E156: Myths About Industrial Agriculture That Affect Us All

February 10, 2022

So there’s a big question out there that’s being asked over and again: do massive multinational corporations have an outsized control of our food system, and what does this mean for all of us? Disruptions in food supply chains recently have highlighted the vulnerabilities of an industrialized agriculture system that according to some does not benefit farmers, farm workers or even consumers. Today, we’re going to explore a new report from the organization Farm Action entitled “The Truth About Industrial Agriculture: A Fragile System Propped Up By Myths and Hidden Costs.” Our guest today is Dee Laninga, senior communications manager for Farm Action.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Climate Change, Environment & Food | Community & Economic Development | Food Industry Behavior & Marketing | Food Policy | Voice of Farming |

 

E153: The Farmer’s Language of Climate Change and Land Regeneration

January 20, 2022

Today, we’re talking with ecologist, Steven Apfelbaum, author of “Nature’s Second Chance”, a book that was named a top 10 environmental book in 2009, and was one of the top 10 books for understanding what you can do about climate change. So Steve is going to talk about his work to improve soil health, a really amazingly interesting and important topic, but also how grazing and how farming can be improved, and how to restore land using nature’s own processes. He’ll also speak about how such work minimizes climate impact, while also reducing flooding, increasing food quality and nutrition, and improving land health. Steven Apfelbaum is a senior ecologist and science advisor at RES, Resource Environmental Solutions, and Founder and Chairman of Applied Ecological Services. This podcast is part of our Regenerative Agriculture series.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Regenerative Agriculture | Voice of Farming |

 

E147: Farmer-scientist Measures the Real Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture

November 1, 2021

Today’s podcast is part of our Regenerative Agriculture series of podcasts. We’re talking with agroecologist Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, CEO for Blue Dasher Farm in South Dakota, and also founder and director of the ECDYSIS Foundation. Dr. Lundgren connects the worlds of science and agriculture, and his working regenerative farm is also a scientific research hub.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Climate Change, Environment & Food | Regenerative Agriculture | Voice of Farming |

 

E146: Organic Vs Regenerative Agriculture – What You Need to Know

October 19, 2021

So what does it mean for something to be considered organic, or to be considered regenerative or sustainably produced? Defining these concepts in agriculture production and in food labeling is complicated, but very important. So government defines and oversees certain terms, while other terms are generally overseen by producers, by industry experts, or even by non-governmental organizations. The politics and governance structures of labeling can be very important in how sustainably produced goods are made and marketed. In today’s podcast, we’ll speak with Dr. Samantha Mosier, political scientist on the faculty of East Carolina University, as part of our Regenerative Agriculture podcast series.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Food Industry Behavior & Marketing | Food Safety & Food Defense | Regenerative Agriculture |

 

E140: Russ Conser on Regenerative Ag, Beef, and the Birds

September 14, 2021

How does someone who spent 30 years at Shell, the massive energy company, and leading its GameChanger innovation program turn into a leader for regenerative agriculture? Today, we’re talking with Russ Conser, the CEO of Blue Nest Beef. He’s an expert on disruptive innovation, scaling up ideas, and has a passion for soil and ecosystem science.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Climate Change, Environment & Food | Regenerative Agriculture | Voice of Farming |

 

E127: Paarlberg Tackles Misinformation about Food We Grow and Eat

May 5, 2021

Today’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.

Related podcasts: Advocacy & Food | Agriculture & Tech | Antibiotic Resistance | Community & Economic Development | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Insecurity | Food Policy | History & Food | Obesity |

 

E126: Global Development Financing – What Can the Agriculture Sector Learn from Healthcare

April 22, 2021

If 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.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Food Policy | International Food & Ag Policy | Philanthropy & Food Systems |

 

E123: Rashid Nuri and a Vision for Urban Agriculture

April 6, 2021

The 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.

Related podcasts: Advocacy & Food | Agriculture & Tech | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Insecurity | Food Policy | Urban Agriculture | Voice of Farming |

 

E116: The Origins and Vision for the Native American Agriculture Fund

February 23, 2021

Knowing 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.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Community & Economic Development | Equity, Race & Food Justice | First Nations Food Issues | Food Policy | History & Food |

 

E109: The FABLE of International Sustainable Development

January 28, 2021

To meet the challenge of feeding the world’s growing population and safeguarding the planet’s land and resources in perpetuity, nations are going to have to work together like never before. Today’s guests are part of a 20 country research consortium, dubbed FABLE, which stands for Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land-Use and Energy. Guests: environmental policy specialist, Jordan Poncet, who coordinates FABLE for the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Justin Baker, Associate Professor and forest resource economist at North Carolina State University.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Climate Change, Environment & Food | Food Policy | International Food & Ag Policy |