Jim Bartels, right, and past Service to Agriculture Award recipient Michelle Schroeder hold Bartels’ award during the New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club banquet Monday night in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — A familiar voice in regional agriculture took center stage Monday as Jim Bartels was honored by the New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club with its Service to Agriculture Award, the organization’s highest recognition.

Bartels, a longtime broadcaster at KNUJ and tireless advocate for youth programs, was celebrated during the Hub Club’s annual banquet with laughter, stories and heartfelt tributes from colleagues, friends and family.

The honor followed a surprise announcement last month at KNUJ’s offices, when Hub Club members arrived with balloons after luring Bartels into what he believed was a mandatory sales meeting.

“This award really means something,” Bartels said. “It’s New Ulm-based, and that’s pretty cool. And it’s recognition for KNUJ, too. I’m just one part of the team.”

The Service to Agriculture Award is selected by a committee made up entirely of past recipients, and this year’s choice was unanimous.

“We know that Jim has done so much for agriculture in so many ways,” said Ruth Klossner, a past honoree and committee member. “We thought it was time that we recognized him. He’s just such a promoter of agriculture all around.”

Klossner highlighted Bartels’ longtime support of youth programs, particularly FFA, which aligns directly with the Hub Club’s mission.

“Supporting young people in agriculture is what this club is all about,” she said.

Past award recipient Michelle Schroeder spoke about the Hub Club’s role in the community.

“It was a great way to get acclimated to New Ulm when I moved here,” she said. “It’s a good way to meet people and promote agriculture, which is near and dear to my heart.”

Monday night’s banquet reflected Bartels’ personality as much as his career. Tables were decorated with items from his life, including softball gloves, trophies and wrestling memorabilia, all assembled by his family.

The evening included a surprise visit from the Concord Singers, who stepped in to honor Bartels with a few songs.

Joe Maidl highlighted Bartels’ extensive impact.

“Whether it was 4-H or FFA, farming or agribusiness, you touched a lot of lives over the years,” Maidl said.

Bartels has spent 48 of his 52 years in radio at KNUJ, becoming widely known as “the voice of agriculture” in southern Minnesota. He began at KNUJ in 1975 as a sales representative and soon took on coverage of FFA conventions, a commitment that has spanned nearly 50 years.

His decades of service have earned him induction into four halls of fame: the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2023, the Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1988, the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019.

Over the years, Bartels has interviewed thousands of people, from high school FFA students to national figures, including Vice President Hubert Humphrey. 

His first national FFA convention in 1978 featured President Jimmy Carter, the first U.S. president who had been an FFA member.

Bartels has also been at the forefront during community crises. In 1997, during devastating flooding in New Ulm, he walked alongside Gov. Arne Carlson during sandbagging operations, reporting live as residents worked to protect their homes.

The following year, when tornadoes struck Comfrey, Searles, Cambria and St. Peter, Bartels drove into the affected areas with one of KNUJ’s early “bag phones.” In St. Peter, KRBI’s radio tower had collapsed, and Bartels said KNUJ felt a responsibility to step in.

“Their station was down, so we wanted to make sure the community still had information,” he said, interviewing residents leaving town and filing reports to ensure families had access to vital news.

Bartels has also been deeply involved in Farmfest, county fairs, Farm Families of the Year interviews, FFA and countless student interviews across the region. 

Colleagues highlighted his ability to adapt as broadcasting evolved, from cassette tapes and phone couplers to laptops, cellphones and podcasts, while never losing sight of radio’s core purpose.

“Radio is about serving the community,” Bartels said. “And that’s what we’ve always tried to do. The human voice and the spoken word is the strongest communicator you can have. It’s got more to offer than what you have in print.”

Founded in 1974, the New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club is believed to be the only stand-alone club in the country dedicated solely to promoting agriculture and strengthening ties between farm and city.

With approximately 230 members, the organization hosts events including the annual farm show, scholarships for students and recognition programs.

“The Hub Club is unique,” Bartels said. “There is no other organization quite like the New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club bringing the ag and business community together.”