Jeff Broin, the founder and CEO of POET, the world's largest producer of biofuels, is here to talk to us today about the role that agriculture plays in renewable fuels. Jeff was presented with the American Biofuel Visual Award by Growth Energy. This award recognized him for a lifetime of dedication to advancing the biofuels industry. His work in the industry has brought environmental benefits and economic opportunities to individuals and communities across the globe. As CEO of POET, Jeff built t...
Mar 03, 2020•12 min•Ep. 66
Over the past week, more than 700,000 FFA members across the country have shared the story of agriculture as part of national FFA week. We celebrate the future farmers of America week for good reason. As the top school-based youth leadership development organization in the nation, FFA continues to help young people meet the new agriculture challenges by helping members develop their unique talents and explore their interest in a broad range of career pathways. On today's episode is FFA President...
Feb 26, 2020•16 min•Ep. 65
Today is part two of our interview with Sally Rockey, Executive Director of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and Erin Fitzgerald, CEO of US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. We’re going to hear their insights while we listen back to three interviews from the "Foster Our Future” event in Washington DC earlier this month. Meredith Ellis of G Bar C Ranch, Isaya Kisekka of the University of CA-Davis and Dr. Gene Lester, National Program Director USDA-ARS.
Feb 25, 2020•17 min•Ep. 64
Today’s edition is a very special one that you do not want to miss – and we urge your colleagues and friends to listen to as well. On February 5th the second “Foster Our Future” event was held in Washington DC; so we packed up our gear and headed to the Ronald Reagan Building to interview seven of the leaders of US Agriculture and have them share with us what is on their minds and look into their crystal ball and tell us what they see for the future. I’m joined by Sally Rockey, Executive Directo...
Feb 18, 2020•30 min•Ep. 63
Today I’m joined by Dr. Quentin Tyler the Chair of MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences). He’s also the Associate Dean for diversity, equity and inclusion in the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. As a member of the CANR leadership team, he spearheads efforts to assist with the management of resources for faculty and staff professional development; provide guidance and vision for recruiting and retaining diverse and inclus...
Feb 11, 2020•10 min•Ep. 62
Black history month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of blacks in U S history. We're going to share a past conversation I had with one of our nation's most prolific black farmers, John Boyd Jr. who is the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association.
Feb 05, 2020•10 min•Ep. 61
Today, we're talking with Keenan McRoberts from the United Soybean Board who's here to discuss the focus on their Protein First initiative.
Jan 27, 2020•14 min•Ep. 60
Dan Esty is Hillhouse professor of environmental law and policy as a professor at Yale since 1994 he holds faculty appointments in both Yale's environmental and law schools. With a secondary appointment at the Yale school of management. He also directs the Yale center for environmental law and policy. Dan is the author or editor of 12 books including the prize winning book, Green to Gold. How smart companies use environmental strategy to innovate, create value, and build competitive advantage. H...
Jan 22, 2020•24 min•Ep. 59
Today's Thought leader is Ed Smith, Vice President & Head of Indigo Carbon's carbon initiative which is focused on creating a thriving, voluntary market for carbon credits and other environmental service products. Indigo's market aims to improve grower profitability by compensating them for sequestering large amounts of carbon in their soil, while simultaneously allowing consumers and businesses to offset their carbon footprint through the purchase of high quality, rigorously verified carbon...
Jan 14, 2020•14 min•Ep. 58
Today's thought leader is Avi Garbow, Environmental Advocate for Patagonia. The Stories You Need to Know: • Farms have the ability to Harvest Energy along with Food • College campus Farm lets Students engage with the Food they Eat •Scientists strive to help Produce Industry combat Foodborne Pathogens This week's Farmer is Jeremy Brown, Texas Cotton farmer.
Jan 09, 2020•26 min•Ep. 57
Phil Lempert is one on one with USFRA CEO Erin Fitzgerald, where they discuss some of the most memorable moments for 2019's Farm Food Facts. Highlights: • Nancy Kavazanjian - Our Soil Our Strength • Mickey Rubin from the Egg Nutrition Board • John Newton from the American Farm Bureau • Jenna Madsen from Sunderland Farms • Ben Feldman, Executive Director at Farmers Market Coalition • Jill Wheeler, Head of Sustainable Productivity for Syngenta in North America • Joe Koss, Culver's CEO • Rob Trice,...
Dec 30, 2019•17 min•Ep. 56
Today we talk with Neal Carter, President and founder of Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF) and creator of the nonbrowning Arctic® Apple. The stories you need to know: • 2019’s Field Days are reflective of the Difficult Growing Season • Farmers consider their Seed Choices after a Tough Growing Season • Retailers expect certain Produce categories to spike in January
Dec 17, 2019•13 min•Ep. 55
Today's Thought Leader is Fred Yoder, Co-Chair for Solutions from the Land (SFL). The Stories you NEED to know: • Lessons learned from Leafy Greens • Making Drones Work for Small Farmers • Data Standardization is critical for driving efficiency into Food Supply Chains. Our Farmer is Addy Battel, Data Standardization is critical for driving efficiency into Food Supply Chains.
Dec 11, 2019•24 min•Ep. 54
Our Thought Leader is Jason Clay, Senior Vice President for Markets and Food at World WildLife Fund. The Stories You NEED to Know: • Researchers develop Livestock-Monitoring Technology. • Here comes high-tech, mechanical Weed Control. • Grocers need better E-commerce Platforms.
Dec 03, 2019•17 min•Ep. 53
Today's Thought Leader is Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, Feeding America's CEO. The Stories you NEED to know: • Paris is opening the world’s Largest urban Rooftop Farm • Recent Study cites the Pork Industry’s strides in Sustainability • Agronomist advises producers: Don’t neglect pasture needs during harvest Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of Dairy Management inc.
Nov 26, 2019•25 min•Ep. 52
Our Thought Leader is Ellie Moss, Lead for the new USFRA report, Navigating the Food Metrics Maze. •Productivity of Farms in the Heartland has Increased over time—except for the smallest Farms. • Scientists have now Sequenced the Avocado Genome...so what is the benefit? • An innovative Retailer has Quadrupled their Online Farmer Engagement. Today's farmer is Galen Lee, former USFRA Board member and farmer.
Nov 19, 2019•25 min•Ep. 51
Our Thought Leader is Diana Campos Jimenez, Program Manager at the Los Angeles Community Garden Council. The Stories You Need to Know: • What we can expect from a “Food Safety Modernization Act” Inspection. • Syncing Ag Data is a growing Challenge for Industry • Digital agriculture: the Future is Now Our farmer is Al Renner, Outreach Director for Los Angeles Community Garden Council.
Nov 12, 2019•22 min•Ep. 50
Today's Thought Leader is Rob Trice, the Founder of The Mixing Bowl. The stories you NEED to know: • How the spring season’s Wet Weather and flooding Continues to Impact Agriculture. • No industry will be impacted by climate change as much as Agriculture. • Farmers try to decipher what trends shown in the latest Census of Agriculture mean as they plan their Future.
Nov 06, 2019•22 min•Ep. 49
Our Thought Leader is Carmela Cugini, EVP, Sales at Bowery, a modern farming company that uses technology to grow produce. The Stories You NEED to know: • More Family Farm households are relying on Various sources of Income. • Plastic is under the microscope—what does that mean for Produce? • Can Food Forests Fight Hunger? Today's farmer is Daniel Malechuk, CEO of Kalera, a vertical hydroponic farm.
Oct 29, 2019•22 min•Ep. 48
Today's Thought Leader is Chad Hart, Associate Professor of Economics for Iowa State University. Stories you Need to Know: •Affluent Shoppers are shaping the future of Grocery Retail •How much more are Shoppers willing to pay for Organic Produce? •There are 5 big Supply Chain Changes that Growers should be Ready For Our Farmer this week is AG Kawamura a third generation fruit and vegetable grower and shipper from Orange County, CA who's here to discuss community gardens....
Oct 22, 2019•19 min•Ep. 47
Today's Thought Leader is Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RDN, LD, FADA, FAND, Founder and Principal, The AgriNutrition Edge, a consultancy committed to assisting food, health and agriculture organizations better understand and navigate the changing food and consumer environment. The Stories you NEED to Know: •A pleasant surprise: Wheat growers are generally pleased with 2019 Crop. •Agronomists are saying 2019 shouldn’t impact 2020 decisions. •In the future, data will drive more decisions than desire. ...
Oct 15, 2019•27 min•Ep. 46
Our thought leader is Joe Koss, CEO of Culver’s Food News of the Week: • Cover crops could help protect our Food from the climate’s Severe Weather •Tough planting season offers lessons for the future •New grain could be a step forward for eco-friendly Agriculture Farmer of The Week: Bo Stone, a North Carolina farmer from P&S Farms
Oct 08, 2019•18 min•Ep. 45
Today's Thought Leader is Dr. Jim Wetzel, an aquaculture researcher / instructor for Lincoln University as well as a member of the research technical committee for the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center. The news YOU need to know: • Researchers study Super-Repellent surfaces for Safer Fruits & Vegetables. • California’s Central Valley is helping shape the future of American Agriculture. • 1 in 4 consumers discuss responsible food sourcing online. Our farmer is Jeff Howell, who togethe...
Oct 01, 2019•19 min•Ep. 44
Our Thought Leader for today is Dr. John Newton, Chief Economist from the American Farm Bureau Federation. News You Need To Know • For Climate-Smart Farmers, Carbon Solution is in the Soil. • Reducing Farm Emissions may plant the seed for a Cooler Planet. • Is it possible to raise a carbon-neutral cow? Today's farmer is Megan Dwyer, a 4th generation farmer from Illinois who is a Certified Crop Adviser and Precision Agronomist by trade.
Sep 24, 2019•20 min•Ep. 43
Our Thought Leader is Jill Wheeler, Head of Sustainable Productivity for Syngenta in North America, where she oversees U.S. and Canadian implementation of the company’s Good Growth Plan – a series of six measurable, global commitments designed to improve food security, rural prosperity and environmental sustainability by 2020. The stories YOU NEED to know: 1. Recent USDA Report sees dire Climate-change Impact on U.S. Crops. 2. How to Feed the World and Preserve the Environment. Today's farmer is...
Sep 06, 2019•13 min•Ep. 41
The thought leader for today is John Piotti , CEO at American Farmland Trust The stories you need to know: • Are young farmers the new starving artists? • Farmers are Earning revenue from YouTube. Our farmer interview is with Kaleb J. Hill , Owner & Farmer at Oakvue Farms
Sep 03, 2019•22 min•Ep. 40
Today's Thought Leader is Michele Payn, author of Food Bullying: How to avoid buying BS. The stories you need to know: • There’s a New Produce Warehouse in Los Angeles that aims to Prevent millions of pounds of Food Waste. • Rodale Institute Launches New Organic Research & Training Center in Georgia. Our farmer is Jocelyn Schlichting Hicks, the 2019 Good Steward Recognition Award from the National Corn Growers Association
Aug 27, 2019•14 min•Ep. 39
Today's thought leader is Erin Fitzgerald, USFRA CEO who discusses the new short film, 30 Harvests. The stories you need to know: • University Scientists call for unconventional Collaboration in Agriculture. • The Meat Industry is working Together on Sustainability. Jasper Claus from 1Camera, the filmmaker responsible for the short film 30 Harvests.
Aug 20, 2019•22 min•Ep. 38
This week's thought leader is Julie Shapiro, Facilitator for Honey Bee Health Coalition. The stories you need to know: • U.S. Vertical Farms are rising and Producing More • The Agricultural Outlook for the Coming Decade Today's Farmer is Ben King Owner of Pacific Gold Agriculture
Aug 14, 2019•23 min•Ep. 37
This week's thought leader is Ben Feldman, Executive Director at Farmers Market Coalition The stories you need to know: • Organics are still showing a surging Demand. • What can be done to utilize “Ugly Produce” and minimize Food Waste? This weeks farmer is Jodi Gauker, Executive Director at Lundale Farm Inc. and Local Food advocate.
Aug 07, 2019•21 min•Ep. 36
