Farm To Table Talk

Climate change, population growth, demand for animal products, pest resistance to traditional treatments and misguided policies lead to food shortages and escalating food prices.  In 2023, 733 million people faced hunger and 2.3 billion were moderately or severely food insecure. Policies to support biofuels, organic agriculture, local foods, and small farms and to oppose genetically modified foods all reduce food production on existing land.--leading to higher food prices, increased carbon emissions, and less natural habitat as cropland expands. Richard Sexton is a professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics at UC Davis and author of FOOD FIGHT: Misguied Policies, Supply Challenges and the Impending Struggle to Feed a Hungry World.  

Anna Jones is a farmer based in the Welsh uplands who brings a thoughtful and practical perspective on sustainable livestock farming. Although she came into agriculture later in life, Anna grew up on her family’s sheep and beef farm and returned in her mid-20s to help keep it in the family. She now works alongside her father and is gradually introducing more sustainable and data-informed practices to the farm. They supply Waitrose a high-end grocery store chain in the UK, known for its quality products, particularly fresh food and organic options. She’s also exploring mixed grazing, breed changes to reduce land strain, and improvements to soil and slurry management, supported in part by Welsh government initiatives. Next for Anna and her family will be farm to table experiences on their farm. https://www.instagram.com/farmingwithmyfamily/),

Natural resources, rural communities and agriculture come together in Siskiyou County where California borders Oregon.  Wolves have been reintroduced, wildfires are a continuous concern, dams have been removed and efficient water sharing requires community engagement. Assisting with these needs is Grace Woodmansee University of California Cooperative Extension Service Livestock and Natural Resources Adviser. A key project is the Siskiyou Climate Collaborative (SCC) that is working to help a broad community network pursue planning and funding opportunities, that will better prepare for the wildfires, droughts, and extreme climate events. . https://www.siskiyoucounty.org/climatecollaborative

Farmers around the world are resisting industrial monoculture in favor of biodiversity and soil-first practices with practical land stewardship rooted in indigenous knowledge, community building and long-term economic resilience. Regenerating Earth: Farmers Working with Nature to Feed Our Future by Kelsey Timmerman (Patagonia Books) provides a global exploration of regenerative agriculture as told through the stories of farmers transforming the land—and their communities. Timmerman, who lives in rural Indiana and comes from a farming family, brings a neighbor’s eye and a journalist’s ear to the regenerative movement.

Small farms can be profitable farms, especially if they adapt and grow to include adding value to their production. Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer and educator who is passionate about equipping farmers with the tools and systems they need to thrive! He offers educational resources as host of the Thriving Farmer podcast and through his virtual summits and online community Small Farm University. He also runs his own farm operation with his wife Savannah and their four children at the Farm on Central in southwest Ohio. Thriving Farmer Podcast is available from your podcast sources.

Although it is appealing to go solo, succeeding in the food system today requires working in cooperation with others: family, neighbors, associations, boards, committees, suppliers, or customers. Working out a partnership or agreeing to serve on a board or committee, may not be what you signed up for but good luck trying to go it alone.  Blake Hurst is a farmer in North East Missouri, former President of the Missouri Farm Burieau, occasional guest farm column author in the WallStreet Journal and SubStack @HurstBlake.   He joins host Rodger Wasson who has also managed agricultural organizations to share the urgent need for  busy people to step up and form new relationships, serve on Boards and make contributions that matter.

With a growing population of 1.4 billion people to feed, farmers in India are under constant pressure to increase productivity despite diminishing resources. Nearly half the population and most rural livelihoods rely on agriculture.. With volatile weather patterns and pest infestations, crop diseases and limited natural resources , Dr. Sat Kumar Tomer, Founder and CEO of Satyukt Analytics, sought to revolutionize farming by harnessing satellite data to provide affordable, actionable insights for small and larger farmers across India. Dr. Tomer assembled a  team of researchers and engineers to build Satyukt Analytics. Together they developed Sat2Farm, a mobile application designed to empower farmers with real-time insights into crop health, water availability, and other crucial parameters. Central to Satyukt’s approach is the use of open-source satellite data from agencies like NASA and ESA. Dr. Tomer’s vision is to make Indian agriculture more efficient, sustainable, and resilient in the face of climate chall

DC Central Kitchen combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation in Washington DC, providing hands-on culinary training for individuals facing high barriers to employment while creating living wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed.  Social ventures include serving scratch-cooked farm-to-school meals in DC schools, delivering fresh, affordable produce to corner stores in neighborhoods without supermarkets, and operating fast-casual cafes throughout the District of Columbia. Mike Curtin, CEO of DC Central Kitchen views food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds and build communities. www.dccentralkitchen.org

Ariane Daguin is the founder of D’Artagnan and the visionary behind the new All For One One For All (AOOA) Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley.Known as the “Mother of Farm-to-Table” in America, Ariane has spent decades shaping how we source, prepare, and think about our food. She introduced organic, humanely raised meat to top chefs across the U.S. and is now fully immersed in regenerative farming, community-based agriculture, and field-to-table education. Raised in a French culinary dynasty, daughter of a Michelin-starred chef, and now a farmer-distiller—Ariane brings tradition and transformation, ethics and flavor to Farm To Table Talk. www.alloneoneall.com www.dartagnan.com

What happens when an Amish farmer in the world's 4th largest Amish community, farming with horses, recognizes that overdosing with chemical "solutions "is killing the soil? When that Amish farmer  is John Kempf it leads to fresh eyes for actions that can bring soil back to life. In Europe for hundreds of years Amish farmers were known for resuscitating impoverished land and today's solutions will grow to include AI and resilient microbial communities. John Kempf hosts the Regenerative Ag Podcast and has established Agronomic consulting, with fresh eyes. www.advancingecoag.com    

There is Organic and there is beyond Organic to regenerative organic, including soil health, animal welfare and social. California Certified Organic Farmers, CCOF, advances organic agriculture for a healthy world:  advocating for organic policies, supporting the growth of organic through educationand grants and providing organic certification. A nonprofit organization governed by farmers and founded in California over half a century ago, today it serves North America and beyond with the support of consumers and policymakers. Kelly.Damewood  is the CEO of CCOF. Kelly has managed a small orgnaic farm before law school and ultimately becoming CCOF’s policy director, she has,spearheaded key initiatives such as passage of state legislation to improve an outdated regulatory program for organic farmers and creating a groundbreaking project to drive organic production and consumption in California. Kelly holds a Juris Doctor degree from Vermont Law School and a Master of Laws degree in agricultural and food law from

Food is life but our food system isn't helping. Designed in a different century for a different purpose—to mass-produce cheap calories to prevent famine—it’s now generating obesity, ill health, and premature death. We need to transform it into one that can nourish all eight billion of us and the planet we live on. That is the story learned in Food Fight by Stuart Gillespie. Dr. Gillespie has been fighting to transform our broken food system for the past 40 years. Stuart has been at the helm of the IFPRI’s Regional Network on AIDs, Livelihoods, and Food Security, has led the flagship Agriculture for Nutrition and Health research program, was director of the Transform Nutrition program, and founded the Stories of Change initiative, amongst a host of other interventions into public food policy. His work has driven change across all frontiers, from the grassroots to the political.FOOD FIGHT shines a light inside the black box of politics and power and, crucially, maps a way toward a new system that gives us hope

The long-anticipated MAHA Report : “Making our children healthy again” is published. In the preamble it claims “to be a call to action, presenting the stark reality of American Children’s declining health, backed by compelling data and long-term trends.” It unpacks the potential dietary, behavioral, medical and environmental drivers behind the crisis. Rodger Wasson and Callie Eideberg of the Vogel Group studied the report and discus the implications to the food industry in this episode of Farm To Table Talk. Callie Eideberg is a well-regarded policy expert on agriculture, land conservation, water policy and environmental issues, known for her ability to work with both political parties. Before joining the Vogel Group she served as Senior Professional Staffer to Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.

Agriculture, from farms to tables, have voices to be heard.  Farm To Table Talk host Rodger Wasson brings his own voice to the table with farmers, chefs, policy makers, innovators and dreamers with conversations that offer ideas and inspiration to the food system . The table turns in this conversation as Rodger is a guest on Capri Cafaro's Eat Your Heartland Out podcast on the Heritage Radio Network sharinghis journey from farm to work for and with large, small, local and community farmers raising livestock, grain, produce, nuts and hopes. Farmhand supports this podcast: farmhand.partners/farmtotabletalk

Farmers work too hard for what they earn. They need to earn more and work less for their way of life that should be profitable. Small farms are critical to local communities and food systems, but are especially outmatched by the resources available to larger farms — technology, equipment, sales and marketing teams, and back office staff. So in partnership with local farms in Sonoma County California, Ari Memar founded Farmhand to level the playing field by equipping farmers with the technology and services to win back local share of the food dollar and support a thriving local food system. www.farmhand.partners/farmtotabletalk      

The food system is extremely inefficient with  237 million tons going unsold or uneaten.--becomingfood waste, which goes t to landfill, incineration, or down the drain, or  simply left in the fields to rot.  That’s almost 120 billion meals’ worth of food that goes unsold or uneaten each year, roughly 1.4% of U.S. GDP. The impacts  on  climate and environment are also enormoussince food that is never eaten still requires resources to grow, harvest, transport, cool, cook or otherwise prepare—even when it ends up in land fills. Minnie Ringland is the Manager of Climate & Insights for www.reFed.org. Farm To Table Talk has been named one of the top farming podcasts:https://podcast.feedspot.com/farming_podcasts/

To be a good Doctor and to do good health  you really need to understand farming and agriculture, because good farming also equals good health and overall wellness, once said Wendell Berry. Dr. Camilla Petersen owns her own concierge medical practice in Missoula Montana where creating good health starts with what we are putting into our bodies. Camilla is a ND, MD, FAAFP who grew up in the Ukraine and has practiced in Africa, South America, New Zealand, all over the USA and now in Missoula Montana where she is also a wife, mother of two, member of the Montana Medical Board, and a business owner. www.petersenconciergemedical.com

Regenerative agriculture is the opposite of Degenerative agriculture. Research and innovative farmers are showing that no-till with cover crops increases net profit,  organic matter, water quality, air quality and builds soil while reducing runoff. Regenerating soil allows farmers to literally gain more land and grow more crops profitably without losing tons of soil per year from degenerative farming.  Mike Lessiter is president of Conservation Ag and the NoTill Magazine.  www.notillfarmer.com covercropstrategies.com 

Changing what you eat is a journey that may lead to growing, preparing, and marketing before sharing and consuming your food focused dreams. When the destination of the journey is a plant based diet, it may be a challenging transition. When Heather and Reggie Donaldson were moving from LA back to Cincinnati, they knew delicious plant based cheeses would be key to the success of their own plant based journey. Heather shares how that journey led to producing their own plant based cheese, opening a "Mad Cheese" shop in Cincinnati and establishing a following of the cheese and of their journey. www.madcheese.com            

Small and mid-sized  farms face a storm of economic pressures, worsening labor shortages, climate extremes, and relentless market disruptions (tariffs) With profit margins squeezed farmers are turning to precision agriculture, leveraging advanced, autonomous drone technology to optimize resources, reduce waste, overcome labor gaps, and maintain profitability. Arthur Erickson, CEO of Hylio, a US based ag drone manufacturer, shares how small to large-scale farmers are integrating drones into their regenerating operations. www.hylio.com