Sourcing Matters.show

Ep. 65:  Dr. Molly Jahn - Prof. Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison - Dept. of Agronomy; the Nelson Institute; the Global Health Institute; and chairs the Scientific Advisory Council of Energy & Environment @ DOE Oak Ridge Labs || Dr. Molly Jahn is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Agronomy, the Nelson Institute, and the Global Health Institute, and chairs the Scientific Advisory Council of the Energy and Environmental Sciences Directorate at the US Department of Energy Oak Ridge National Laboratory.   Professor Jahn leads a global alliance of research organizations focused on building and testing modern knowledge systems for sustainability. An award-winning teacher and researcher, Jahn also consults globally for business, governments, philanthropic organizations and others. During our 45 minute conversation we gain Dr. Jahn's perspective on what it'll take to address climate change on a planet of 7.6 billion people. We also discuss how our current approach in producing food

Ep. 64: Thor Sigfusson - Founder & Chairman of the Iceland Ocean Cluster || On episode 64 of Sourcing Matters we welcome Icelandic entrepreneur, author and speaker Thor Sigfusson to the show.  Thor is the founder & chairman of Iceland Ocean Cluster.   It's the mission of the Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC) to create value in the seafood industry and for the planet by connecting together entrepreneurs, businesses and knowledge for future marine industries.  To serve this mission, Thor and his team have established a new type of working forum that will incubate and propagate new ideas for our future fisheries. Beginning with the Ocean Cluster House in Reykjavik harbor - The Iceland Ocean Cluster is now pooling together satellite locations in coastal cities of the US, and eventually the World - in effort to work in unison in tackling many of the biggest problems facing our shrinking planet.  Each cluster site will be filled with like minded entrepreneurs and a business ecosystem to support and invest in a r

Ep. 63: Lucas St. Clair - Founder of the 'Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument'  -ft. co-host: Jay Vilar of Nourish || 120 years ago Teddy Roosevelt started the US national park system to protect and preserve shared resources. We're hard pressed to believe that in our current political landscape - and with a compounding national debt - that our Federal Government would acquire any new large swaths of land for ecosystem and natural environment conservation.  In fact, it been the exact opposite as more conserved land gets squeezed with every congressional cycle.  Well,  there's a guy in the Maine woods who's got a solution for this problem.  Lucas St. Clair's has adapted an innovative approach of succession that could attract more good folks of resources to look at land preservation as their way of giving back, and for planning for a more stable future.   On episode 63 we welcome Lucas St. Clair - the founder of 'Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument' -  a U.S. National Monument spanning 87,563 ac

ep. 62: Natasha Lamb - Managing Partner & Portfolio Manager at Arjuna Capital || Sustainable investing starts with the understanding that a just society, a healthy environment, and competitive financial returns are all “bottom line” issues - explains our guest for episode 62 - Natasha Lamb - Managing Partner & Portfolio Manager at Arjuna Capital. The Arjuna Capital team brings five decades of sustainable investing experience to their vision of better tomorrow. "Together, we invest in the kind of world we want to live in." Arjuna Capital works with high net-worth individuals, families, and foundations to create a suite of sustainable investments that makes sense to and for the client. At the heart of these relationships is an ongoing, in-depth conversation about the ways clients want their money put to work. Lamb has quickly become a powerhouse in Stakeholder Activation. Her efforts have some of the biggest companies in the land adhering to changing societal norms and common sense action. Her work in

Ep. 61: A.G. Kawamura, Founding Member Orange County Produce -ft. cohost: Scott Soares, former Mass Ag Commish & shellfish farming leader  || A.G. Kawamura is third generation fruit and vegetable grower and shipper from Orange County. He is the former Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (2003-2010). As a progressive urban farmer, A.G. has a lifetime of experience working within the shrinking rural and urban boundaries of Southern California. Through his company, Orange County Produce, LLC, he is engaged in building an exciting, interactive 21st century 100 acre agricultural showcase at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, CA.  In our 45 minute conversation we discuss California's massive impact on our food system. We also discuss climate, water, citrus, berries & produce, the Government, and the system as a whole. Joining-in as cohost is the talented and knowledgable Scott Soares. Soares is former commissioner of Massachusetts Agriculture, and served as the Director of

Ep. 60: John Bullard - Former Regional Administrator, Great Atlantic Regions NOAA Fisheries & past Mayor of New Bedford, MA || As Regional Administrator of the Greater Atlantic Region for NOAA fisheries - John Bullard helped manage 44 fish stocks, including scallop and lobster, which - according to NOAA are worth $500 million each.  During his tenure, Bullard oversaw efforts to reduce entanglements for marine life in the Atlantic Ocean and helped develop strategies to repopulate rivers in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts. In 2016, John approved the Mid-Atlantic Council’s deep-sea coral amendment, which protected 15 deep-sea canyons totaling 24 million acres.  Additionally, and probably what many of our listeners will be familiar with is your work investigating notorious fisheries mob-boss Carlos Rafael. In episode 60 of Sourcing Matters John Bullard also shares some interesting stories about his roles prior to the Greater Atlantic Region at NOAA Fisheries. John Bullard (1) was past mayor of New Be

Ep. 59: Bernie Rollin - author & Distinguished Professor of philosophy, animal sciences & biomedical sciences at Colorado State || Bernard Rollin is a distinguished professor of philosophy, animal sciences, and biomedical sciences at Colorado State University. Rollin is a leading scholar in animal rights and animal consciousness. Dr. Rollin has authored numerous influential books in the field, including Animal Rights and Human Morality (1981), The Unheeded Cry: Animal Consciousness, Animal Pain and Scientific Change (1988), Farm Animal Welfare (1995), and Science and Ethics (2006). Bernie joins us for episode 59:  Our Animal Consciousness. Bernie Rollin helped co-author the 1985 amendments to Animal welfare Act - which was originally signed into law in 1966 by Lyndon Johnson.  In our 45 minute discussion Rollin shares what has and hasn't changed in the thirty year since penning the key amendments. The inclusion and awareness of Rollin's work has change laws and practice relating to animal suffering i

For episode 58 we're lucky to be joined by David R. Montgomery. A MacArthur Fellow and professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington, Montgomery is an internationally recognized geologist who studies landscape evolution and the effects of geological processes on ecological systems and human societies.  He is the author of numerous scientific papers and has been featured in documentary films, network and cable news, and on a wide variety of TV and radio programs. In his book 'Growing a Revolution', Montgomery introduces us to farmers around the world at the heart of a brewing soil health revolution that could bring humanity’s ailing fertile grounds back to life remarkably fast. Montgomery assessed different approaches being used to instigate health into the living systems making up our food. It's called Regenerative, and with it agriculture can help cure what ails us, and the planet.  Cutting through standard debates about conventional and organic farming, Montgomery explores why practices based

On episode 57 we welcome Gabe Brown - farmer, businessman, author and soil health pioneer.   Gabe, along with his wife, Shelly, and son, Paul, own and operate a diversified 5,000-acre farm and ranch near Bismarck, N.D. Their operation focuses on farming and ranching in nature’s image. The Browns holistically integrate their grazing and no-till cropping system, which includes a wide variety of cash crops along with multi-species cover crops and all-natural, grass-fed beef, poultry and sheep. This diversity and integration has regenerated the natural resources on the ranch without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or fungicides. Over 2,000 people visit the Brown’s ranch annually with visitors from all 50 states and 16 foreign countries Brown has recently released the book "Dirt to Soil" - which described their personal voyage into regenerative agriculture.  This insight gained over a these decades has established a knowledge-base.  In his this first book Gabe Brown has distilled all that complexity

On episode 56 we welcome newly appointed CEO of AquaBounty, Sylvia Wulf for an engaging conversation that explores a new frontier of food production.  Wulf is an industry leader who's directly responsible for coaxing large scale production and distribution to become more sustainable, more responsible and more appreciative of market trends of a modern consumer over the last 25 years. Prior to AquaBounty, Sylvia was President of StockYards, SVP of Merchandising, and President of the Manufacturing Division for US Foods.  A $23 billion broad line foodservice distributor, US Foods is the the 2nd largest foodservice distributor in the US.  Wulf was responsible for the P&L of the $10 billion protein and produce categories and the $1 billion Manufacturing Division of U.S. Foods Meat, Seafood and Produce operations. While leading this anchor division, Wulf developed a source to sale strategic approach that not only improved profitability but drove growth in market share at 3X the industry average. In her numerous

On episode 55 we welcome Gray Harris, Senior Vice President of food systems at Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) in Brunswick Maine.  Harris is responsible for the strategy, development and implementation of action-oriented business initiatives in the agriculture, food systems, and aquaculture and fisheries sectors. In her role, Gray assesses sector needs and identifies sources of specialized technical assistance and financing for start-up and expanding food businesses; this includes spearheading the development of funds for sector-specific lending and investing at CEI. In our 45 minute conversation we discuss the ins and outs of investing in regional and sustainable food systems of the Northeast and beyond.  CEI is a mission-driven lender and investor specializing in rural business development and financing. In Maine, and throughout the U.S., CEI helps to create economically and environmentally healthy communities in which all people, especially those with low incomes, can reach their full potential.  CEI is

Dr. Alan Goldberg of the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University joins us for episode 54 of Sourcing Matters. Goldberg is a professor of Toxicology, the Founding Director of the Johns Hopkins ‘Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing’, and a Principal of the Berman Institute Global Food Ethics Policy Program. In 2007 he was appointed to the Pew Commission on the Impact of Industrial Farm Animal Production. Goldberg has served in several Administrative positions at Johns Hopkins. He was The Associate Chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Director of the Division of Toxicology, and for 15 years was the Associate Dean at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. As a Dean, he was responsible for Research with specific responsibility for technology transfer, conflicts of interest, & work with the private Sector. Ethics are: A set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values.  Basically - “A guiding philosophy”.   Dr. Goldberg's work over the last 50 years h

On episode 53 of Sourcing Matters we welcome leadership from the The Carrot Project.  Based out of Massachusetts, The Carrot Project creates a sustainable local farm and food economy by providing financing and business assistance so farm and food enterprises thrive. With a goal to foster a sustainable, diverse food system by supporting small and midsized farms and farm-related businesses - The Carrot Project is expanding accessible financing and increasing farm operations’ ability to use it to build successful, ecologically and financially sustainable, businesses. Joining us for the 45 minute discussion is The Carrot Project founder and Executive Director Dorothy Suput. Suput's commitment to a sustainable food system grew out of the incredible contrasts between Midwestern agriculture, with which she grew up, and the locally focused food and farming system in Switzerland, where she lived after graduating with a BS from Purdue University. Following graduate school at Tufts, Dorothy worked as the first regional

On episode 52 we welcome Kevin Esvelt, Director of the MIT Media Lab Sculpting Evolution group.  At the Media Lab, Esvelt and his world class team of geneticists & biologists invent new ways to study and influence the evolution of ecosystems. By carefully developing and testing these methods with openness and humility, the group seeks to address difficult ecological problems to benefit humanity & the natural world. Prior to joining the MIT Media Lab, Esvelt wove many different areas of science into novel approaches to ecological engineering. He invented phage-assisted continuous evolution (PACE), a synthetic microbial ecosystem for rapidly evolving biomolecules, in the laboratory of David R. Liu at Harvard University. At the Wyss Institute, he worked with George Church to develop the CRISPR system for genome engineering & regulation, and he began the use of bacteriophages and conjugation to engineer microbial ecosystems. Esvelt is credited as the first to describe how CRISPR gene drives could be u

For episode 51 we welcome critically acclaimed author Sonia Faruqi to the show.  In our 40 minute discussion Faruqi goes deep into her recent work 'The Oyster Thief' which blends fantasy and environmental activism.  It's a Sci-Fi novel which depicts an underwater civilization of mer-people themed amongst true ocean science, and acts of conservation living out in a deep-sea community.   Tune-In and hear her out... Think of if this way:  Many folks have found their calling in STEM through an interest in Science Fiction - which was introduced to them at a young age.   Our interests in space travel & Super Heroes have changed our society (and some's belief structure) within a generation.  Sonia believes that the genre of Sci-Fi sparks interest and passion in young folks - and, this has incubated broader interest in more sciences & maths.  Getting them interested in this stuff at a you age makes them inquisitive, and more adoptive of science through-out their life.  That's a theory which has a great deal

Elaine Ingham maintains an active schedule of classes and webinars focused on the most up-to-date knowledge about growing plants without pesticides or inorganic fertilizer.  Ingham consults and educates large scale commercial cotton and soybean growers, large scale berry growers, as well as large commercial fruit producers as well as shrimp production. Tune-In to learn about the great things Elaine is doing for the savior underfoot. Ingham is well known for her work on the USDA soil-primer based on a concept she coined called the “Soil Food Web.”  Now, based on her decades of pioneering work as a soil microbiologist – Ingham has made it the objective of her company SoilFoodWeb.comto restore soil to its optimum state, anywhere at any scale. What most may not know is about her efforts that saved humanity and all living planets on this planet.  You see…   “In 1992 the Environmental Protection Agency was only a few weeks away from ending life on the planet as we know it,” so writes George Lawton in the April, 2

Ep. 49: Karen Karp - CEO & founder of KK&P || Karen Karp is a fourth-generation food entrepreneur. Her great grandfather Morris, a first generation immigrant from Ukraine, opened a butter, eggs, and cheese wholesale outlet on Manhattan’s far west side, and later a feed and seed company on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn. Karen’s father served the farmers of Long Island’s East End as a real estate broker concentrating on industrial and agricultural properties, and brokered the country’s first Transfer of Development Rights deal in the 1970s.  This stuff and that area are in her blood. Karen Karp is now leveraging her diverse background in food and its production, in public health, and within investment communities in The City to empower more young women to assess things differently; to take more control of their own destinies. For episode 49 of Sourcing Matters we focus on Karp's recent project - “Investigating the Role of Women, Capital, and the Transformation of Food and Agriculture.” Co-chaired by

On episode 48 we welcome celebrated chef, advocate and food system reformer - Michael Leviton.  As past chef-owner of Boston area favorites Lumière and Area Four, Michael has recently spawned "Region Foodworks" - an initiative providing regionally sourced and produced bulk products for the institutional food service market. After working alongside some of the world’s best chefs at Square One, Le Cirque, and La Bernadin - Michael Leviton returned to his hometown of Newton, Massachusetts in 1999 to open Lumière.  In Lumière’s first two years in business, the restaurant was recognized as one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Bon Appétit, and Michael was named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine.  In 2011, Leviton opened Area Four, a wood-burning oven/bar and attached coffeehouse/bakery. Modern and minimalistic in both menu and design, each property earned local and national recognition for serving highest quality product, sourced locally and all scratch made, at a price point and in a setting that is ac

Ep. 47: Live recorded at Johns Hopkins “ChooseFood” Symposium – we welcome Maisie Ganzler, Chief Strategy & Brand Officer at Bon Appétit Management Company For episode 47 we speak with Maisie Ganzler of Bon Appétit Management Company live recorded at the Johns Hopkins 'ChooseFood' symposium in Baltimore Maryland.  Ganzler is Chief Strategy & Brand Officer at Bon Appétit Management Company, an on-site restaurant company offering full food-service management to corporations, universities, museums, and specialty venues. Based in Palo Alto, CA, the company operates more than 1,000 cafés in 34 states for dozens of marquee clients. Maisie has been instrumental in shaping the company’s strategic direction.  We focus our discussion on the diverse sustainable initiatives and purchasing policies Ganzler has implemented in her 25 year career at Bon Appétit management company. The "ChooseFood" gathering was a collective effort of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School

On episode #46 we welcome Alex McIntosh, CEO & co-founder of Thrive natural care.  Thrive designs and sells high-performance skincare, powered by regenerative plants.   Since 2013, Thrive’s team of American and Costa Rican entrepreneurs, farmers and scientists have produced new-to-market botanicals for the company’s products by means of an inspiring regenerative farming model that helps restore degraded ecosystems and communities. Thrive’s vision and 500% growth over the past year has attracted retail partners such as Whole Foods and Amazon, national media such as Travel+Leisure and Esquire, and investors from Clorox, Nestlé, Unilever, venture capital and the NBA. Prior to Thrive, McIntosh was the founding Director of Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship at Nestlé Waters North America, the $4B division of the world's largest consumer water company. At Nestlé Waters, Alex developed the vision and strategic plan, and provided hands-on leadership to build the corporation's first sustainability program