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Arcadian – A new agricultural magazine
Sincere thanks to Warren Clark and Ryan Tipps who have helped us add to our unique, 800-plus ACDC collection of Volume 1 Number 1 issues of agricultural periodicals. Warren is editor/publisher of AgNewsCenter and Ryan is editor-in-chief of Arcadian, a beautiful new subscription-only agricultural magazine published by AgDaily.
“In an era where print media too often seems like an after-thought, we wanted to show how it can thrive if approached thoughtfully and purposefully,” Ryan explained in the V1N1 Winter 2026 issue. He provided a copy recently as newest addition to the ACDC collection. (By the way, a note on the cover explains that “arcadian” is an adjective relating to or constituting an ideal rural paradise.)
You can read the first Arcadian release via open access or by requesting the material at acdc@library.illinois.edu.
History of women’s country music
We are adding to the ACDC collection a book of interest which we identified recently in the University of Illinois Library: Stephanie Vander Wel (2020) Hillbilly Maidens, Okies, and Cowgirls: Women’s Country Music, 1930-1960. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 250 pages.
“From the 1930s to the 1960s, the booming popularity of country music threw a spot light on a new generation of innovative women artists. These individuals blazed trails as singers, musicians, and performers even as the industry hemmed in their potential popularity…” Radio Station WLS, Chicago, and the “National Barn Dance” played a pioneering role. The author focused on Lulu Belle Wiseman, Patsy Montana, Rose Maddox, Kitty Wells, and Carolina Cotton.
Hillbilly Maidens, Okies, and Cowgirls is not available in full text by open access. However, please invite our help at acdc@library.illinois.edu if you are interested in borrowing, buying, or otherwise gaining access to it.
“Balancing data center growth with American agriculture”
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has developed a U.S. map showing the numbers and locations of data centers currently active or under construction. AFBF estimates there are 4,925 such centers across the nation.
“These facilities, often requiring hundreds of megawatts of power are increasingly sited in rural areas where land availability, energy access and proximity to transmission infrastructure make development possible.”
You can read “Farm Bureau: Balancing data center growth with American agriculture” by open access.
Community radio giving voice to the rural poor
We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2010 article in the International Journal of Rural Studies. Researcher Dhanraj A. Patil analyzed the contribution of community radio to helping deprived rural people in various parts of the world in general, and south Asia (India) in particular.
Findings revealed that the community radio movement has created grassroots-level participation and horizontal circulation of ideas among the deprived rural communities, “which are necessary preconditions to democratization of communication and redistribution of power.”
You can read “A voice for the voiceless: The role of community radio in the development of the rural poor” by open access.
Family farming for the future:
reflections from the United Nations
We also are adding to the ACDC collection a 70-page book intended to inspire reflection on the role of communication in advancing family farming – the predominant form of agriculture in the world. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations published the book, “Farming for the Future,” in 2014.
“Communication lies at the core of the process of change that involves family farming. Smallholder family farmers and rural communities require access to information and communication to make their voices heard and change their lives for the better. This implies including communication for development (ComDev) as part of agricultural and rural development policies in order to promote dialogue and participation, harnessing the potential of new information and communication technologies … in combination with local media (such as community radio).”
You can read “Farming for the future: Communication efforts to advance family farming” by open access.
Communicator events approaching
Here are nearing events you may find helpful, including contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.
May 31-June 2, 2026
June 15-17, 2026
June 16-17, 2026
July 19-21, 2026
Information about “Authentic Intelligence,” theme of the Ag Media Summit in St. Louis, Missouri. Hosted by Agricultural Communicators Network and Livestock Publications Council, with support from the Ag Media Council.
November 18-20, 2026
Yes, of course
We close this issue of ACDC News with what may be a timely end-of-school-year definition of “heredity.” It’s from The sunny side of genealogy.
Heredity: “Something you believe in when your child’s report card is all A’s.”
ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcome to follow us on Bluesky @illinois.acdc.bsky.social. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu