Advertise on podcast: Farm To Table Talk

Some say consumers don’t know enough about farming to have informed opinions on farming methods. Andrew deCoriolis, Executive Director of Farm Forward says that’s not true–Consumers do know how they want animals treated.  Farm Forward is generally opposed to “factory farms” and is especially opposed to misleading campaigns to slip language into the farm bill that would reverse state voter decisions establishing guidelines for pork production practices (gestation crates) if they want to market in that state. The US Supreme Court has already ruled in favor of state’s right to make restrictions tied to production practices. Not to be deterred another attempt to supercede the Supreme Court and voters choice is being proposed for the Farm Bill under the deceptive title of “Save Our Bacon Act”. Everyone who cares should call to leave a message for their US Senators. Senate switchboard, 202 224 3121 . www.farmfoward.com

Kara Tupy and her family live near Chico, California on their Hidden Springs Family Ranch. In the aftermath of the worst wild fire in California’s history that destroyed the near by town of Paradise, Kara was insprired to create  Farm Teach, a nonprofit that offers paid regenerative farming fellowships to youth. Her background as an educator and her family’s transition from suburban gardening to farming led to the creation of Farm Teach, which uses principles of regenerative  agriculture to help young people process trauma and develop resilience. She discussed the program’s focus on diversity, using the metaphor of an ecotone, and nature’s lesson that diversity creates resilience. The Farm Teach program is funded through grants, especiallyfrom the California Department of Food And Agriculture and is evolving its funding strategy to include direct contracts and program support. Farm Teach helping a new generation with their own approach to farming, food systems, and sustainability. www.farmteach.org

Some messages are worth hearing again such as this re-released classic from July 2023 with Elizabeth Hilborn. Over 60 years ago Rachel Carson warned of “Silent Spring (s)” to come  from the harms of indiscriminate use of pesticides. Since then the threatening big picture has broadened to position the Earth in the current period of the Sixth Extinction.  Extinctions are gradual but silence can be sudden as it seemed to honey bee veterinarian Elizabeth Hilborn who had to solve a mystery of what killed animals on her North Carolina farm. When she identified the cause, solutions and hopeful signs, it led to writing a book with a message:Restoring Eden.

The only thing we should ask is: what is the right thing to do? That is what the Earth requires of us according to author/philosopher Wendell Berry. “We have the world to live in and the use of it to live from on the condition that we take care of it. And  to take good care of it we have to know it and we have to know how to take care of it.” We have to love it. Farm To Table Talk brings back the wisdom of Wendell Berry at  his passing. The interview was a production of the Schumann Media Center, Inc. and Mannes Productions, Inc.© 2013

Bruce Knight describes himself as a “lifelong conservationist” following his father’s advice to “leave the land better than you found it,” He shares his journey from farming in South Dakota to leading the Natural Resources Conservation Service during the Bush administration to his role with Strategic Conservation Solutions. Rodger and Bruce explore various conservation programs including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and how these programs have evolved to support farmers in implementing practices like rotational grazing, no-till farming, and cover crops. Bruce explains how these programs have grown from initial federal funding to include private sector partnerships with food companies like McDonald’s and Nestle investing in regenerative agriculture initiatives. They discussed the balance between voluntary conservation incentives and regulatory compliance, noting that while some farmers are proactively seeking to improve their land, there is relatively light regulatory oversight. The conversation concluded with Bruce expressing optimism about the growing interest in conservation and sustainability among young people entering the field, noting that the food movement has made conservation popular again and created opportunities for both small and large-scale farmers.

Seeing the whole world every day can give food companies, farmers and consumers knowledge of crop issues, food supply now and in the future. Rodger interviews Nick Ohrtman from Earth Daily, a remote sensing analytics company, on the Farm to Table Talk podcast. Nick explains that Earth Daily has a constellation of 10 satellites to providing daily, 5-meter resolution imagery of the Earth’s landmass, primarily for agricultural monitoring. The data can track crop conditions globally, assist in forecasting production, and help farmers and food companies make informed decisions. The conversation coveresthe technical aspects of satellite imagery, the role of AI in processing data, and the applications for various crops beyond major commodities. They also toucheon the implications of climate change and how remote sensing can aid in adapting to new growing conditions. The value of this technology is the understanding of global food supply dynamics and improving efficiency in agriculture for a broad swath of food systems, from global views to local use. www.earthdaily.com

Some conversations deserve a second hearing . In this episode we’re bringing back one of those conversations, Allan Savory. The cause of climate change is not animals or fossil fuel. It is how we manage all resources and we can start with grasslands of the world. Allan Savory, the founder of the Savory Institute,  is a renowned ecologist and pioneer in holistic land management. His work fhas focused on regenerating degraded landscapes through innovative practices that integrate livestock grazing with sustainable land stewardship. His holistic approach aims to restore ecosystems, combat desertification, and address global challenges related to food production and climate change. In this re-release Allan Savory joins Farm To Table Talk to explore groundbreaking contributions to sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation and attention to global policies that will make a difference.

Farm to table can be a journey that matters. This podcast appreciates the listeners who have downloaded over a million episodes and for the often inspiring guests who have generously shared the story of their journeys, from farm to table. Over the years of producing this podcast, I have been asked about my own journey that has brought us together. Well Greg Peterson, the host of the Urban Farmer podcast a few years ago asked me to talk with him about my journey that covered visiting 49 states and 32 countries on a mission to learn, respect and promote agriculture from farm to table.  This is the conversation of that journey from a farm in central Illinois to tables of farmers, ranchers, consumers, politicians and marketers all over the world.

With current global, political and societal crises, the urgent need to fight climate change is being pushed to the edges.  It’s not happening with Farm To Table Talk as we re-visit a podcast classic and the claim that Agriculture will reverse the dangerous levels of greenhouse gases in the environment, if Ag follows a report prepared by leading scientists, reviewed by  CAST (Center for Ag Science and Technology) and published by the US Farmers and Ranchers In Action. Dr.Marty Matlock, University of Arkansas and leading author of the repot explains how combining reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions  with increased carbon sequestration will achieve GHG-negative agriculture in five areas offering the most significant opportunities to offset Ag’s roughly 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions:  soil carbon management, nitrogen fertilizer management, animal production and management, crop yield gap, and efficient energy use. https://youtu.be/HwCR5_N8D8YCAST: @CASTAgScience on all social media networks. USFRA: YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Sourcing food locally is an important frontier for the food system, from Farmers Markets, to Farm to Fork restaurants,  schools,  hospitals and more. Santana Diaz is the Execuctive Chef and Director of Culinary Operations at UC Davis Health in Sacramento, where it is a priority to source as much food as possible from area farmers and what that means tor patients, medical staff and the local community.

California voters approved Proposition 12 by a decisive 63% margin, establishing minimum space requirements for farm animals and restricting the sale of pork, eggs, and veal produced from animals confined in spaces smaller than those standards. For pork producers, the law effectively prohibits the sale of meat from pigs born to sows housed in gestation crates that fail to meet California's requirements. State regulators and many pork processors have maintained that California's pork demand can be supplied under Proposition 12, although compliance costs may contribute to somewhat higher prices—much as California consumers often pay premiums for products produced under stricter standards. Opponents of Proposition 12 vowed to challenge the law all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2023, however, the Court upheld the measure in a closely divided 5–4 decision.Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch concluded that states have broad authority to regulate products sold within their borders, even when those regulations affect producers in other states. The Court rejected arguments that the Constitution's dormant Commerce Clause bars statesfrom adopting non-discriminatory laws simply because they impose compliance costs on a national industry. While the Constitution prohibits economic protectionism, the Court held that it does not prevent voters from restricting products they believe are produced through practices they consider cruel or unethical, provided the law applies equally to in-state and out-of-state businesses.Having failed in the courts, opponents have shifted their efforts to Congress. Language included in proposed Farm Bill legislation—often referred to by supporters as the "Save Our Bacon" provision—would limit states' ability to impose production standards on agricultural products sold within their borders. Critics argue that the provision would effectively overturn Proposition 12 and similar state laws. The debate has attracted national attention. In a New York Times opinion essay titled "America's Livestock Gulag," columnist Nicholas Kristof argued that "the pork industry istrying to pull a fast one with this year's farm bill," citing polling that found strong public opposition to housing pregnant sows in gestation crates. A common misconception is that gestation crates are necessary to prevent sows from crushing piglets. That concern is generally addressed through the use of farrowing crates, which are used for a relatively short period around birth and weaning. Gestation crates, by contrast, typically confine pregnant sows in narrow metal enclosures for their 114- day pregnancy. Many pork producers in Europe have adapted to alternative housing systemsfollowing restrictions or bans on gestation crates. The question now moves from the courtroom to Capitol Hill: Should Congress override the will of voters and the Supreme Court's ruling through the Farm Bill, or should states retain the authority to establish animal welfare standards for products sold within their borders?For listeners seeking a broader and balanced discussion of pig housing systems, we also recommend our earlier conversation with Dr. Pete Lammers of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville, who explores the practical, economic, and animal welfare dimensions of providing space for pigs.

Food is a national security issue and passing an updated farm bill is of critical importance to both farmers and consumers, especially the food insecure. Rodger Wasson visits with Congressman Jim Costa, a leading member of the House of Representatives Agriculture committee, who voted for advancing the long overdue 'work in progress" to the US Senate. Rodger Wasson and Congressman Costa discuss agriculture policy and Congressman Costa explains the importance of the Farm Bill as America's food safety net, noting that despite challenges in agriculture, American farmers now produce more food with less than 5% of the population working in agriculture compared to 40% employed in Ag 126 years ago. The conversation covered concerns about Proposition 12 animal confinement standards potentially being eliminated in the Farm Bill, the need for labor reform affecting the estimated 70% undocumented workforce in California agriculture, and the impact of trade wars on agricultural markets. Congressman Costa emphasizesthe need for bipartisanship in passing the Farm Bill and expresseds optimism about American agriculture's ability to adapt and innovate despite current challenges.

Coffee is good for us! Especially when it connects regenerative growing practices that stretch from indigenous tribes to our barista or home brewed for the cup to start every day. Andrew Salisbury found proof of the health benefits of coffee from the Vanderbilt University Institute of Coffee Studies and found the source of beans with indigenous tribes in the Amazon.

Regenerative means understanding the cycles of nature and operating within those cycles of nature, producing a bounty that is true profit created from sunlight, microbial life in the soil and rain water,  generating more than was there. Will Harris practices what he preaches on his family's White Oak Pastures in Georgia. While specialists may be necessary in many ventures, Will says that it's better to be a generalist when striving to be a good regenerative farmer  With his daughters, their spouses and employees White Oak Pastures grows, processes and distributes their own cattle, goats, chickens, pigs and vegetables. They don't want to get any bigger but Will does want more farmers to try regenerative farming and more consumers to seek out food from those farms. Listening to this conversation between Rodger Wasson and Will Harris will make some want to do one or the other of those goals.  www.whiteoakpastures.com

Disruptions in shipping lanes such as in the Strait of Hormuz creates havoc in food supply and demand. This episode of Farm to Table Talk features Peter Friedmann from the Agriculture Transportation Coalition discussing the complex global supply chain challenges in moving agricultural products from farms to tables around the world. Peter explains how U.S.agriculture relies heavily on international shipping, with products often traveling extensive routes including transloading at intermediate ports and facing significant challenges due to geopolitical issues like the Strait of Hormuz situation affecting shipping routes to key markets in the Middle East. Agricultural exports require corresponding imports to create the container capacity needed, with farmers and their processors haveing to reroute products across the country to different ports when traditional routes are blocked. Peter highlights the resilience of U.S. agriculture in finding new markets despite trade disruptions, while noting that once markets find alternative suppliers, it's difficult to regain that business.  All aspects of the food system are affected, even "local" often starts with imported fertilizer and seeds.  www.agtrans.org