s farm broadcast several times each day. Ron’s reports quickly became a trusted source of news for rural Oklahomans, particularly farmers and ranchers.

Ron joined the Radio Oklahoma Network and Griffin Communications in 2005. “Ron on RON” has become the top rated ag radio network in the state of Oklahoma, and Ron offers the best and most comprehensive coverage dedicated to Oklahoma farmers and ranchers.

Ron touches farmers and ranchers with more than just his popular daily radio reports. He also writes and sends a daily e-mail that goes to some 2,700 key agricultural leaders each morning. Ron hosts a Saturday morning television segment on top rated KWTV News9 called “In the Field with Ron Hays” which takes a look at a key agricultural story during the KWTV Saturday morning news block.

Ron is a past president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, is a winner of National Farm Broadcaster of the Year, and has won the prestigious Oscars in Agriculture three times. He was inducted in 2007 into the Oklahoma Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the first full-time farm broadcaster to receive that honor.

In his more than thirty years of service to Oklahoma agriculture, Ron has served on the OSU Dean of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee, is the current Chairman of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Advisory Committee, and has produced the annual Stars Over Oklahoma Audio-Visual presentation of the Oklahoma FFA Convention for more than 20 years.

Ron has literally traveled more than a million miles in covering the business of agriculture, reporting to and for the farmers and ranchers of Oklahoma. Through all the years Ron has remained close to the rural community. They know he cares and understands their needs. That is why when they hear “Howdy, neighbors” they know it is someone who has earned their trust.