The River Is Our Blood: Kate McBride, Zach Bush MD & Dr Pran Yoganathan at the Reconnection Festival

The RegenNarration Podcast

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We’re back at the Reconnection Festival for the last of three inter-related panel conversations, each building on the other. This one's on health, and features explosive revelations about a ‘Motor Neuron Disease alley’ linked to pollution and river degeneration in Australia’s Riverina agricultural district. Akin to the ‘cancer alley’ of the Mississippi River that transformed the life of our international guest, Zach Bush MD. Zach went on to found US not-for-profit Farmer’s Footprint, and has now shepherded it to five countries so far, including Farmer’s Footprint Australia.
Australia’s MND alley is just part of what Kate McBride is reporting on, and living, as a researcher with The Australia Institute and 5th generation farmer, born and bred on the half-million-acre Tolarno Station on the Darling Barka River. She came to national prominence unintentionally as the river ran dry and ongoing fish kills have followed.
Dr Pran Yoganathan, a Gastroenterologist and renowned voice of the 'regenerative medical movement', and also now a farmer, shares his experiences within the medical system in this context.
Our guests bring to light the urgency of revisiting our approach to medicine and agriculture, and everything else, and how we can do it. We hear profound stories of embracing our cultural roots, generating greater community advocacy, and collaborating across diverse viewpoints, right into the halls of power.
Head here for automatic cues to chapter markers (also available on Apple and some other apps, and the embedded player on the episode web page), and a transcript of this conversation (the transcript is AI generated and imperfect, but hopefully serves to provide greater access to these conversations for those who need or like to read).
Recorded in the northern rivers of NSW on 11 November 2023.
Title slide: AJ, Zach, Pran & Kate (pic: Olivia Katz).
See more photos on the episode web page, and to see more from behind the scenes, become a member via the Patreon page.
Music:
Green Shoots, by The Nomadics.
Regeneration, by Amelia Barden, from the film Regenerating Australia.
The RegenNarration playlist, featuring music chosen by guests (with thanks to podcast member Josie Symons).
Find more:
You can hear more of Zach in conversation with Tanya Massy, Ella Noah Bancroft and myself the year prior

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Chapters

1. Music, Preview, Introduction & Supporter Thanks (00:00:00)

2. Regenerative Health and Agriculture Panel (00:02:40)

3. Kate's story & reflections on things right now (00:07:50)

4. Pran's story & reflections on things right now (00:12:00)

5. Medicine, Logic, Transformation, and Communication (00:15:46)

6. Zach's reflections on things right now (00:18:40)

7. MND Alley in Australia: Environmental Health, Community Health and Farming Challenges (00:27:05)

8. The glaring opportunity for the National Farmers Federation & regenerative food system folk to connect (00:32:50)

9. Navigating Different Perspectives and Values (00:36:06)

10. Where this might suggest the Voice referendum missed something (00:38:00)

11. Pran on how he navigates change in medicine (00:39:20)

12. We're in a great position to help (00:42:22)

13. Zach with his take on all this & the global reconnections happening (00:44:00)

14. Kate on the great opportunity of reconnecting in Australia (& her story of connecting with First Nations) (00:50:00)

15. Community Advocacy and Cultural Connection (00:52:07)

16. Pran's take away on reconnecting with community as the heart of cultural change (00:55:00)

17. Music, Concluding Words & Last Updates (00:57:35)