“How did so many pigs end up in a floodplain?”
Hurricane Florence has been a disaster on many levels, leaving economic, social, and environmental destruction in its path across the Carolinas. In North Carolina, a locus of global pork production, continued flooding has also led to a livestock death toll in the millions. This week, Lindsey interviews Tom Philpott, former farmer, and current food and […]
Facing Disaster, Head-On
Hurricane Florence has caused an estimated $1 billion in damages to farms in the Carolinas, and the destruction continues. Lindsey interviews Davon Goodwin, a North Carolina farmer and manager of the Sandhills AGInnovation Center, to find out what it looks like on the ground, how farmers are trying to recover from the losses, and what […]
Climate and the Future of Farming with Dr. Nathan Mueller
Can farmers save the planet? We all know that the weather impacts agriculture, but farmers are also changing the weather. Dr. Nathan Mueller, head of the Mueller Lab and Assistant Professor of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine, walks us through cutting edge research on the complex and interesting relationship between agriculture […]
Farm Bill Politics 4: Down to the Wire
As the September 30th farm bill expiration date looms, Lindsey checks back in for a status update with NYFC’s National Policy Director, Andrew Bahrenburg. What do the “Fab Four” have to do with farm bill conference negotiations? Will Congress pass a final farm bill in time? And what will happen to the programs young farmers […]
“Water is Scarce, Water is Rare”
“If we don’t start doing things differently, there won’t be agriculture to pass down.” Climate change is a hot-button political issue, but in the Western U.S., no one can deny that the drought and above average temperatures are real. Mike Nolan, a young farmer in Mancos, Colorado, gives an insider perspective on farming in extreme […]
Bonus Episode: Vets Need Farm Bill Action
Today’s bonus episode is about an important program in the 2018 Farm Bill that needs your support: Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach (FOTO). Tiffany Washington, Navy Veteran from Austin, Texas, shares her personal journey to farming, and how farm bill programs are helping her find success. Take action: Text “Farm” to 40649 to join NYFC’s […]
OG Weather Nerds
It’s hard to imagine anyone thinking more about the weather than farmers, but then again, there’s Chief Meteorologist Mark Brusberg of USDA’s agricultural weather and assessments group. This week, Lindsey talks with Mark about the ways that drought, extreme weather, and the changing climate are impacting farmers and agricultural production globally and here at home. […]
An Extraordinarily Difficult, Uphill Battle
Commodity farmers across the nation are struggling under the weight of low prices and tariffs, resulting in bankruptcies and crisis in farm country. In this second conversation with Roger Johnson, farmer and president of the National Farmers Union, we talk about how putting controls on production may be the toughest and most important battle for […]
Trade Wars Aren’t Cool
President Trump’s trade war is sending U.S. agricultural markets into shock. Roger Johnson, farmer and president of the National Farmers Union, talks us through the situation on farms, the $12 billion bailout, and what it all means for the future of U.S. agriculture. Episode Transcript Hey, this is the Young Farmers Podcast. I’m Lindsey […]
High Holy Days of Farmers Markets
In celebration of farmers market week, we bring you an interview with Ben Feldman of the Farmers Market Coalition. Ben talks about the state of farmers markets across the nation; why farmers may soon have a hard time selling food to customers using SNAP/EBT; and how the farm bill could help farmers markets thrive. Farmers […]