Michigan Farm Radio Network
The Michigan Farm Radio Network (MFRN) is a radio network that provides specialty programming geared toward farmers in Michigan. It is owned by Learfield Communications and is a sisters with the Michigan Radio Network. The network began broadcasting from Howard Heath's farm house basement in 1970. Heath was the first recipient of Michigan Farm Bureau's "Agriculture Communicator of the Year Award" in 1975. He died in 1979. Robert T. "Bob" Driscoll, who started his radio career at WLEW in Bad Axe, worked with Heath and later with his son Patrick T. "Pat" Driscoll. Under Bob's management, MFRN became the second largest regional farm radio network in the country. It grew into several sub-stations, and began broadcasting in its own station in Milan, Michigan in 1976. Pat Driscoll led the station for several years, until the Driscolls sold the network to Saga Communications in 2000. Bob and Pat Driscoll were long-term members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters and held seats on that organization's Board of Directors and its various committees. Bob was recognized by the Michigan Farm Bureau in 1981, 1983 and 1986 for his service to agriculture. Bob Driscoll died in 2001; in 2004, he was inducted posthumously