Agribition's longest serving agricultural news reporter recognized
On Friday, Canadian Western Agribition recognized its longest serving farm news reporter, Jim Smalley.
Smalley, who plans to retire next year, has been covering Agribition since 1975. The show has its newsroom facility in its honour.
“I never expected them to change the name of the newsroom to the Jim Smalley newsroom,” he said.
Smalley was also named an Agribition shareholder for his 40 years of farm news coverage on CKRM, which makes him an official member of the Agribition family.
“And they always felt he was part of the family because he was always there, I mean every Agribition since ‘75, Jim Smalley’s been there,” said Andrew Dawson, CKRM’s news director.
Jim Smalley first covered Agribition for CKCK Radio and television in the 1970s before moving to CKRM. His loyal following includes the province’s agriculture minister.
“I had the privilege of being interviewed by Jim many times and very professional and obviously agriculture is very near and dear to his heart,” said David Marit, minister of agriculture.
Those closely involved with Agribition say Jim Smalley knows the industry well.
“He had that passion and dedication for agriculture. He understood what was going in at Agribition,” said Art Unsworth, stock dog competition announcer.
Smalley was deeply moved by all the recognition.
“It’s an incredible honour,” he said “I am just so honoured to be here. It was just beyond description.”
This was Jim Smalley’s final Agribition as a reporter but he will stay on the air for a few months longer. He plans to retire next year, his 50th anniversary in broadcasting.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 Investigates | Daniel Jolivet insists he's not a murderer and says he has proof
Convicted murderer Daniel Jolivet, in prison for the past 30 years, has maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested. W5 reviews the evidence he painstakingly assembled while behind bars. W5's documentary 'Buried Evidence' airs Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.

China balloon: Many questions about suspected spy in the sky
The massive white orb drifting across U.S. airspace has triggered a diplomatic maelstrom and is blowing up on social media. A look at what's known about the balloon crossing the U.S. and what isn't.
Marit Stiles set to officially take over as Ontario NDP leader
Marit Stiles is expected to be confirmed as the new leader of the Ontario NDP today.
One in four Canadian cancer patients still experiencing cancelled appointments: survey
In the field of cancer treatment, nothing is more important than diagnosing and treating the problem as quickly as possible — but according to new survey data, about one in four Canadian cancer patients report that they are still experiencing cancelled or postponed appointments.
Dozens of soldiers freed in Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap
Dozens of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war have returned home following a prisoner swap, officials on both sides said Saturday.
Oldest preserved vertebrate brain found in 319-million-year-old fish fossil
The oldest preserved vertebrate brain has been found in a 319-million-year-old fossilized fish skull that was removed from an English coal mine over a century ago.
50-car train derailment causes big fire, evacuations in Ohio
A train derailment and resulting large fire prompted an evacuation order and a declaration of a state of emergency in an Ohio village near the Pennsylvania state line on Friday night, covering the area in billows of smoke lit orange by the flames below.
Canada tracked suspected Chinese spy balloon over Canadian airspace since last weekend: sources
The suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that was found floating over sensitive military sites in the western United States had been tracked by Canada's government since last weekend as it passed through Canadian airspace, sources tell CTV News.
Former NHL-er Ted Nolan among Indigenous players honoured in new hockey card series
It took 40 years, but former NHL player and coach Ted Nolan is now one of eight Indigenous ex-NHL-ers being honoured hockey trading cards as a part of Upper Deck's First Peoples Rookie Card series.