Best National Young Farmers Coalition Podcasts (2024)

1
Episode 5: Land Access Now! 39:20

2M ago39:20

39:20

Access to land is the number one challenge facing the next generation of farmers in the US. Centuries of discrimination and land theft have put this resource out of reach of farmers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Everyday in the US we lose 2,000 acres of viable farmland to development. With millions of acres on the verge of changin…

1
Episode 4: What’s the Future of Urban Agriculture? 45:30

2M ago45:30

45:30

Despite an increasing number of farmers growing food in cities urban agriculture wasn’t acknowledged in the farm bill until 2018. Lisa Held, journalist with Civil Eats and former Farm Report host provides the scoop on how the Farm Bill will impact the future of urban ag. Melissa Metrick and Wythe Marschall, co-hosts of HRN’s Fields podcast, give us…

1
Episode 3: Linking Farms and Food Access 35:11

3M ago35:11

35:11

The nutrition title was first included in the 1973 farm bill. It’s projected to make up 84% of total Farm Bill spending, with most of the funds going to SNAP. That’s because the program helps more than 40 million low-income individuals provide food for their families each month. Some of those people are farmers. In this episode, we talk to Mark Nic…

1
Episode 2: Climate and Water Action for the Next Generation 42:54

3M ago42:54

42:54

Farmers are now dealing with the impacts of the climate crisis on a daily basis. Experts predict weather events including droughts and flooding will only get worse. Young and beginning farmers, especially BIPOC farmers, are feeling those impacts the most. Are there opportunities to advance water and climate action and justice through the 2024 Farm …

1
Episode 1: Why the Farm Bill Matters 46:28

3M ago46:28

46:28

Why should our next generation of farmers – and just about everyone who eats – care about the farm bill? Celize Christy, an Organizer at HEAL Food Alliance explains the basic details on what’s in the legislation, how it gets written, and how it impacts you. Then, Young Farmers’ Policy Campaigns Co-Director Vanessa Garcia Polanco lays out the path f…

1
The Farm Report: A Farm Bill for the Next Generation TRAILER 1:23

3M ago1:23

1:23

Join us for a special series of The Farm Report in collaboration with Heritage Radio Network that's all about The Farm Bill. Tune in to hear from farmers, policymakers, organizers, and food advocates about all the ways the farm bill directly impacts our lives - whether we realize it or not. We’ll break down farm policy and talk to young farmers abo…

1
Announcing "The Farm Report: A Farm Bill for the Next Generation" 1:23

3M ago1:23

1:23

Join us for a special series of The Farm Report in collaboration with The National Young Farmers Coalition that's all about The Farm Bill. Tune in to hear from farmers, policymakers, organizers, and food advocates about all the ways the farm bill directly impacts our lives - whether we realize it or not. We’ll break down farm policy and talk to you…

1
Building Climate Resilience: 2023 Farm Bill Part 3 45:12

8M ago45:12

45:12

This is the third episode of our 2023 Farm Bill series, digging into the farm policy that will affect the next generation of farmers and ranchers. We’ve been asking how 1,000 pages of federal policy can provide tangible benefits and support to beginning and BIPOC farmers, our communities, and the environment. And in this episode, we're joined by Ma…

1
Solving the Land Access Crisis: 2023 Farm Bill Part 2 42:20

10M ago42:20

42:20

This is the second episode of a six-part series focused on the one thing everyone in our network – from farmers to policymakers, organizers to corporate partners – is laser-focused on right now: the 2023 Farm Bill. In this episode, we're joined by Dãnia Davy, Director of Land Retention and Advocacy for the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, and A…

1
Making it Work for Young Farmers: 2023 Farm Bill Part 1 36:04

1y ago36:04

36:04

This is the first episode of a new six-part series focused on the one thing everyone in our network – from farmers to policymakers, organizers to corporate partners – seems to be laser focused on right now: the 2023 Farm Bill. We're joined by Billy Hackett, Policy Specialist for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), for a high-leve…

1
Young Farmers Are Losing Land to Wealthy Buyers 42:49

1+ y ago42:49

42:49

Access to affordable, quality farmland is the top challenge young farmers face, particularly BIPOC farmers, who today make up only 2% of farmland owners. Young Farmer's Land Campaign Director Holly Rippon-Butler talks with New York Times reporter Elizabeth Dunn about her recent article, “How ‘Fairy Tale’ Farms Are Ruining Hudson Valley Agriculture,…

1
From Harvest to Vinegar 38:40

2y ago38:40

38:40

Humans have used fermentation to preserve crops and add flavor and health benefits to their diets for thousands of years. Since 2015, Sarah Conezio and Isaiah Billington have been putting their own stamp on that age-old tradition with Keepwell Vinegar. Together, they partner directly with small, organic farms to turn apples, ginger, and persimmons …

1
Butter and Meat—from the Same Cows 40:17

2+ y ago40:17

40:17

Whether they’ve grazed on grass their entire lives, been raised in an organic system, or lived on a conventional dairy farm, the vast majority of dairy cows get sold into the commodity beef system when they’re retired and get integrated into the same cheap meat supply. With Butter Meat Co, Jill Gould is betting on a different model. By selling reti…

1
One Million Acres for the Future 34:10

2+ y ago34:10

34:10

America’s farmers are aging rapidly, and those looking to sell their land are finding no shortage of buyers. Billionaires, global corporations, investment firms, and developers are all buying up farmland for profit at a quick clip, driving up prices and making it nearly impossible for young and beginning farmers without accumulated wealth to afford…

1
Growing Biodynamic Botanicals for Skin Care 46:30

2+ y ago46:30

46:30

Adrien de Botin and his wife Carolina Prioglio are the husband-and-wife founders of Maison/Made, and to make the certified biodynamic skin-care products that they sell, they grow their own medicinal herbs on a family farm in Burgundy and have built a network of small farm suppliers around the world. In this episode, host Lisa Held talks to de Botin…

1
Getting on the Land with the Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition 19:44

2+ y ago19:44

19:44

Today we're coming to you with a special episode from our Hoosier Young Farmers Chapter. The Hoosier chapter just released their own podcast series which shares the voices of farmers from across the state, farmers you might not think of when you picture the farmers of Indiana. This episode features stories about the challenge of acquiring affordabl…

1
The (Regenerative) Chickpea Connection 36:40

2+ y ago36:40

36:40

Over the past decade, hummus has exploded in popularity in the U.S, but compared to the many brands that now line shelves at every supermarket, Little Sesame is doing things differently. The Washington D.C. fast casual restaurant, which now also sells its hummus at Whole Foods and other stores in the region, gets all of its chickpeas from a single …

1
Cornucopia Institute and the State of Organic 35:47

2+ y ago35:47

35:47

While USDA-certified organic food still accounts for a small fraction of total U.S. food sales, it’s now big business. In 2020, data from the Organic Trade Association showed sales of organic food rose at a record rate to a new high of $56.4 billion, and as the industry has become more lucrative, fraud and cheating have increased. The Cornucopia In…

1
25 Years of Edible Education 32:54

2+ y ago32:54

32:54

When Alice Waters opened her trailblazing California restaurant Chez Panisse in 1971, she launched what would become a movement around truly seasonal cooking and eating that could support farmers, communities, and the environment. In 1995, Waters also started the Edible Schoolyard Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children abo…

1
The Future of the Global Food System 34:04

2+ y ago34:04

34:04

On September 23, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization is hosting the first UN Food Systems Summit, with a goal of “setting the stage for global food systems transformation.” In this episode, Ruth Richardson, the executive director of the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, talks to host Lisa Held about the significance of the S…

1
Zero-Waste, Organic EVOO—from Farm to Bottle 47:50

2+ y ago47:50

47:50

Extra virgin olive oil is a delicious, healthy, pantry staple. It can also be a luxury product for special dining experiences. However, most olive oil in the world is low quality and highly processed. What does producing a truly great extra virgin olive oil—from farm to bottle—actually involve? Armando Manni is the founder of Manni Organic Olive Oi…

1
Why Cover Crops Are Unlikely to Deliver Climate Benefits Anytime Soon 25:20

3y ago25:20

25:20

Cover crops are good for soil health, water quality, and climate resilience, and while more farmers are planting them compared to a decade ago, the number of covered acres is still miniscule compared to the amount of cropland that goes bare each winter. Now, a new analysis from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that in crucial Midwest sta…

1
What does it mean to be accountable? 27:34

3y ago27:34

27:34

Jessica Manly talks with Equity and Organizational Change Director and Accountability Report author Michelle A. T. Hughes about what it means for the National Young Farmers Coalition to be accountable to its farmers, partners, and its racial equity commitments. Read the report at www.youngfarmers.org/2020accountabilityreport and join us for our fir…

1
A Local Food App Created For and by Farmers 32:28

3y ago32:28

32:28

Lindsey Lusher Shute began working on the concept for GrownBy during her time at the National Young Farmers Coalition, because young farmers expressed a need for better technology that could help them sell their food. Now, after testing the platform during the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic on her own farm in the Hudson Valley and several others, …

1
Urban Farming in St. Louis 28:23

3y ago28:23

28:23

After observing how much the quality and variety of produce sold in grocery stores differed in neighborhoods across St. Louis, Tyrean Lewis started Heru Urban Farming to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to food apartheid communities. In this episode, he talks to host Lisa Held about growing the farm to four different plots in the city, how his fam…

1
Fighting for Black Farmers’ Land 33:55

3y ago33:55

33:55

The American agricultural system was built based on the enslavement of African people, and since emancipation, systematic discrimination against Black people within agriculture has persisted. In 1920, close to 1 million Black farmers made up about 14 percent of America’s farmers. In 2017, less than 50,000 Black farmers remained, making up just over…

1
Small Farms and the Post-Pandemic Unknown 37:54

3y ago37:54

37:54

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people began buying more local food directly from small farms in their communities, and some farmers scrambled to meet increased demand. A year later, as planting kicks off for the 2021 season, they’re asking: What now? Will customers keep coming back? Will they go back to old grocery habits? In this epis…

1
Untold Stories of Urban Farming 43:21

3y ago43:21

43:21

From massive venture capital-funded vertical farms and rooftop CSA operations to community gardens and windowsill pots, what does growing food in cities look like? And, more importantly, why are people doing it? That’s the focus of Fields, a new podcast on Heritage Radio Network. In this episode, Lisa Held interviews Melissa Metrick and Wythe Marsc…

1
An Organic Dairy Coop's Climate Plans 27:48

3y ago27:48

27:48

Organic Valley is America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers, representing more than 1,800 farmers in 34 US States, most in dairy. You’ve likely seen their milk, yogurt, and cheeses at the grocery store. This month, the company released its 2021 Impact Report. In this episode, Nicole Rakobitsch, Organic Valley’s director of sustainability, jo…

1
A Sustainable Food and Farm Policy Forecast for 2021 (and Beyond) 35:37

3y ago35:37

35:37

President Joe Biden took office 21 days ago, and the White House is already making moves that will affect food and agriculture. Plus, the shift in Congress means it’s also a new chapter for food and farm legislation. In this episode, Eric Deeble—policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)— joins host Lisa Held to talk …

1
WAYFC Takeover Finale: Ariana de Leña on Tools for Dealing with Farmer Stress and Anxiety 17:23

3y ago17:23

17:23

Ari de Leña is a farmer at Kamayan Farm is a vegetable, flower, medicinal herb, and education farm just east of Seattle on Snoqualmie People’s land. In this conversation we dive into what it looks like to deal with stress and anxiety while being ‘August tired’. Because Ari and Elizabeth really get into the heart of stress and anxiety we decided to …

1
Inside Pasa Sustainable Agriculture 28:07

3+ y ago28:07

28:07

The Pasa conference is one of the year's most popular events for sustainable and organic farmers—in Pennsylvania and beyond. As it kicks off (digitally), executive director Hannah Smith-Brubaker talks to host Lisa Held about the important topics represented this year and how the state of Pennsylvania is supporting agriculture in unique, forward-thi…

1
WAYFC Takeover 6: Ariana de Leña on Farmer Stress and Anxiety (Part 1) 42:37

3+ y ago42:37

42:37

Ari de Leña is a farmer at Kamayan Farm is a vegetable, flower, medicinal herb, and education farm just east of Seattle on Snoqualmie People’s land. In this conversation we dive into what it looks like to deal with stress and anxiety while being ‘August tired’. Because Ari and Elizabeth really get into the heart of stress and anxiety we decided to …

1
Investing in a Sustainable Food Future 37:38

3+ y ago37:38

37:38

Most capital invested in agriculture in the U.S. flows to large, commodity farms. For smaller operations that don’t fit the conventional mold, it can be difficult—if not impossible—to get a loan. Steward aims to change that by connecting online investors to small- and mid-size sustainable farms. In this episode, founder and CEO Dan Miller talks to …

1
WAYFC Takeover 5: Vero Vergara of Sweet Hollow Farm 49:57

3+ y ago49:57

49:57

Vero Vergara is a nonbinary, disabled, brown, queer farmer and food systems cultural worker based on Coast Salish territories. Vero is a founding worker-owner of Sweet Hollow Farm in Woodinville, WA. They work at the intersection of autonomous food systems building and liberatory community care. Learn more about Sweet Hollow Farm at their website: …

1
Food Safety Part 2: Lean and Clean with Ellen Polishuk 32:02

3+ y ago32:02

32:02

In part 2 of our produce safety series, Young Farmers' Produce Safety Manager, Maggie Kaiser, talks with Ellen Polishuk about integrating Lean Farming principles into your farm's food safety plan. Visit youngfarmers.org/foodsafety for our online produce safety resource library and all of our food safety workshop episodes. Become a National Young Fa…

1
Food Safety Part 1: Scaling Up with Scott Chang-Fleeman 33:21

3+ y ago33:21

33:21

This week and next we'll be talking about an often overlooked, and sometimes daunting, part of farming: *food safety*! Part 1 is a conversation with Scott Chang-Fleeman, owner of Shao Shan Farm in Marin County, who grows Asian heritage vegetables. It's interesting because it seems produce safety really clicks with Scott, as does farming in general,…

1
Are Alt Meats Better for the Planet? 28:57

3+ y ago28:57

28:57

Forecasts point to the market for plant- and cell-based meat alternatives exploding over the next decade, largely because of the sustainability claims companies make when marketing these food products. But while it’s true that diets that include more plants and fewer animal products (especially beef) have climate benefits, burgers and nuggets engin…

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National Young Farmers Coalition Podcasts

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