All Podcasts
E135: How did SNAP do during COVID and What Changes Need to Stay?
July 2021The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives and led to mandated business and school closures, families and communities all around the country experienced record levels of unemployment and record levels of food insecurity. This led to unprecedented policy innovation designed to increase access to nutritious food through the supplemental nutrition assistance program, known as SNAP. The program that was formerly known as Food Stamps. In today's podcast, we'll talk with the authors of a new report entitled, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Waivers and Adaptations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, A Survey of State Agency Perspectives in 2020. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E135: How did SNAP do during COVID and What Changes Need to Stay? »
E134: How Big Data is Fueling Youth Obesity
July 2021America's children and teenagers spend tremendous amount of time on the internet and never more than during the Coronavirus pandemic, with families at home so much, people ordered food, got news and engaged with family and friends online. Youngsters whose schools closed relied on YouTube for educational videos, attended virtual classes on Zoom and to Google Classroom and flocked to TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram for entertainment and social interaction. The cost of digital immersion has a serious health downside however, because the nation's youth have been exposed to a steady flow of marketing for fast foods, soft drinks, and other unhealthy products. Today we'll be discussing a new report from the Center For Digital Democracy entitled, "Big Food, Big Tech, and the Global Childhood Obesity Pandemic." Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E134: How Big Data is Fueling Youth Obesity »
E133: Measuring Fish for Food & Nutrition Security – Improving Metrics to Advance Policy
July 2021Public Policy relies on strong data and measurements. So if you want to improve a development target like nutrition, you need to be able to measure that. But with fisheries and aquaculture, we often don't have the metrics we need to make sound policy decisions. This podcast is a part of a series on fisheries and nutrition and a movement to bring fisheries into international food policy and programming. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E133: Measuring Fish for Food & Nutrition Security – Improving Metrics to Advance Policy »
E132: Connecting Food with our Environment in Daily Life
June 2021Most people think about the connection between food and their budget, or food and their health, but more and more people are concerned about the connection between food and the environment. Someone who cares about this a great deal is food campaigner, Jennifer Molidor, from the Center for Biological Diversity. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E132: Connecting Food with our Environment in Daily Life »
E131: Fisheries Need Stronger Role in Food Policy and Food Security Planning
June 2021Fish is food, right? Well, it hasn't always been treated that way in policy dialogues and development funding, according to a recent paper in AMBIO. Fisheries management practices and policies most often treat fish as a natural resource or a trade commodity, rather than an important contributor to food security. At the same time, food security policy and funding have focused primarily on agriculture instead of fish. This podcast is part of a series on fisheries and nutrition and a movement to bring fisheries into international food policy and programming. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E131: Fisheries Need Stronger Role in Food Policy and Food Security Planning »
E130: Can Software Help Cities Solve Food Insecurity?
May 2021Can software help urban planners tackle food access in big cities? The UrbanFootprint organization says yes. Fast Company named it one of the most innovative social good companies in 2021. Our guest today is the company's co-founder and CEO, Joe DiStefano. He's going to explain how city data and geospatial information can inform critical planning decisions about where to invest and to deploy resources to achieve urban food system resilience and to better support communities. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E130: Can Software Help Cities Solve Food Insecurity? »
E129: An Eating Addiction Revealed - Susan Burton on Empty
May 2021People who fight against anorexia and binge eating also struggle with secrecy, isolation and shame. Eating disorders such as these are incredibly powerful and relentless forces in the lives of an estimated 70 million people both male and female, by the way, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. For almost 30 years, author and storyteller Susan Burton of the hugely popular public radio program "This American Life" hid her obsession with food and the secret life of compulsive eating and starving that dominated her adolescence. She recently published a memoir entitled "Empty" as a way to confront her disordered eating and claim the recovery that comes from telling her story. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E129: An Eating Addiction Revealed - Susan Burton on Empty »
E128: MAZON Series - Why are Some US Military Families and Veterans Going Hungry?
May 2021Food insecurity strikes all corners of American life including the lives of military families. For the currently serving military families there is a barrier that makes it more difficult for them to qualify for needed assistance from the SNAP program. A person who knows a great deal about this is Josh Protas, Vice President of Public Policy at MAZON, A Jewish Response to Hunger, which is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and in Israel. This is the third in our series of episodes on food insecurity, done in partnership with MAZON. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E128: MAZON Series - Why are Some US Military Families and Veterans Going Hungry? »
E127: Paarlberg Tackles Misinformation about Food We Grow and Eat
May 2021Today's guest, Dr. Robert Paarlberg, is the author of a provocative new book entitled: Resetting the Table: Straight Talk About the Food We Grow and Eat. The book is presented as a clear-eye, science-based corrective, to misinformation about our food: how it's produced, food companies, nutrition labeling, ethical treatment of animals, the environmental impact of agriculture, and even more. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E127: Paarlberg Tackles Misinformation about Food We Grow and Eat »
E126: Global Development Financing - What Can the Agriculture Sector Learn from Healthcare
April 2021If the world is ever going to end hunger, ensure food security and embrace sustainable agriculture practices, we've got to invest more in agriculture. Particularly, in developing countries. Now, governments and international organizations do invest in agriculture of course, but less than in healthcare, for example. And we wondered why? It turns out it's not so much a question of why healthcare receives more funding, it's how such funds are raised and distributed that makes a difference. In this podcast, we're going to explore findings from our new report on agricultural development financing and highlight some innovative practices from healthcare sector that could be used to boost resources for agriculture in low and middle income countries. Our guests are global health policy professor Gavin Yamey of the Duke University Center for Policy Impacting Global Health and global health financing and policy expert, Marco Schaeferhoff of Open Consultants. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E126: Global Development Financing - What Can the Agriculture Sector Learn from Healthcare »
E125: Women, Food Insecurity and the Feminization of Poverty in the US
April 2021Hunger affects all communities, but you may not know that 40% of single mothers struggle with food security. Women dominate our central workforce, yet they face persistent structural barriers to food security and economic stability. COVID-19 has only exacerbated these challenges. Today, Abby J. Leibman, President and CEO of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, discusses the urgent and unique needs single mothers face, and the work she's leading to advance the anti-hunger movement. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E125: Women, Food Insecurity and the Feminization of Poverty in the US »
E123: Rashid Nuri and a Vision for Urban Agriculture
April 2021The term urban agriculture is becoming more familiar, but relatively few people know how this works on the ground in real world settings, and can fully appreciate the promise it has for the future. Our guest, Rashid Nuri, is the ideal person to explain. In 2006, Nuri founded the Truly Living Well Center in Atlanta to realize a vision for community food, sovereignty, and equity. This urban Ag organization grows tons of chemical-free, nutritious food, provides jobs, and works to educate communities. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E123: Rashid Nuri and a Vision for Urban Agriculture »
E124: Food Insecurity Issues are Community Issues
March 2021So what comes to mind when you think of these words: life around the table? Do you think of good food or family or sharing maybe? But what about spirituality and faith? So we're continuing our exploration of food and faith issues in today's podcast. And I'm speaking with Reverend Dr. Michelle Lewis, the executive director of an organization called, Life Around the Table, an ecumenical non-profit organization focused on food and on environmental justice. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E124: Food Insecurity Issues are Community Issues »
E122: Food RX Program Brings Helpful Changes to the Navajo
March 2021American Indians and Alaska natives face challenging economic, environmental, and political conditions that are in many ways similar to those experienced in developing countries. About 37%, for example, of Navajo or Dine people live in poverty. Access to preventive services such as cancer screening, immunizations, and early detection is often limited. And patients must travel long distances to obtain medical services. The situation is made worse by the lack of access to healthy foods. As a result, the life expectancy for American Indians is about six years shorter than that for the general population. Additionally, American Indians suffer disproportionately high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, mental illness, and substance abuse. Today, we are speaking with two impressive people working to change that, Dr. Sonya Shin and Kymie Thomas. They run the Navajo Nation Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment or COPE Program. This is a community-based outreach and food security program made possible through a formal collaboration between Brigham and Women's Health in Boston, Tribal Leadership and Indian Health Services to address health disparities in the Navajo Nation. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E122: Food RX Program Brings Helpful Changes to the Navajo »
E121: Marcia Chatelain on the Golden Arches and Black America
March 2021Today, we're exploring the intricate relationship among African-American politicians, civil rights organizations, communities and the fast food industry. We're talking with Dr. Marcia Chatelain, Professor of History and African-American Studies at Georgetown University. She is the author of a fascinating new book entitled, "Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America." Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E121: Marcia Chatelain on the Golden Arches and Black America »
E120: GOODR Tackles the Logistics of Redirecting Healthy Food to the Hungry
March 2021If you go to the website of an organization called GOODR, at goodr.co, you will be rewarded with inspiration to be sure but you'll also find some startling information. While one in seven Americans is food insecure, 72 billion pounds of edible food goes to landfills each year and $218 billion is spent growing, transporting and disposing this food. You will also learn from our guest, Jasmine Crowe and I quote, hunger is not an issue of scarcity, it is a matter of logistics. Jasmine Crowe founded the tech-enabled sustainable food waste management company, GOODR. The ingenious work she has done in Atlanta, which simultaneously addresses food waste and food insecurity, has received national and global attention and is featured in a terrific TED Talk that Jasmine's given. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E120: GOODR Tackles the Logistics of Redirecting Healthy Food to the Hungry »
E119: Chef Deborah Madison – An Onion in my Pocket
March 2021Ever wonder how a groundbreaking, pioneering, and award-winning chef and cookbook author came to such a place? Today, we'll find out from Deborah Madison. After working at breakthrough restaurants Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Greens in San Francisco, Deborah Madison made her mark in Rome, opened Cafe Escalera in Santa Fe, and became a prolific writer of cookbooks and articles about foods for places like "Gourmet" magazine and "Food & Wine." Her latest book, which is entitled, "An Onion In My Pocket," is a memoir. It has been very positively reviewed in many places with terms like "beguiling, honest, and captivating." And in the words of Marion Nestle, a well-known figure in the food area, the book shows how the path that carried Deborah to become what Marian said is, "The consummate vegetarian cook and cookbook writer." Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E119: Chef Deborah Madison – An Onion in my Pocket »
E118: Joel Pitkowsky on MAZON - A Jewish Response to Hunger
March 2021You may not automatically think of faith organizations as advocates for a stronger food system, but boy are they ever. I'm talking today with Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky of Teaneck, New Jersey. Rabbi Pitkowsky, in addition being a rabbi, is a leader and is on the board of directors for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. This is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and in Israel. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E118: Joel Pitkowsky on MAZON - A Jewish Response to Hunger »
E117: Society’s Hunger Conundrum: Who is to blame, and who is responsible now?
February 2021Food and security, poses one of the most pressing development and human challenges in the world. This has been true for a very long time. And still there is a little social consensus on who ought to do what to solve the hunger problem. Today we're talking with Dr. Michelle Jurkovich, Author of a new book entitled "Feeding The Hungry Advocacy and Blame in the Global Fight Against Hunger." She argues that food is a critical economic and social right, and presents a toolkit of ideas for more effective rights advocacy. Dr. Jurkovich is a Political Scientist on the Faculty of the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E117: Society’s Hunger Conundrum: Who is to blame, and who is responsible now? »
E116: The Origins and Vision for the Native American Agriculture Fund
February 2021Knowing that Native Americans were our country's first farmers and have a rich and very special history with the land, one might consider it surprising and of course discouraging that some of the most challenging food and agriculture issues in our country confront Native Americans. Our guest, attorney Janie Simms Hipp is one of the most passionate and thoughtful voices in addressing these issues. Simms Hipp is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation and leads the Native American Agriculture Fund, the largest philanthropic organization devoted solely to serving Native American farming and ranching communities. The Native American Agriculture Fund is a charitable trust that provides grants to eligible organizations for business assistance, agricultural education, technical support and the advocacy services to support native farmers and ranchers. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E116: The Origins and Vision for the Native American Agriculture Fund »
E115: How Precision Diet Might Overcome Some Genetic Roadblocks
February 2021Could there come a day when an optimal diet could be recommended not just for the population overall or for people with special conditions such as diabetes but a diet that would be unique for you? A diet based on your genetics let's say on the condition of your microbiome perhaps? Or on your environmental exposures or other factors? This futuristic possibility may be closer than you think. Thanks to the work of researchers, including today's guest Dr. Steven Zeisel, Director of the Nutrition Research Institute and Director of the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at the University of North Carolina. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E115: How Precision Diet Might Overcome Some Genetic Roadblocks »
E114: Why Nutrition is So Important In the First 1000 Days of Life
February 2021At a conference on early child development and nutrition - comprised of leading experts on brain development, child development and public policy - one of the most memorable things said, in my mind, was that “poor nutrition early in life confers a life sentence.” Those striking words were issued by today's guest, Dr. Michael Georgieff the Executive Vice Chair of Pediatrics and head of the Neonatology Division at the University of Minnesota. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E114: Why Nutrition is So Important In the First 1000 Days of Life »
E113: The Power of Policy and Parents in School Meals
February 2021It wasn't that long ago that there was a nutrition free-for-all in schools where sugary beverages, high calorie snack foods, and even things like pizzas and cheeseburgers direct from fast food chains were part of the food landscape in schools. What do you think the situation is today? Has it deteriorated even further? Has it improved or stayed about the same? Today's guest, Dr. Marlene Schwartz, is a champion for improved nutrition and physical activity in schools and one of the leading experts in the field. Schwartz is director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Connecticut. She's an expert on nutrition and physical activity policies in schools and preschools nationwide, and has collaborated in particular with the Connecticut Department of Education on their policies. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E113: The Power of Policy and Parents in School Meals »
E112: Food Bank, Food Pantries, and the Promise of More
February 2021Food banks and food pantries provide life-saving help for families all around the country. Like other institutions addressing food issues, there is growing focus on providing not just food, but healthy food. There are complex issues in this picture, however, issues we can address with today's guest, Dr. Marlene Schwartz. Schwartz is director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Connecticut. Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E112: Food Bank, Food Pantries, and the Promise of More »
E111: Teaching Responsive Feeding to Parents Create Lifelong Healthy Habits in Children
February 2021There is very interesting work going on the topic of responsive feeding. Our guest today, Dr. Rafael Perez-Escamilla published commentary with several colleagues on feeding practices in the context of nurturing young children. And they began the paper with this statement: "Dietary guidelines provide advice on what to eat "to different subsets of the population, but often do not take into account the how to eat. It turns out that the how is pretty darn important." Listen to Podcast/Read Transcript about E111: Teaching Responsive Feeding to Parents Create Lifelong Healthy Habits in Children »