Welcome Danna Sabolik

AG EDITOR
spotlight danna sabolik blog post

Learn About Our New Editor:
Danna Sabolik

Where are you from?

I grew up on a dairy and crop farm in West Central Minnesota by a tiny town called Kensington. It’s where the Vikings discovered America and left the Runestone in 1362! 130 years before that Columbus dude sailed the ocean blue.

Tell us a little bit about you.

Before Spotlight, I wrote for a commodity newspaper based out of Sauk Centre, Minn. and prior to that, I was a college student at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. where I studied Journalism and Mass Communications. I love adventures and traveling, and I have a knack for making Spotify playlists for any situation.  

Tell us about your experience.

I’ve been a writer my whole life. Since I could hold a pencil, I’ve been writing short stories and sharing them with family and friends. I even produced a short newspaper for my immediate family for a while. I studied journalism in college and was involved with the school newspaper. Professionally, I worked for Dairy Star, a newspaper based out of Central Minnesota that reached 17,000 dairy farmers throughout the upper midwest. I moved to Fargo to expand my creative career and I’m excited to be part of the Spotlight team. 
 

In your opinion, what's one of the biggest problems facing farmers and how do you hope Future Farmer will solve that problem?

One of the biggest problems facing farmers today is trust with the consumer. With labeling snafus, marketing ploys and generational distance from the farm, many consumers are not sure where their food comes from. Genuine products like milk, GMO’s, plant nutrition and even corn-based sweeteners become foreign and distrusted in consumers’ minds. There is also the challenge of fostering that trust in sustainable ways to feed the world in the future. I hope that through Future Farmer, we can provide resources and tools for business-minded farmers to continue to feed a growing world in a clear, economic and ethical way

What part of your position provides the most value?

I’m a proud farmer’s daughter, and farmer myself. I think the most rewarding part of my job will be providing quality content in a fresh way to hundreds of hardworking American farmers. 

What part of your job do you believe makes the most impact?

Communication is so crucial to the way humans interact. I believe I’m providing a worthwhile service to readers and the agriculture community by gathering thought-provoking articles information and tools farmers can use to better themselves and their businesses. 

Why does our community matter to you?

It’s important to like where you work. I’ve discovered that to be my best, I need my coworkers and supervisors to believe I can do great as well as myself. I’m excited to be a part of a team of go-getters and big dreamers here at Spotlight, and I thank you all for making me feel welcome and part of the team. 

What are some of your goals at Spotlight?

I want to provide the best agriculture magazine in the business. I’m excited to get the first-ever issue off the ground and hope we can establish a name for ourselves and be recognized as a leader in the industry within the first year. 
 

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you and why?

Amy Adams. We both have red hair and she seems like a fun gal. 

What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

I love to hang out with friends, cook and read. I also like to watch true crime shows on Netflix and Hulu. 

What’s a ridiculous fact about yourself?

Remember I’m from the land of the Runestone? Well in 2005, I was crowned “Little Miss Runestone” after participating in a beauty/talent pageant in my hometown. I was quite honored to be chosen as a 10-year-old living in a town with a population of 273. *monkey covering eyes emoji*