Podcasts

Meet the owners of Noo Sun Dairy

Second generation dairy farmers, Mitch and Holly Hancock, will be hosting the 2024 U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action's Honor the Harvest Forum. They care for 7,000 animals across their three locations in Utah and farm 2,500 acres. Mitch and Holly share about the history of the farm, team of employees, conservation efforts, technology use, future goals and what they are most looking forward to at USFRA's Honor the Harvest Forum. Become a partner of USFRA: usfarmersandranchers.org/partnerships   Join us at Honor the Harvest   USFRA’s Honor the Harvest Forum is September 10-12 at Noo Sun Dairy, located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. This is a one-of-a-kind experience where executive leaders and agricultural producers meet on a ranch or farm to generate new ideas, partnerships, and actions to advance sustainable food, fuel, and fiber. Showcase your brand to thought leaders across the food and agriculture value chain by becoming an Honor the Harvest sponsor! Learn more at usfarmersandranchers.org/honor-the-harvest/

BONUS: Farmer and researcher share energy and label of processing concern - USB

On this bonus episode,  Carla Schultz, owner of Eight Plates Farm in Michigan and a United Soybean Board farmer-leader and Mark Messina, director of nutrition science and research at Soy Nutrition Institute, share their future concerns on the future of land and energy use and the nutrition content of food. If the guests sparked your interest, check out Carla and Mark's episode on the health behind soy for humans and animals. Become a partner of USFRA: usfarmersandranchers.org/partnerships  Join us at Honor the Harvest USFRA’s Honor the Harvest Forum is September 10-12 at Noo Sun Dairy, located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. This is a one-of-a-kind experience where executive leaders and agricultural producers meet on a ranch to generate new ideas, partnerships, and actions to advance sustainable food, fuel, and fiber. Showcase your brand to thought leaders across the food and agriculture value chain by becoming an Honor the Harvest sponsor! Learn more at usfarmersandranchers.org/honor-the-harvest/

SPECIAL EDITION - Honor the Harvest Interview with Olga Bolden-Tiller

SPECIAL EDITION - Honor the Harvest Interview with Kendra Levine of McDonald's

Health behind soy for humans and animals

Two experts in the agricultural value chain, Carla Schultz, owner of Eight Plates Farm in Michigan and a United Soybean Board farmer-leader and Mark Messina, director of nutrition science and research at Soy Nutrition Institute, share the nutritional value and benefits of soy. Carla shares about a recent study by the United Soybean Board found that 7 in 10 consumers say animal diet is extremely or very important when purchasing meat. Mark explains research on the soy's potential to prevent breast cancer and more.  Become a partner of USFRA: usfarmersandranchers.org/partnerships  Join us at Honor the Harvest  USFRA’s Honor the Harvest Forum is September 10-12 at Noo Sun Dairy, located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. This is a one-of-a-kind experience where executive leaders and agricultural producers meet on a ranch to generate new ideas, partnerships, and actions to advance sustainable food, fuel, and fiber. Showcase your brand to thought leaders across the food and agriculture value chain by becoming an Honor the Harvest sponsor! Learn more at usfarmersandranchers.org/honor-the-harvest/

BONUS EPSIODE Extra: Kevin Burkum: Regenerative agriculture discussion

The leader of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action, Kevin Burkum, shares what topic he is keeping an eye on that will have an impact on agriculture. Stay connected with USFRA at usfarmersandranchers.org.  Learn more about U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action: usfarmersandranchers.org Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevinburkum Become a partner of USFRA: usfarmersandranchers.org/partnerships

Opportunities and challenges for agriculture with USFRA CEO

Kevin Burkum, CEO of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action, shares how USFRA is making changes to help support agriculture in meeting its challenges and leveraging opportunities, both domestically and internationally.  Kevin also shares more about his background and professional experiences.  Learn more about U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action: usfarmersandranchers.org Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevinburkum Become a partner of USFRA: usfarmersandranchers.org/partnerships

National FFA Organization focused on future skills, careers

Expert Celya Glowacki, team lead for advocacy, literacy and ag-based experiences at National FFA, shares how they focus on the evolving careers in agriculture. Celya shares how they receive feedback from corporate partners about what skills they are looking for in the next generation of agriculturists and the new National FFA NexGen Conferences. Learn more at ffa.org/participate/next-generation-conference/.

Honor the Harvest and the Future of Ag

Honor the Harvest Forum is an invitation-only event that gathers food and agriculture leaders to further our global sustainable food system. Former head of Harvard Business School’s Agribusiness Program and is known as a strategic pathfinder in the global agri-food industry, Mary Shelman, emceed the USFRA Honor the Harvest. Today, we gain her high-level perspective of the event and what she’s keeping an eye on in the future of agriculture.

Culvers successful marketing includes support of agriculture

Culvers is based out of Sauk City, Wisconsin and there are over 900 Culver’s locations across the United States. Today, we are going to learn more about their three pillars to Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project. We are joined with Alison Demmer, she is the marketing and public relations manager at Culvers.  Learn more about Culvers at https://www.culvers.com/about-culvers.

Unique market and value-added opportunities for grain farmers

Today, we are headed to Maryland to learn more about grain and we are joined by   expert Lindsey Thompson. She is the executive director of the Maryland Grain Producers and also the owner Hidden Potential Farms with her husband, where they farm 130 acres of corn and soybeans. Did you know that Maryland typically grows soft red winter wheat and it is consumed by chickens and used to mill flour for cookies, pretzels, and pastries?  Learn more about all the things grain touches and how farmers are working in this unique market.

Study shows preferences and perceptions of milk in schools

Join us as we discuss the ideal flavor packaging and the next generation of milk drinkers with Dr. Maryanne Drake, a professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University, and director of the Southeast Dairy Foods Research Center and Dr. Eric Bastian, the Vice President of Innovation Partnerships at Dairy West and the director of the Western Dairy Center at Utah State University. We dig deeper into dairy product consumption's motivation by both familiarity and habit and what the future looks like for school meals. Want to learn even more about dairy? Visit dairywest.com.

From Veteran to rancher: A life of service

Authenticity shines in this episode with veteran and rancher Steve Cook of Cook Beef Cattle located in central Texas. Steve shares about his military career, transitioning to civilian life, mental health, Farmer Veteran Coalition and future advice and goals. We're thankful to have Steve share real experiences with us and the importance of networking with others.  Connect and support Steve's ranch by checking out his website at cookbeefcattle.com. Learn more about the Farmer Veteran Coalition at farmvetco.org. We appreciate the support from The Platform for Agriculture and Climate Transformation on this episode of Farm, Food, Facts.  To learn more about PACT’s mission you can visit their website at https://ag-climate.org/.

Native American Heritage Month: Native farming and ranching 101

November is Native American Heritage Month, and we invite you to learn more about the cultures, traditions, and achievements of Native Americans. Today we are joined by Chanel Ford the director of programs at the Native American Agriculture Fund. NAAF provides grants to eligible organizations and business assistance, agricultural education, technical support and advocacy services to support native farmers and ranchers. We dig deeper into the basics of native farmers and ranchers and future innovations. Learn more about NAAF and how you can celebrate Native American Heritage this month and every month with the resources listed below. https://nativeamericanagriculturefund.org/ https://native-land.ca/

Navigating relationships with processors and brands

Who should farmers be connected with to help bridge the gap between processors and brands?  We’re joined by CEO of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Tim Trotter, as we discuss the ins and outs of the important relationships and connections that farmers need to successfully market their products. Does a relationship with processors and brands improve a farmer’s future success?  And why act now? Learn about these topics and more now!

Ranching with Angela Scott

This exclusive episode is a double feature for National Farmer's Day! Join us as we catch up with first-generation rancher Angela Scott at Honor the Harvest this year. She talks about her lessons learned as a newer rancher and that it's ok to ask questions! Then join us for our second podcast episode of the day featuring fifth-generation farmer Andrew Lauver and his story about taking over the family farm.

Farming with Andrew Lauver

This exclusive episode is a double feature for National Farmer's Day! We had the chance to connect with fifth-generation farmer Andrew Lauver at Honor the Harvest this year and get his story on taking over the family farm.  Then join us as we catch up with first-generation rancher Angela Scott as she talks about her lessons learned as a newer rancher and that it's ok to ask questions!

Understanding the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report

We had a chance to catch up with VP of Market Intelligence at United Soybean Board, Mac Marshall, during our Honor the Harvest Forum in September.  Mac gave us some major insight into the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate Report and how farmers and ranchers can use this as a resource. Listen in to this episode of Farm, Food, Facts now!

Research on perennial companions in soybeans

Our leading expert Jenny Rees, an extension educator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field is nothing short of impressive! We discuss the basic benefits of planting a perennial companion in soybeans, common perennial companion crops, on-farm research, challenges and if perennial companions will become more popular. If you're as interested in this topic as we are, then check out Jenny's blog at jenreeseresources.com and stay connected to research items like this by following the Nebraska Soybean board at nebraskasoybeans.org.   We appreciate the support of this topic from the United Soybean Board. You can stay connected with the future innovation of soybeans by following the United Soybean Board website at unitedsoybean.org.

Benefits of fertilizer placement and no-till in soybeans.

Meet expert David Iverson, a true steward of the land! Today on Farm, Food, Facts, we have the honor of sharing his incredible journey as a fourth-generation crop farmer at Iverson Farms in South Dakota. David has taken sustainable agriculture to the next level by implementing two conservation practices: no-till and fertilizer placement, and that's not all. By strategically placing fertilizer, David maximizes nutrient absorption while minimizing runoff.   Tune in now for our exclusive interview with David Iverson as he shares his secrets to success and how these practices have transformed his family farm. Stay connected with the future innovation of soybeans by following the United Soybean Board website at unitedsoybean.org.

Biofuels basics and the future potential

Biofuels fits into the equation of being a strong competitor as a fuel source. Our leading expert, Doug Berven, vice president of corporate affairs at POET, shares the basics, competitors, infrastructure, economic benefits, how other countries utilize biofuels, challenges and trends of biofuels. Learn more about POET at poet.com.

Protecting profitability with inclusive financing

Our expert in this episode has over 20 years of experience in the agricultural industry, John Maman is the director of sales and marketing at Nutrien Financial. He shares more about inclusive financing, managing high interest rates, digital financial tools, financially assessing crops and what financial trends to follow. Check out at nutrienfinancial.com and follow Nutrien on social media @NutrienAgSolutions. Contact us at podcast@usfraonline.org to share feedback or a podcast idea.

Soybeans used in tires, shoes, plywood and more!

Get ready to be soy-amazed! Join us as we chat with leading expert and soy farmer extraordinaire, Laurie Isley, who spills the "bean" on all things soy. From soy-based shoes that are trendy as they are eco-friendly, to mind-blowing uses you never knew existed with tires, plywood, dust suppressant, turf and more. This episode will leave you hungry for more knowledge about the extraordinary uses of soybeans.    Learn more: unitedsoybean.org Find soy-based products:  soynewuses.org

Unlocking the potential of soy and human health through WISHH

Join us for an insightful discussion with our special guest, Gena Perry, executive director of the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH). A program of the American Soybean Association, WISHH expands global access to U.S. soy. Through partnerships, technical assistance, and training, WISHH helps address the protein gap and food insecurity in developing and emerging markets.

A Climate Smart Platform for Farmers

Alyssa Cho, Sustainable Agronomy Field Team Lead at Bayer is our guest. Alyssa is building a team of Sustainable Systems Agronomists to provide support to farmers for a successful transition to regenerative practices as part of ForGround by Bayer.  Alyssa was the Agronomy Lead for a drone-based technology start-up, Aker Technologies prior to joining Bayer. She has been a professor of sustainable cropping systems, serving as a researcher, extension faculty, and instructor. Alyssa holds a Ph.D. in Agronomy, a M.S. in Horticultural Sciences, and a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Management.

Farmers and Ranchers Front and Center in Sharm El Sheikh

Today's episode is a must see and is reference for all of our futures. USFRA CEO, Erin Fitzgerald, has been on a worldwide tour sharing the voice of the US Farmers and Ranchers globally. She's just returned from the critical and sometimes nail-biting 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or what's called the conference of the parties of the UNFCCC more commonly referred to, and much easier as COP 27, the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference that was held from the 6th of November to the 20th of November in Egypt.

The 2022 world Food Prize Goes to... A NASA Scientist!

To round out summer listening, we are scheduled to hear from Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, winner of the prestigious 2022 World Food Prize, which honors leaders who are making huge strides in enhancing global food security and availability. Dr. Rosenzweig, a senior research scientist and head of the Climate Impacts Group at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) at Columbia University, is a pioneer in the study of climate change and agriculture.

Tractor Supply Company’s Sustainability Practices and Engagement with USFRA

In today’s episode we explore how the almost $13 billion retailer – Tractor Supply, with over 2,000 stores across 49 states, is a leader in working with farmers and ranchers - and committed to the goal of net zero operations. Tractor Supply’s mission statement is: “To work hard, have fun and make money by providing legendary service and great products at everyday low prices”. Our guest is Mary Winn Pilkington, senior vice president investor relations and public relations at Tractor Supply Company. Before coming to Tractor Supply in 2018, Mary Winn held senior positions at Dollar General, Pepsi Bottling Group and International Paper.

Why 'Net Positive' Must Be The Mandate For Agriculture

In today’s episode we meet the authors of “Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take” – the best selling book that Financial Times named as one of the best business books of the year. Andrew Winston and Paul Polman teamed up to to write the book that has at its core the argument that the companies of the future will profit by fixing the world's problems, not creating them.   Paul Polman is the ex-Unilever CEO who increased his shareholders' returns by 300% while ensuring the company ranked #1 in the world for sustainability for eleven years running. Teaming up with Andrew Winston, one of the world's most authoritative voices on corporate sustainability, they show business leaders how to take on humanity's greatest and most urgent challenges—climate change and inequality—and build a thriving business as a result.  Paul Polman works to accelerate action by business to achieve the UN Global Goals, which he helped develop and has been described by the Financial Times as “a stand out CEO of the past decade”.  Andrew Winston is a globally-recognized expert on megatrends and how to build companies that thrive by serving the world. Named to Thinkers50 list of the top management thinkers in the world, he is a best selling author and received degrees in economics, business, and environmental management from Princeton, Columbia, and Yale. Andrew recently wrote in the Sloan Review how ESG — which stands for environmental, social, and governance — has become the dominant term. Within the narrow world of the sustainability expert community, the battle royale is raging about sustainability versus ESG  and the implications of shifting semantics.

The Impact of WIC on Farmers

USDA Deputy Undersecretary Stacy Dean and several members of Congress provided updates on emerging and pressing food/nutrition and WIC policy issues at the National WIC Association’s National Policy Conference. A number of these issues affect grocers and others in the retail food industry, including a tripling of funds for vegetables and fruits for low-income families through WIC, a once-in-a-decade update to the WIC food packages expected in early 2022, child nutrition reauthorization getting underway in the House of Representatives, proposed regulations for online shopping expected in April 2022 and more. With more on the effect for farmers and ranchers, our guest is Brian Dittmeier, Esq., the Senior Director of Public Policy at the National WIC Association. Brian advocates for key WIC priorities, including efforts to secure WIC funding, expand access to nutritious foods, and address maternal health disparities. Brian manages NWA’s relationship with Congress and the Administration, leads targeted grassroots advocacy efforts, and coordinates policy partnerships with child nutrition stakeholders and industry.

Farmers and Billionaires: The WFP Chief’s Plan for Solving World Hunger

Join USFRA and Phil Lempert as we sit down with the UN World Food Programme Chief who blames a hunger crisis on a “toxic cocktail” of conflict, climate change, disasters, poverty and inequality. 45 million people in 43 countries around the world stand at the frontlines of hunger. WFP Executive Director David Beasley says farmers can help lift millions out of poverty and make agriculture environmentally sustainable. And he says billionaires have a duty to act.

Behind The Scenes At COP26 U.N. Climate Change Conference

Today’s episode is a very special one. Anne Meis, chair of USFRA and Erin Fitzgerald our CEO just returned from the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland where for the first time the farmers voice was heard and farmers now have a seat at the table.

The Carbon Neutral Pig

Today we go behind the scenes and talk with Marlowe Vaughn and USFRA Board Chair Anne Meis.  Marlowe Vaughan is the star of the USFRA produced short film, The Carbon Neutral Pig.  She is also a North Carolina pig farmer and is the Executive Director of the Feed the Dialogue NC with a true passion for educating consumers about agriculture and where their food comes from. Her enthusiasm, passion and knowledge of the pork industry earned her the Emerging Leader Award, previously known as the Pork All-American, an award also earned by her father, Bob Ivey in 1982.  As well as earning her the starring role in USFRA’s latest docudrama Anne Meis is a farmer and Nebraska Soybean member in Elgin, Nebraska.  Anne, along with her husband Jim, run a family operation raising corn, soybeans, and alfalfa and cattle.  Over the past 32 years, they have had a continued focus on increasing soil health, conserving water, being good stewards of the land, and practicing quality animal care.

The Shift In Food And Ag Labor Resources

Our guest today is David Turner, President of Kincannon and Reed.  He has been serving clients across the globe for Kincannon & Reed for nine years before being named President in 2019. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, David holds a BS from Arizona State University, an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, and an Advanced Certificate in Executive Search and Leadership Consulting from Cornell University. Prior to joining Kincannon & Reed, David led PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Canadian agribusiness practice and served in international positions across Cargill’s animal nutrition, grain milling, and meat processing businesses. David is actively involved in the search profession and leads Kincannon & Reed with a vision and understanding that the leadership placed will impact the food and agriculture industries.

Trends in Climate Smart Crop Protection and Technologies

Susanne Wasson is the President of the Crop Protection Business Platform for Corteva Agriscience.  Previously, she was the Vice President of Commercial Effectiveness.  Prior to being named VP, Susanne was the U.S. Commercial Leader of the Crop Protection Business of Dow AgroSciences.  She was previously a Global Business Leader for the Range & Pasture and Industrial Vegetation Management herbicide business and a Global Business Leader for the Seeds and Traits business focused on licensing of Dow AgroSciences’ Bt library, and M&A activities for seeds in Asia. She has held several other roles in marketing, sales and finance in her 30-year career.   Susanne is a member and past chapter president of P.E.O. (philanthropic education organization for women), and a member of the Delta Delta Delta Foundation Crescent Fund committee.  She is currently on the Board of Directors of United Way of Central Indiana, Agrinovus Indiana, National FFA Organization, and the American Chemistry Council. She is the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Crop Life America and was the 2018 chairman of the FFA Foundation Sponsors Board.  She was awarded an Honorary American FFA Degree and was a 2016 recipient of the Indianapolis Business Journal Women of Influence award, received the 2019 Women in Agribusiness Demeter Award of Excellence and was a 2019 Distinguished Alumni of College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources of Oklahoma State University.   Susanne earned degrees in Agricultural Economics and Accounting from Oklahoma State University, and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University.

Empowering the Producer Through Big Data

Jim O'Brien, Agrograph CEO/Co-Founder. He has held leadership positions at four startups, two of which he co-founded. His experiences have taken him around the globe from wine grapes in Europe, to potatoes in the UK to weather forecasting in Southeast Asia. James was on faculty at The Ohio State University in agricultural extension along with founding his own consulting company Ten 10 Solutions LLC. He has lead product innovation teams at several multinational corporations ranging from The Weather Channel to American Family Insurance, along with financial services and healthcare.  James holds an MBA from Edgewood College, a Master of Science (Soil Science) from University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelor’s degree (Agronomy) from Iowa State University.

The Common Connections Project: Collaboration Between Pork, Corn and Soy

If there's one thing that we've learned over the past 15 months is we all have to work together. And that's why together today, we're going to talk about the common connections project. With us today is Danielle Solis, Communication Specialist at the Maschhoffs, Rochelle Krusemark USB Director and Meal Target Area Coordinator and Randy Spronk, a grain farmer.

The Transition to a Net Zero Economy with Biofuel, POET

Jeff Broin is the Founder and CEO of POET, the world's largest producer of biofuels and bioproducts. He is a recognized innovator, entrepreneur, agriculturalist, philanthropist, and advocate for the biofuels industry. POET currently operates 33 bioprocessing plants with a combined annual production capacity of 3 billion gallons of bioethanol, reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality nationwide. In addition, POET produces a growing number of sustainable bioproducts that are marketed worldwide, many of which displace harmful, petroleum-based products. For these continued advancements in biotechnology, POET was named to FORTUNE's 2019 'Change the World' list and recognized as one of Fast Company's 'Most Innovative Companies of 2019.'

Aquaculture as a Climate Solution

Donna Lanzetta is an attorney and entrepreneur with a passion for sustainable seafood production. Motivated by a concern for our world’s growing population, our declining wild fish stocks, and the urgent need to feed our growing numbers, Manna Fish Farms (Manna) is currently awaiting permits to operate a sustainable and transparent fish farm, and to research Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) off the Eastern Coast of The United States.

Feeding the Future to 2030 and Beyond, with Nutrien

Candace Laing is VP Sustainability & Stakeholder Relations at Nutrien where she is involved in strategic initiatives for the company who is the world’s largest provider of crop inputs, services and solutions  that span corporate affairs, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement. Her career has spanned both private and public-sector organizations and she has served as an instructor at the University of Saskatchewan in the Edwards School of Business and a board member of US Farmers and Ranchers in Action.

California Department of Ag Signs the Decade of Ag (Part 2)

We continue our important discussion on the universal support of agriculture. Today's episode focuses on the Herculean efforts of two States, Maryland, and California, and the farmers who make those States great through the USFRA's Decade of Ag effort, Earth Day, and the public private partnerships, which we are all focused on the future of sustainable agriculture. In the previous episode, we heard about what's happening in Maryland, where the number one industry is actually farming. Now we travel across the country to California to continue the discussion with California's Secretary of Ag, Karen Ross and Don Cameron, President of the California State Board of Food and Ag.

Maryland Department of Ag Signs the Decade of Ag (Part 1)

With Secretary of Agriculture Joseph Bartenfelder and Chip Bowling This is a very important time for our food supply. No one, from farmers and ranchers to supermarket leaders to the consumer can dispute how important agriculture and the universal support of agriculture is. Right now today's episode focuses on the Herculean efforts of two States, Maryland, and California, and the farmers who make those States great through the USFRA's Decade of Ag effort through Earth Day and the public private partnerships, which are all focused on the future of sustainable agriculture.

Introducing a Decade of Ag

National Ag Day is a day that recognizes and celebrates the abundance provided by American agriculture. With us today to introduce the Decade of Ag are three of our vitally important leaders, as well as current and past USFRA board chairs Anne Meis, Chip Bowling and Brad Greenway.

Connecting Rural Communities to Broadband/5G

One of the biggest problems that many farmers and ranchers have doesn't have anything to do with soil or climate or water. Yes, these are all issues that we must solve, but the one problem that is much easier and quicker to solve has to do with technology specifically connecting rural communities to broadband 5g.  Today I'm joined by Marci Green. She and her husband Lonnie are the sixth generation on her family's farm in Southeast Spokane County. There are two sons have now joined the farming operation. They raise wheat bluegrass seed, barley, dry peas, lentils and garbanzo beans.  Our next guest is Sam Kieffer. He serves as the American farm Bureau Federation, vice president of public affairs, where he leads the AFBF public policy advocacy and economic teams in advocating for farmers and ranchers with Congress and the administration. Sam's roots are on his family's grain and beef farm in Pennsylvania.

Janie Hipp of NAAF Discusses Transformative Investment in Agriculture

The Native American Agriculture Fund provides grants to eligible organizations for business assistance, agriculture education, technical support, and advocacy services to support native farmers and ranchers. Janie Hipp is the president and CEO, and she joins us today. Janie oversees the work of the fund of philanthropic organization, responsible for distributing the remaining funds created by the settlement of the landmark Keepseagle versus Villsack class action lawsuit. Hipp also founded the indigenous food and agriculture initiative at the university of Arkansas school of law. The nation's first law school based initiative, focusing on tribal governance, strategic technical policy assistance, and native youth and professional education that supports native food systems, tribes, tribal enterprises and native entrepreneurs are optimally positioned to move beyond growing crops and raising livestock into the business of putting food in stores and on tables. The Native American agriculture fund proposes the development of 10 regional food hubs in Indian country to provide processing and distribution infrastructure for food grown and raised by tribal farmers and ranchers. With over 59 million acres of native operated farms across the United States, tribal nations and tribal producers will play a critical role in addressing climate change.

Looking Ahead to the Future of Dairy: Collaboration & Innovation

Today, it's all about dairy and with us today is Marilyn Hershey, a dairy farmer who operates a 600 cow dairy farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, Duane. She serves as the chair at Dairy Management, Inc. And is also a published author. She's the secretary of the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association Speaker's Bureau and serves on the national dairy promotion and research board among other various community organization . Marilyn recently joined the USFRA board of directors in 2020.

Importance of Agriculture Research Funding

Today – we talk about the importance of agriculture research funding. Our guest today is one of the most insightful people I know, Dr. Sally Rockey, the inaugural Executive Director of the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR). Prior to this role, Sally was a leader in federal research, overseeing the operations of the extramural research programs in both agriculture and biomedicine. She spent almost twenty years with the US Department of Agriculture, where she held several positions within the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service including head of Competitive Research Grants and Chief Information Officer. From there, she spent eleven years with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As the NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, she led the operations of the world’s largest extramural research program. Returning to her roots in agriculture, she has seen FFAR through its startup phase and witnessed it grow into a significant force in the agriculture research community through the development of innovative private-public research partnerships. Rockey received her doctorate degree in entomology from the Ohio State University and did postgraduate work at University of Wisconsin. She has devoted her career to improving people’s lives through research and continues this mission today.

The Importance of Collaboration During COVD-19 with United Soybean Board

Today we're going to have a very serious, frank and enlightened discussion on the importance of collaboration during the pandemic, COVID-19. My guests are Polly Ruhland, CEO of the United Soybean Board and Lynn Rohrscheib. Who's one of the busiest farmers that I know and a true leader during the COVID 19 pandemic. Polly is focused on the future working to identify areas of economic growth for nearly every aspect of the soybean industry, whether it's soy, that's used for animal feed protein, for human use or multitude of industrials and using bio-diesel asphalt, motor oil and even shoes. The Soy Checkoff works on behalf of us soybean farmers to advance agriculture sustainability through research education and promotion programs. Polly in concert with USB's 70 farmer/directors developed programs and partnerships that drive soybean innovation beyond the bushel and increase the preference for US Soy.  Lynn assists in the day-to-day operations on the farm handling a wide variety of tasks from crop in the input decisions, keeping the books, handling insurance, employee health insurance, taking seed or chemicals to the field, working ground or chopping stocks and everything else that needs to be done. And that's just on the farm. She's also director and part owner of CNR ag supply and serves on the board of USB. She always knew her calling evident from her early days, pulling her red radio flyer wagon around her family's farm and farm supply business, delivering bags of seed or jugs of chemicals. She has the ninth generation to farm her family's farm in Fairmount, Illinois.

How U.S. Nature4Climate Is Encouraging Collaboration With The Farming Community

Today – its all about natural climate solutions and how they pay off. And to introduce you to a new entity that launched earlier this year that is leading the charge.   U.S. Nature4Climate is a coalition of 10 conservation, sustainability, and business organizations, including US Farmers and Ranchers in Action that are dedicated to ensuring our forests, farms, ranches, grasslands and wetlands are an important part of the overall strategy to combat climate change. Their goal is to create a collaborative platform where conservation organizations, the farm and forestry sectors, and corporations can work together to help ensure that Natural Climate Solutions are fully integrated into broader climate action strategies.  As the U.S. works to address climate change, U.S. Nature4Climate will elevate these nature-based solutions as an integral part of any comprehensive climate action plan. Natural Climate Solutions improve the health of our natural and working lands, strengthen connections between people and nature, and enhance the well-being of the plants, animals and people they support.   We have a full house today and you won’t want to miss this episode. Our guides will explain just how important and impactful this effort is, with us are: Nathan Henry, Project Manager, USN4C Cathy Macdonald, Steering Committee Chair, USN4C Kris Johnson, Deputy Director, The Nature Conservancy Rebecca Tuuk, Forest landowner Chip Bowling, USFRA Chairman

What's on the Mind of Agriculture's Future Leaders

Today it’s all about our future – our future leaders that is. With us is Alwin Hopf who is working on his masters and PhD in Agriculture and Biological Engineering at the University of Florida and Alice Mei-Wong Dien a masters student at the university of California at Davis and was our YAS 2021 Ag-vocacy winner from the 2019 Honor the Harvest Forum.

Why Marketing Agriculture Is So important

There is so much to celebrate with all of the new partnerships, confrontational collaboration (thanks to Polly Ruhland at USB for that term) and focus on the next 30 harvests to create climate-smart, prosperous agriculture in the US. As marketers deeply invested in food and agriculture, we believe there is even more energy and opportunity to be gained by leveraging the untapped power of consumer engagement on these initiatives. There are large, eager customer and consumer audiences ready to recognize these efforts and celebrate the brands that invest in sustainable supply chain innovations in support of farmers and ranchers … and the larger environment. Bader Rutter is one of USFRA’s important partners to achieve these goals and help continue to spread the work from Honor the Harvest. Bader Rutter is the country’s largest agricultural marketing agency. And through nearly 50 years of steady growth, they’ve dreamed big, planned meticulously, and fiercely championed their clients’ success.   Joining us today on Farm Food Facts is JoDee George and Dennis Ryan who lead the Bader Rutter food and beverage practice which is focused on creating consumer and customer brand value from supply chain sustainability investments. JoDee has worked for 20 years worked across food and agriculture marketing and strategy for America’s largest food and agriculture companies. She brings this diverse knowledge and passion to creating a sustainable, innovative path for food and agriculture producers, brands and consumers.   Dennis has spent the better part of his extensive career telling stories for food and beverage brands from every major company in the space. After building an enviable TV-centric CPG advertising career in Chicago, he moved to Minneapolis to learn digital, social, and one-to-one marketing.

Soil is Sexy: The Power of Soil Sequestration with 2020 World Food Prize Winner Dr. Rattan Lal

Today is all about soil management and with us to to dig into the subject is Dr. Rattan Lal, Ph.D.  Dr. Lal is a Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at The Ohio State University, as well as IICA’s Chair in Soil Science and Goodwill Ambassador. He was President of the Soil Science Society of America (2006-2008) and the International Union of Soil Sciences (2017-2018). He researches soil carbon sequestration for food and climate security, conservation agriculture, and soil health. With an h-index of 157 and about 112,000 citations, Dr. Lal has authored almost 1,000 journal articles and mentored 360 researchers. He is laureate of the 2018 GCHERA World Agriculture Prize, 2018 Glinka World Soil Prize, 2019 Japan Prize, 2019 U.S. Awasthi IFFCO Award, the 2020 World Food Prize, and the 2020 Arrell Food Prize.

USFRA CEO Erin Fitzgerald on How U.S. Agriculture is Creating a Movement, Not a Moment

Today we talk with US Farmers and Ranchers in action CEO, Erin Fitzgerald, about the Honor The Harvest event and the values that will shape Agriculture for the next 10 years.

How Western Dairies Are Incorporating New Technology Into Sustainability Efforts

Today's guest is Rick Naerebout, the Chief Executive Officer for the Idaho Dairymen's Association. Rick grew up on his family's dairy farm in McBain, Michigan, where he learned the value of hard work, integrity, and an appreciation for agriculture that can only be learned on the farm. Rick has been with the Idaho Dairymen's Association for over 15 years, assisting with the associations, environmental legal, economic, legislative, and stewardship efforts. The IDA is a progressive association that represents all of Idaho's, nearly 500 dairy farms recently named the CEO of the association. He manages the day to day operations of the group, which includes Ida consulting services, a new division within Ida that provides on-farm services through its highly skilled staff ranging from nutrient management planning to dairy worker training and safety programs

Advances In Fertilizers And The Role In Precision Agriculture

Today, we're going to talk about fertilizer and the role, the important role that it plays in agriculture. Our guest is Mike Frank, Executive Vice President of Nutrien and CEO of Nutrien ag solutions. Mike is a global ag leader with more than 30 years of working extensively with farmers and other ag professionals around the world. And most important, Mike grew up on a farm in Canada and a passionate agriculture advocate. Mike is focused on the issues of global food security and driving environmental and economic sustainability for farmers and the ag industry. He serves on the board of the U S farmers and ranchers in action.

Dairy Farmers of America Work With Vanguard Renewables to Feed Food Insecure Families

Today it's all about farmers feeding families. Joining us today are John Hanselman, Chairman and CEO of Vanguard renewables, the largest recycler of food waste in the Northeast who's passionate about recycling organic once considered waste into renewable energy and low carbon fertilizer for food manufacturers, corporations, and food retailers and enhancing regenerative agriculture practices alongside Vanguard farm partners.  Joining John is David Darr, senior vice president, chief strategy and sustainability officer of Dairy Farmers of America. David leads, cooperative efforts on sustainability, including environmental footprinting animal care and corporate social responsibility working together. They created the farmers feeding families program, donating milk to families in need since the pandemic started DFA and Vanguard.

The Collaboration Between Food and Fuel

My guests today are Nathaniel Doddridge, Greg Anderson and Floyd Vergara.  Greg Anderson has been farming near Newman Grove, Nebraska since 1977. His form includes land that his great, great, great grandfather homesteaded in 1873. His operation consists of continuous soybeans, alfalfa grass hay, and an Angus cow calf herd is formed no till for 25 years along with being a director on the Nebraska soybean board, Greg currently serves as a governing board member on the national biodiesel board. He's a past chairman of the United soybean board having been appointed by three different us secretaries of agriculture to USB. Floyd Vergara serves as the director of state regulatory affairs for the national biodiesel board in this capacity. He manages the West coast office in Sacramento, California, and is responsible for state regulatory affairs. Focusing on programs in the Western States with over three decades of experience at California air resources board, his expertise includes the low carbon fuel standard climate change and air quality programs, renewable and conventional foods, environmental justice, and other environmental issues.  Nathaniel Doddridge has been with Casey's general stores, a chain of more than 2000 convenience stores since August, 2017. He's the vice president of fuels, where he leads the strategy and execution for all facets of fuel prior to Casey's. He held several leadership positions across fuel and operations at Murphy USA.

How the Transformative Investment Project Can Impact the Future of Food and Agriculture

Today is all about the future of food and agriculture.  Our guests are Ramsay Huntley, and Andy Fabin. Ramsay Huntley is the sustainable finance strategist for Wells Fargo, a member of the sustainability and corporate responsibility leadership team. He oversees the development and execution of Wells Fargo sustainable finance strategy. He works with business partners across the bank to develop new opportunities that support Wells Fargo is $200 billion sustainable finance commitment and position the bank to lead the transition to a low carbon economy. He also has the responsibility for the bank's clean tech philanthropy programs, including the award winning Wells Fargo innovation incubator in conjunction with the national renewable energy laboratory. Andy Fabin is part of the multigenerational family owned and operated Fabin brothers farms in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Fabin brothers farms specializes in soybean processing, crop production, cow calf operations, as well as commodity buying and marketing. He's a member of the Bedford farm Bureau club's board of directors, the Pennsylvania soybean board, the Pennsylvania Cattleman's association, the beef quality assurance, Pennsylvania beef council, Indiana County farm Bureau and Pennsylvania farm Bureau is young farmer and rancher committee

The Importance of Collaboration During Covid-19 with the National Pork Board

This week we interviewed two members for the National Prok Board, CEO Bill Even and Brad Greenway, the2016 Pig Farmer of the Year.  Listen as they discuss the importance of collaboration during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rob Dongoski of Ernst & Young talks Covid-19 and the Future of Farming

As a Partner at Ernst & Young LLP, Rob Dongoski has over 20 years of experience serving clients in the food and agribusiness sectors. He works with a number of Fortune 500, Global 1000 and private companies in advisory and transaction capacities. He has helped clients develop growth strategies, complete buy-side and sell-side transactions, designed digital strategies and lead significant enterprise transformations. His experience provides clients and colleagues with a unique perspective on their business, innovation and growth issues. As the founder of the EY Global Agribusiness Center, Rob leads EY professionals in all regions of the world to serve agribusiness clients.

A Conversation with Townsend Bailey from McDonald's

Townsend Bailey leads sustainability strategy for McDonald’s North American markets. In this role, he supports McDonald’s US and Canadian businesses as they leverage the size and scale of their supply chains and 15,000+ restaurants to positively impact issues important for people, animals and the planet.  He plays a critical role driving the sustainability strategy and integration into these markets’ supply chains and operations from farm to restaurant through cross-functional collaboration with product leads, communicators, suppliers, industry, and NGOs.

A Conversation with Former Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack

Each week we explore the issues and trends that agriculture faces through frank and honest conversations with thought leaders across our nation.  And who better to discuss this than the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in President Barack Obama’s administration from 2009 to 2017, Tom Vilsack - along with the CEO of US Farmers and Ranchers in Action, Erin Fitzgerald.  Secretary Vilsack is no stranger to serving our country. He began his political career as mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, then on to the state Senate and then as Governor of Iowa for two terms.   As leader of USDA Vilsack worked to strengthen the American agriculture economy and create new markets for America’s farmers, ranchers and growers, provided food assistance to millions of Americans, carried out unprecedented conservation efforts, made record investments in our rural communites and led the efforts to provide a safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply.  Sec. Vilsack now serves as the CEO of the US Dairy Export Council the non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders.

Bayer Youth Ag Summit

Today we talk with two members of the Bayer Youth Ag Summit. •Matt Foley, Program Director at Invest Nebraska, joins us to speak about the Youth Ag Summit. The summit gathers diverse agriculture leaders and youth interested in the industry to discuss the future of agriculture and how the next generation can inspire change. •Davyn Surdidjo launched a startup in 2017 called Etani Agro Nusantara. Etani utilizes technology to liberate farmers in his home country of Indonesia from the grasps of middle markets which are far less regulated than those in the United States.

The Resilient and Dynamic Farmer: Insights from Dan Glickman

Former Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, chats with us about the future of the food and agriculture industry. New opportunities for farmers continuously emerge as consumers change how they think about their food.

Is There An Urban/Rural Divide Around The Environment?

Robert Bonnie from Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions joins us today on Farm. Food. Facts. He discusses his research which answers the question: is an urban/rural divide around the environment, and if so, what is it?

Feeding America Tackles Hunger During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Anne Swanson, VP of Feeding America, and Carrie Calvert, Managing Director and Government Relations of Feeding America, join us today on Farm. Food. Facts. They describe how foodbanks are working closely with farmers to secure food to those in need during these drastic and unprecedented times.

Dairy West Provides a Helping Hand Through Curds & Kindness

Karianne Fallow, CEO of Dairy West, discusses their innovative Curds & Kindness program that directs surplus dairy products to those in need throughout Utah and Idaho.

Public Trust Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Matt Coldagelli, Senior Vice-President at Edelman, discusses their Trust Barometer study that measures how trustworthy the public feels towards government, NGOs, business and media. The Spring 2020 update shows that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, government trust surged 11 points to an all-time high of 65 percent, while, even with a four-point increase, there is marked disappointment in how the private sector has performed during the crisis.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Affecting the Biofuels Market

Doug Berven, Vice-President of Corporate Affairs at POET, the world’s largest producer of biofuels, discusses the importance of biofuels to sustainable agriculture and how this pandemic has created great disruption to the industry.

Grocery Chain Publix Discusses Leading the Way in Supporting Farmers and Feeding America During the Pandemic

Curt Epperson, Business Development Director: Produce and Floral for Publix, and Thomas Torbert, Senior Sales Associate at Five Brothers Produce, discuss the impact of Publix’s program to purchase surplus produce and dairy direct from Florida farmers and donate it to Feeding America food banks during this pandemic.

Dr. Robb Fraley on Biotechnology and Coronaviruses

Dr. Robb Fraley, former Chief Technology Officer at Monsanto, discusses the role biotechnology is playing in learning about the novel COVID-19 coronavirus, and how it can aid in developing treatments and a vaccine.

Checking In on the Livestock Industry with Pilaroc Farms

Jennie Schutte and Walt Patrick, owners of Pilaroc Farms, discuss the changes they’re seeing in the livestock industry, due to COVID-19, and what can be done in the future to keep the food supply flowing.

The Next Generation’s Attitudes Towards Food and Farming

This week, Tim Glenn, Chief Commercial Officer at Corteva Agriscience, joins us to talk about the recent results of their study on the attitudes of Gen Z/Millennials on the future of food and farming as well as how the agriculture industry and Corteva are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heifer USA Discusses Their Response to the Pandemic and Their Regenerative Ag Practices

On this 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, we talk with Donna Kilpatrick, from Heifer USA, about their ability to adapt in this time of change and how they continue to value the land through their regenerative agricultural practices.

Insights on the Pork and Ag Industry During These Challenging Times from the 2019 Pig Farmer of the Year

Chris Hoffman, 2019 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year, talks about our strong food supply and the changes he’s seen in the pork and agriculture industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coming Together Around the Table in a Time of Uncertainty

Erin Fitzgerald, CEO of U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, talks to Phil Lempert about how coming together around the table in times of crisis reminds us that our food supply is strong because of all the individuals and companies that are getting food on the table from farm to fork. Also, there are things we can do now to keep food flowing to those less fortunate.

Talking with Dr. Mark Jackwood, Molecular Virologist, about Coronavirus in Poultry

Our guest this week is Dr. Mark Jackwood, Molecular Virologist and Professor at the University of Georgia. His primary area of research is the study of coronaviruses in poultry. Today, he is sharing with us what his thirty plus years of research has uncovered with how this virus works, why it isn’t transmitted from domestic animals to humans and what the future holds with possible treatments.

It's National Ag Day!

Today is National AG Day and in celebration we have with us Greg Horstmeier, the current Chair of AG Council of America and its editor in chief of the digital content newsroom for DTN Progressive Farmer. He grew up on a general crop and livestock farm in central Missouri following high school. Earned a degree in agriculture journalism from the University of Missouri at Columbia, with emphasis in agriculture, economics and photo journalism. He's covered agriculture stories in every U. S. State except Alaska and has traveled and written about agriculture and farming in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe and Africa, and is here to tell us about the changes for this year's National Agriculture Day.

Changing the Farmer Mindset for A New Supply Chain Model

Today we’re focusing on the farmer mindset and the new supply chain model.  And on that topic, we are going to hear from the company Danone, who is working to develop and promote regenerative models of agriculture that protects soil, empower farmers and promote animal welfare.  The company says that agriculture is at the heart of what they do.  They’re proud to maintain close relationships with over 140,000 farmers worldwide. Back in March 2018, Danone announced its intention to sharpen its focus on regenerative agriculture, protecting soil, empowering a new generation of farmers and promoting animal welfare.  With us today to talk about these initiatives is Tina Owens, Senior Director of Food and Agriculture Impact of Danone, North America.

Trends in Consumer Nutrition with Kara Behlke

It's March and that means it's National Nutrition Month. So we're going to talk about trends in consumer nutrition with a real expert, Kara Behlke RD, who's the director of health and wellness strategy at Schnucks markets. She started with Schnucks in 2012 and created an in-store nutrition program in just one store as a test, partnering with stores and buyers to source healthier products. She also started a celiac support group, to engage customers in new ways through in-store nutrition events and worked on company-wide nutrition marketing programs.