Radio and TV's 'Voice of Agriculture,' Orion Samuelson dies at 91

One of America’s favorite farm broadcasters, Orion Samuelson, has died after a brief illness at his Huntley, Illinois, home, with his wife, Gloria, at his side. He was 91.

Samuelson retired from broadcasting in 2020 after a remarkable 60-year career advocating agriculture on the radio, television, and before countless rural and urban audiences.

Samuelson held the same position in the broadcasting industry for 60 consecutive years through 2020, second only to Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network announcer Vin Scully.

Samuelson also launched the nationally syndicated television programs “U.S. Farm Report” in 1975 and “This Week in AgriBusiness” in 2005.

He interviewed countless presidents, governors and secretaries of agriculture and originated broadcasts from all 50 states and 44 countries. But mainly, he told agriculture’s story from downtown Chicago, where he became a media icon. 

Growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Samuelson worked at several Wisconsin radio stations before joining WGN in 1960 at age 27. 

He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003.