JONESBORO, AR, Aug. 3, 2023 – Valley View Agri-Systems (“Valley View”) and Ag Growth International Inc. (“AGI”) have teamed up this fall to advance the stories of farm families – Kevin and Shawn Kalb of Dubois, IN and partner-brothers Brooks and Nikki Cardinal and Brandon and Chelsey Cardinal of Oaktown, IN – who are educating consumers about the realities of farming in a televised series, Live to Farm.
Hosted on the Discovery Channel and RFD-TV, the series follows the lives of everyday farm families and portrays their diversity, hard work and dedication in raising food and fiber in today’s challenging economic landscape. In the episodes, co-sponsored by Valley View and AGI and set to air this fall, the Kalb and Cardinal farms show how technology and innovation drive every aspect of their operations including how grain is stored, managed and moved from field to market.
Jeff Fjelstul, Valley View Vice President of Outside Sales, and David Postill, AGI Senior Vice President of Global Marketing, say the experience has been both compelling and humbling.
“It is a privilege working with families like these and partnering with AGI and its product line,” says Fjelstul. “Relationships are the cornerstones of agriculture – people partnering to do their absolute best. This is a perfect example of collaborating to produce a quality outcome. It is what Valley View strives to do as a company to support farmers to optimize the efficiency of their grain operations.”
This fall, consumers will watch the installation of two new grain bins and learn from Brooks and Brandon Cardinal, how the upgrade advances their marketing goals. Also, Kevin Kalb shows how a portable grain vacuum system safely and efficiently clear grain from bins in preparation for the 2023 crop.
“We are delighted to join Valley View and the Live to Farm team to support this kind of on-farm storytelling,” says AGI’s Postill. “Like so many farm families today, the Kalb and Cardinal families not only do the demanding work of producing food, feed and fiber, they are willing to put their faces, voices, and lives in front of the camera to educate consumers about agriculture. That is brave; and it carries a lot of weight in a world where only a small fraction of the population farms.”
The Kalbs and Cardinals launched the reality series in 2022 with Jared Palick, producer and director of Dreamlux Media. The families are uniquely positioned to tell the story of commodity diversity. While both grow grain and are legacy winners of the National Corn Growers Association’s high yield awards, the Kalbs raise turkeys for the premium deli meat market and the Cardinals grow watermelons for southern grocery channels.
“Producing the show is a rewarding experience, but to effectively inform and entertain the public, it requires the support of a larger agricultural community. On behalf of the Live to Farm team, we appreciate our sponsors like Valley View and AGI. It takes a village to make an impact,” says Palick, series producer.
In advance of the fall episodes, AGI and Valley View will host Kevin Kalb and Brooks Cardinal on the 2023 Farm Progress Show ADM Main Stage (Hospitality Building), Wednesday, August 30 at 11 a.m. CDT. That event will be followed by an autograph session and meet-and-greets at AGI’s booth 1067. Watch for fall episode details at livetofarm.com, aggrowth.com and valleyviewagri.com.
About Valley View Agri-Systems (VVA)
Founded over 40 years ago in Jonesboro, AR, Valley View Agri-Systems designs and builds grain storage and handling facilities for farms and commercial elevators throughout the South and Midwest from three full-service locations. Valley View’s mission is to help customers effectively manage risk, maximize efficiency, and improve their quality of life through cost-effective and innovative grain storage and material handling solutions. Learn more at valleyviewagri.com.
About AGI
Ag Growth International (AGI) is a provider of equipment and systems that enable the worldwide production, processing and movement of grain, seed, fertilizer, feed, and food. AGI has manufacturing facilities in Canada, the United States, Brazil, India, France, and Italy and distributes its products and engineering services globally. Learn more at aggrowth.com.
For More Information Contact:
Agi Schafer, AGI Director Public Relations / +1 816-810-0377 / Agi.Schafer@aggrowth.com
Jeff Fjelstul, Valley View VP Outside Sales / +1 217-685-1599 / jeff.fjelstul@valleyviewagri.com