Agricultural Sustainability & Science

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Understanding Conventional, Organic, & Regenerative Agriculture: the Farm Behind Your Food

by Michele Payn

When you pick up meat, produce, or grain at the store, you’re making a choice that reaches far beyond your cart – it touches soil, water, and the daily decisions of the farmers who grew it. As an ecologist with more than 25 years supporting land stewardship in Texas and Oklahoma, Amy Hays has worked alongside those producers firsthand. Here’s a clear-eyed look at what conventional, organic, and regenerative agriculture actually mean – for your food and for the land behind it.

Healthy fields, happy farmers – drones deliver sustainability: Episode 140

by Michele Payn

Where’s the future of food production? You might...

Southern belles, soil health, & sustainability: Episode 126

by Michele Payn

Fourth-generation Alabama farmer Wendy Yeager breaks down no-till farming, GMO realities, and the financial stress squeezing family farms. A must-listen for dietitians and agricultural organizations navigating food misinformation.

The art & science of farming citrus: Episode 124

by Michele Payn

Rich in vitamin C and flavonoids, many citrus varieties have earned their place on our breakfast tables, squeezed into our water (and cocktails), and in our favorite American recipes. There is both art and science in growing citrus that is in demand as part of our nutrition.

Talking turkey – hormones, breasts, nutrition: Episode 117

by Michele Payn

Turkey farmer Peter Klaphake explains why turkey labels claiming “hormone-free” are redundant, how antibiotics support animal welfare, and what avian flu really means for farmers and food safety.

Fish farming, fear, and your food

by Michele Payn

Show Notes - Mike Freeze Is “wild” fish somehow...

Fish farming, fear, and your food: Episode 114

by Michele Payn

Arkansas fish farmer Mike Freeze makes the science-backed case that farm-raised fish are as safe as wild-caught – and explains why country of origin, water quality, and antibiotic regulations matter more than the “wild” label. Essential listening for dietitians and agricultural organizations.

The Bad Press About Red Meat

by Invited Guest Blogger

It was much easier for me to read one article claiming that red meat should be avoided in the diet than it was to look for more perspectives on the topic. As time went on and I increased my exposure to cattle and pork production, I realized I could not have been more impressionable.

Holistic animal agriculture for nutrition pros: Episode 111

by Michele Payn

If everyone went vegan, greenhouse gas emissions would drop by 2.6% in the U.S. – not the planet-saving shift most people assume. Colorado State sustainability scientist Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson brings peer-reviewed data to the animal agriculture and climate change conversation, including why cattle methane is fundamentally different from fossil fuel CO2.

Health & environment priorities to beef producer: Episode 109

by Michele Payn

California rancher Alli Fender answers questions on hormones, antibiotics, and other buzz words within the meatcase. While consumers may be fed content that drives fear and reinforces a negative connotation about beef, Fender spends a significant amount of time explaining the “why” behind using certain types of feed at the Flying F Ranch.

Farm monoculture myths & soil nutrients: Episode 102

by Michele Payn

Is monoculture farming destroying soil health? Jennie Schmidt is a registered dietitian who left clinical practice to become a full-time farmer – and she’s heard every version of that claim. She explains what monoculture actually means, why cover crops matter more than the label suggests, and what healthy soil really looks and feels like.

Apples, fungi, & pheromones: Episode 101

by Michele Payn

Michigan apple farmer Nick Schweitzer explains why fungicides protect your fruit, how pheromones replace insecticides, and why the dirty dozen list misrepresents how apples are sustainably grown.

Farm families, FFA, & the future of food: Episode 99

by Michele Payn

If Hannah Craun and Levi Schiller are any indication, the future of farming certainly shines bright in FFA members. While both emphasize the importance of modern agriculture in feeding a growing population, they recognize that certain technologies are misunderstood and hope dietitians can help.

Waste not, want not: Episode 97

by Michele Payn

Food prices increased a painful 13% in 2022. Yet Americans waste about $218 billion of food the U.S. and food is the single largest component taking up space inside of our landfills. RDN Rosanne Rust offers practical ways to reduce food waste in the home to save money and help the environment.

Sweetpotatoes – the super vegetable: Episode 92

by Michele Payn

Heather Barnes thinks the sweetpotato should wear a cape because it’s such a nutrition powerhouse. And did you know the proper way to spell sweetpotatoes is without a space between the two words?

Food costs, farming, & Mother Nature: Episode 88

by Michele Payn

Paula Peterson is a farmer from eastern Nebraska and she loves to share the story of their Tom Peterson Farm. As a mom and grandma, she knows how painful 11% inflation in food has been in 2022. Paula understands peoples concerns and wants to create conversations to address them.

The science & food safety of salads: Episode 86

by Michele Payn

Growing greens and delivering them safely to your plate is more complex than you might believe. Did you know that there are over 400 family farms behind the big brands of lettuce you see in your grocery store? Dan Sutton is general manager of the Pismo-Oceano Vegetable Exchange (POVE), a farmer-owned cooperative near San Luis Obispo, CA, and joins Nicole & Michele to help you get to know the people behind your greens.

Cattle, Conspiracy, & Kansas Heat: Episode 84

by Michele Payn

Heat index crisis. 10,000 cattle dead. A lot of...

Stop food guilt over cow burps & beef: Episode 82

by Michele Payn

Everything we eat has a direct impact on the environment. Debbie Lyons-Blythe is a cattle rancher from Kansas and the misinformation about methane, hormones, antibiotics and more is disheartening to her. Listen in to learn how she grows beef.

Chemicals and doctors and food, oh my!

by Michele Payn

Did you know soldiers used to carry flowers into...

Good Soil Is Like Chocolate Cake: Episode 75

by Michele Payn

Steve Tucker didn’t set out to become a regenerative farmer. He set out to stay in business. Hear how a Nebraska producer moved from wheat and summer fallow to 14 crops, tripled his soil organic matter, and discovered that the elevator was never his real customer.

How do you listen to hunger? Episode 67

by Michele Payn

Our November hunger series kicks off with one of our favorite guests, anti-hunger advocate Diane Sullivan. She shares how COVID-19 has impacted people who are experiencing food insecurity. For example, did you know people who use SNAP benefits aren’t able to use grocery delivery services that have been essential to many who are at high risk?

Growing cranberries and sustainability: Episode 66

by Michele Payn

Cranberries! One of the stars of autumn tables evokes beautiful images, wonderful scents, and a distinct taste. We discover how cranberries are grown and harvested sustainably in this episode, plus why we shouldn’t be afraid of the “sugar” in these nutritious berries. We also learn how a cranberry bog in Massachusetts looks different than a cranberry bog in Wisconsin.

Roundup, dorm diets, and chemicals: Episode 55

by Michele Payn

What’s with the claims about glyphosate in hummus & cereal? Why is there so much blame and fear about agriculture and the environment? What can we do to eat better when we are eating dorm food? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Michele and Eliz welcome Callie (Eliz’s daughter) for a wide-ranging Q&A session. Callie Greene is about to begin her second year at Lawrence University, where she studies psychology and harp performance.

Honoring choices in food and farming

by Michele Payn

How do we honor the people who produce our food...

What does organic mean?

by Michele Payn

There is no singular right way to raise...

Sustainability trade-offs on Earth Day: Episode 38

by Michele Payn

Did you know the term “sustainable” is used in food marketing to achieve price advantage, without any science backing the claim? In this Earth Day episode, Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, a livestock geneticist at University of California, Davis, sheds light on why genetics is an important component of sustainability. She also warns that anytime breeding innovations are taken off the shelf (e.g., GMOs), the tradeoff a less sustainable food production system.

Exploring the environmental science of meat: Episode 34

by Michele Payn

“Kids are dirty and if you’re worried about what you’re feeding them, you’re a good a mom.” says this millennial mom who prioritizes low-cost food at the grocery store. Brandi Buzzard Frobose is a rancher and environmentalist who offers insight on how the science of producing food is remarkable, along with the care that farmers and ranchers provide for the planet. She’s not a fan of the mud while she’s ranching in Kansas, but loves to go roping at the rodeo as a cowgirl.

Where food grows, bugs go: Episode 31

by Michele Payn

Wine. Tomatoes. Green beans. Tofu. What may sound like a menu is actually what one farm grows. Jennie Schmidt shares how she produces so many crops, why her farm transitioned from organic to conventional to be more sustainable, and what food bullying terms like factory farming mean to her family farm.

Are chemicals in food poisoning you? Episode 25

by Michele Payn

“Don’t eat what you can’t pronounce. Chemicals in food are killing us. There is no safe level of pesticides…” It’s no wonder we are scared of food with these myths flying around our plates. Today’s Food Bullying podcast guest, Food Science Babe, is a chemical engineer and a food scientist. She’s also a mom of a special needs toddler. She not only knows and loves chemicals, she can help you understand why it’s O.K. that your food is filled with them.

How do you feed a vegan NFL player & a carnivore ballerina?

by Michele Payn

“All of us can manufacture enough guilt in the course of any given day. It certainly doesn’t have to be derived from the foods that we’re eating.” RDN Leslie Bonci brings a reasonable look at nutrition & food labels, plus how athletes can eat for a competitive advantage.

Is it safe and environmentally acceptable to eat meat?

by Michele Payn

What food safety should you practice at home? In...

Are confined spaces cruel for farm animals?

by Michele Payn

Housing is used to protect animals-and your...

Healthy soil grows healthy plants for better baking

by Michele Payn

Soil is a farmers greatest asset Do you know...

How can a farmer grow organic & GMO food on thousands of acres?

by Michele Payn

Ryan Weeks talks organic, GMOs, and choice in farming

What does it take to farm organically? Episode 49

by Michele Payn

USDA Certified Organic is more than a label. Our guest, Carolyn Olson, shares the attention to detail and expense necessary to produce an organic crop. She farms with her husband, Jonathan, in southwest Minnesota, and shared her farm story in Food Truths from Farm to Table about how conventional and organic agriculture can work together.

Growing freshness from the ground up

by Michele Payn

...

The demonization of the corn stalk

by Michele Payn

Meg, a friend and fellow professional speaker...

Where fruits grow, bugs go

by Michele Payn

Chemicals are bad, right? Not quite....

What’s growing in your veggie drawer?

by Michele Payn

W My visit to South Africa is a memory I’ll...

Is Local Best?

by Michele Payn

Local food makes sense, right? Food that’s grown...

How does your grass grow?

by Michele Payn

Why is grass seed grown in Oregon? Is it good...

The crux of corn? Or a choice for a family farm?

by Michele Payn

As summer’s heat turns up, any drive across the Midwest will feature corn outside the window. Why do farmers grow corn? Justin and Jennifer Dammann sat down at their kitchen table with Michele to talk about how they make choices in growing corn, soybeans, and beef as family farmers.

Drones in high tech food production

by Michele Payn

Drones flying over fields? Technology in food production? UAV cameras monitoring crops? All of these are reality on Matt Boucher’s farm in Illinois. This corn and soybean grower talks about how he uses technology in food production and why it helps him be a better steward of the land.

Translating science through story

by Michele Payn

Making bread isn’t hard, nor is the science involved. But that’s because we understand the process. Do people trust what they don’t know? Let’s turn to science in the food discussion, not away. Find experts who use science, not sensationalize a study.

Is science sexy or sensational enough to sell?

by Michele Payn

Is there a singular individual or act responsible for the growing distrust in science? Selling science is about the opportunity to connect and make science meaningful on a personal level. Research and data doesn’t connect without human interface. Michele points out that people don’t trust what they don’t understand, whether it’s in a food laboratory or a farmer’s field. How can connect science or agriculture to people’s hearts?

What’s growing in your veggie drawer?

by Michele Payn

My visit to South Africa is a memory I’ll carry...

I’ve got questions. So do 70 million others.

by Invited Guest Blogger

Jodi Oleen is a Generation Yer who relies on an online network of people she’s built to provide trustworthy information. She seeks out blogs that she trusts, people on Twitter she’s had meaningful conversations with and webpages or Facebook pages that give her a glimpse into things she needs to learn more about. This guest post challenges readers to answer some of the questions asked by Gen Yers.

Do Activists Destroy Family Farms?

by Michele Payn

A mother who had to go back to work to cover legal costs. A dad who never had health issues now has visit the doctor for stress-induced illness. A little girl who worries that her family farm is going to be taken away. This is the reality of what activists do to family farmers. Call it a $200,000+ wake-up call for anyone who thinks it will never happen to them.

Going Beyond the Choir: Blog Action & Food Day

by Michele Payn

Going beyond the agriculture choir is easy to talk about, but difficult to execute. You have a chance to jump out of the choir loft and provide perspective THIS Sunday, 10/16. Blog Action Day 2011 is themed food, and coincides with Food Day, put on by activist group Center for Science in the Public Interest. Be sure agriculture is a part of the conversation – and ask others to join in.

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