USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue Issues Proclamation Honoring Longtime Broadcaster Orion Samuelson

January 2, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognizes the achievements of longtime broadcaster Orion “Big O” Samuelson for six decades of contributions to agriculture journalism.

“There’s a saying that today’s news is tomorrow’s history,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “Orion Samuelson’s decades of agriculture reporting has helped farmers understand the latest Washington policies and he has also helped all audiences appreciate the importance of agriculture to our communities and to the economy.”

Samuelson retired on December 31, 2020 after 60 years in agriculture broadcasting with WGN radio in Chicago. There, he covered agriculture and food production, met with U.S. presidents, travelled to dozens of countries, and encountered many foreign dignitaries, all while reporting on the contributions of American agriculture to the U.S. and world economy. Samuelson is a 2003 National Radio Hall of Fame inductee.

Read the full proclamation (PDF, 208 KB).

Source: USDA

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