Farm To Table Talk

Real rural life today ranges from hope to nostalgic ideals to real world crisis that directly affect farmers and ranchers, their famiies, their communities and ultimately all of us. The rate of suicide in rural communities is 50 % higher than the rate in non-rural communities. And with farmers the rate is 3 times higher than urban. What is going on? Why must we care and how can we help or be helped? Jim Ennis is the Executive Director of Catholic Rural Life. www.catholicrurallife.org

Hot Springs, Arkansas will soon be known as the Napa Valley of Saké if Matt Bell has his way. Saké rice grown  in Central Arkansas supplies Origami Sake, the fastest growing US saké brand and  the only US brewer to win a Gold Medal at the Tokyo Saké Challenge 2025. Origami is also the largest domestically-owned saké brewery in the USA, 100% powered by solar energy and producing three Saké styles plus a non-alcoholic Sake.  (https://drinkorigami.com/)

Iowa has been under stress 50 years as the economy changed fundamentally from diverse independent farmers and business and a union to concentrated cooperative agriculture and Walmart, Dollar General and no union. Art Cullen won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for exposing what corporate agriculture was doing to his Iowa farmingommunity. His new book "Dear Marty, We Crapped in Our Nest" reveals what's really happening in rural food systems from someone who's lived and reported there for decades. His reporting reveals how corporate agriculture affects the entire food chain, from soil to table. Art exposes how corporate consolidation impacts not just farmers, but entire rural communities, water quality, and the long-term sustainability of our food system. His family-owned newspaper proves that independent food journalism can still hold powerful interests accountable. www.stormlake.com Support local journalism at westerniowajournalismfoundation.com

Animals have been domesticated for 10,000 years and the current outbreak of avian flu is the largest and most complex animal disease outbreak in history, with serious risks beyond poultry. Avian influenza risk especially rises when waterfowl migrate in the fall, Maurice Pitesky, University of California Cooperative Extension poultry specialist has developed the Waterfowl Alert Network to help farmers manage their cattle and poultry’s exposure to migratory birds when they are nearby. If farmers are aware and utilize the network it will reduce risk and prevent birds and cows from getting sick. Maurice holds a veterinary degree and a postgraduate degree in epidemiology. As a faculty member at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, he specializes in poultry health and food safety epidemiology - enhancing food safety and production efficiency. Waterfowl Alert Network (WFAN) helps agricultural producers reduce the spread of avian influenza by showing where migrating waterfowl are in relation to their farms. Using advanced radar modeling and field-tested epidemiological science, it provides daily risk forecasts that help poultry, cattle, and swine farms improve their biosecurity before the next outbreak strikes—giving producers a weather report for bird flu.

How long can a community last if there were no open roads or grocery stores? During the tragic California fire caused mudslides of 2018, the town of Summerland was cut off from the rest of the world and the food supply chain. The devastating effects of the tragedy and the consequences of no grocery stores in Summerland reached a turning point when customers started fighting over stale sandwiches or snacks left at Liquor stores or gas stations.  These experiences led to the establishment of Sweet Wheel Farms - a community asset to solve the absence of food, to expand farm education to the next generation on chemical-free farming, ecology and food as medicine, bio dynamics in both plants and soil, and eco-utilities. The Santa Barbara Agriculture & Farm Education Foundation established the farm to provide food security, increase awareness and educate how our food is grown and distributed. And to not be vulnerable to whatever disaster nature has in store for them in the future. President/Farmer Leslie Person Ryan shares the lessons learned and how local agriculture is vital. sbafefoundation.com

There is a growing rural urban divide and it is effecting our food system locally, globally and nationally, especially in this climate change era. Gilles Stockton is the owner and manager of a sheep and cattle ranch in Montana and an expert in livestock production, livestock marketing, and economic development of pastoral areas, with experience in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. He pursued a dual career, managing and working the family ranch since 1975, and accomplishing numerous assignments in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East for agencies and organizations such as USAID, FAO, European Commission, Save the Children Federation, and the British Red Cross Society. He  shares perspectives on problems and solutions in his book,  "Feeding A Divided America - Reflections of a Western Rancher in the Era of Climate Change."

Sacramento School District's Central Kitchen is revolutionizing the way to feed over 40,000 students with scratch made, nutritious, local foods. Kelsey Nederveld, is the Director of Nutrition Services at Sacramento City Unified School District,  was instrumental in building and designing the district's own Central Kitchen, a food processing facility that is focused on scratch made, locally sourced ingredients to create wholesome meals, with the support of local chefs and farmers--revolutionizing school lunch. Kelsey will host a panel featuring Alice Waters at Terra Madre panel Cultivating Change: Transforming California School Meals Through Vision and Action www.thecentralkitchen.org Terra Madre Americas is making its debut in Sacramento! This FREE, first-of-its-kind weekend celebration September 26 - 28 features food and drink tastings, live music, celebrity chef demonstrations, educational panels, artisan vendors, and more, bringing the flavors and traditions of Sacramento, California, and the world together into one unforgettable experience at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center. EVENT DETAILS:  Join us September 27 at Terra Madre! Panel: Cultivating Change—Transforming CA School Meals 12:30 PM | The Confluence Stage, Sacramento Convention Center (free) Featuring Alice Waters, Kat Taylor, Chef Ann Cooper & more. Lunch: Taste the Change + Build a Healthier Future for CA Kids Immediately after the panel | Ticket required  https://donate.wholesomewave.org/event/taste-the-change/e721582

The MAHA Commission Report to President Trump, outlines the administration's strategy to "Make Our Children Healthy Again".  Professor Jerold Mande, CEO of Nourish Science and Rodger Wasson, host of Farm To Table Talk podcast, review the report and discuss what it is in it and what is missing. www.nourishscience.org

Farm to Table Talk is about good conversations and no one was better at facilitating conversation than Bill Moyers who has passed away at the age of 91. A journalist, minister, Peace Corps and Great Society leader, Bill Moyers also showed his interest and support of farmers, such as his thoughtful interview with the legendary Wendell Berry.  He told Rodger Wasson it was fine with him to have his Wendell Berry conversation shared on the Farm To Table Talk podcast so in his honor, at his passing is that conversation. Wendell told Bill , “We don’t have the right to ask whether we are going to succeed or not; the only question we have the right to ask is what’s the right thing to do? What does this Earth require of us if we want to continue to live on it?”  Bill Moyers is a legend himself for matchless, thoughtful interviews such as this interview in October 2013, that was a production of the Schumann Media Center, Inc. and Mannes Productions, Inc.© 2013

When vegan chef Mollie Englehart finally became a farmer, she had the big idea to create a farm where nothing had to die. Animals would live out their days munching grass, with no blood on her hands--straight out of her vegan chef playbook. Mollie built her successful LA Vegan restaurants on that ethical stance: compassionate food, no suffering, all love.  in LA, feeding people while saving the planet. . Farming would be the next step: acres of peace—a sanctuary where every goat, duck, and sheep got a happy ending,  like it was a mission from God. Mollie Englehart's journey and lessons learned is a book, Debunked by Nature: One Woman’s Journey from Vegan Chef to Regenerative Farmer—and the Truths She Discovered Along the Way.

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.

It is 100% true that small farms can be profitable however small farms increasingly need to do further processing. Just selling vegetables to a Farmers Market may no longer be a sufficient business model. Just a single farmer by themselves faces a very hard farm life. To be the best that it can be a single farmer will be better with a group or a couple people focused on making it happen. Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer and educator who is passionate about providing farmers with tools and systems that they need to thrive. He is host of the Thriving Farmers podcast, founder of Small Farm University, and runs his own farm operation with his wife Savanah and their 4 children at the Farm on Central in Southwest Ohio. www.growingfarmers.com

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 challenges. www.satyukt.com

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