“You have to do what’s right, no matter how much it hurts.”

Dr. Kevin Folta is a molecular biologist who has worked with mRNA for more than 25 years. He is scientist in the genetics and genomics of small fruit crops, a recent farmers market president, and advocate for science communication. And although he’s suffered significant personal and professional hardship for standing up for science, he continues to train, teach AND tweet the evidence, because, as he puts it, “you have to say the words” to help combat mis- and disinformation in the agricultural space. 

Dr. Folta emphasizes that technology has given us access to the safest, most abundant food supply in human history, and this access is worthy of appreciation - not fear. He wants dietitians to look for the evidence behind mRNA and genetics in food, rather than believing clickbait. As new technology continues to help strengthen our food system, communicating the science behind it will strengthen consumer trust.

"As a molecular biologist, it was exciting to see the mRNA technology go into use. We’ve been watching and waiting for a long time. We’ll see it used to treat some cancers and other human diseases.  Its role as a vaccination is just beginning, as we’ll see better and more adaptable, less-expensive vaccines that can address emerging pathogens faster. It’s potential role in treating livestock is tremendous.

Unfortunately misinformation, in some cases spread by internet celebrities and politicians, stands to slow the implementation of this technology by tarnishing public perception. We have a role as scientists, farmers, and ag communicators to challenge these false assertions, as they will negatively affect ranchers, farmers and our animals."

mRNA vaccines, in particular, have a huge potential role in livestock health. On this episode, Dr. Folta explains the mechanisms behind the technology, clears up misconceptions about its usage, and urges those in the dietetic and ag communities to challenge false assertions about this and other technologies that can have a positive impact.

Dr. Folta can be found at www.kevinfolta.com, on Twitter @kevinfolta, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/kmfolta. Listen to more on the Facts and Fallacies podcast, which he co-hosts with Cameron English. 

Other sources regarding mRNA:

AP Fact Checking: "No, farmers aren't requires to vaccinate cattle with mRNA vaccines.

Factcheck.org: Meme Spreads Falsehood About Vaccine Transfer Through Eating Meat 

Genetic Literacy Project: Kill the Messenger: mRNA-based livestock vaccines are under attack by vaccine skeptics

Pork Business: Livestock & mRNA Vaccines: What You Need to Know 

"The biggest hurdle for so many people pursuing health and wellness, including healing their relationship with food and being intentional about nutrition, has so much more to do with their mental and emotional state that we often realize. I believe that health should be pursued in a holistic approach, not sacrificing one aspect of health while in pursuit of another."

Kiah Twisselman Burchett, better known as Coach Kiah, is a California cattle rancher turned motivational speaker, life coach, and podcaster on a mission to empower others to love themselves deeper, care for themselves better, and find joy in this messy, beautiful journey of life. After battling with her own weight and body image from a young age, she embarked on her own personal health journey losing over 100 pounds, but more importantly, the mental weight she had been carrying with her for years. Recently named one of Cowgirl Magazine’s 2023 Top 30 Under 30, Coach Kiah uses her vulnerability and infectious energy to show others how to overcome hardships and become the main characters of their own lives.

She wants people to know that farmers and ranchers, regardless of the size of their operation, are committed to the safety of the food they produce and the well-being of the animals they care for. Fear driven marketing of food often creates distrust and shame around food choices.

Not only does fear driven marketing negatively impact farmers and ranchers, but it also trickles down to the consumer and the cost of food that they purchase. Food shaming can also negatively impact consumers relationship with food, making them feel like a bad person if they can't afford to purchase items with all the fancy buzz words.

As a coach, I wish people knew that my role is NOT to give nutrition advice in any way. That's what we have registered dietitians for! As someone whose family ranches, I wish people knew that we all have a LOT more in common that we have different. Farmers and ranchers have a lot of the same worries, concerns, and priorities as consumers do and vice versa. Through our Backroad Cowgirls series, our hope is to use storytelling to create more connections between those who produce food and those who consume it.

You can follow Kiah on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/coachkiah/, listen to her podcast at https://pod.link/1578296414 or connect with her on Insta at https://www.instagram.com/coach_kiah.

“We’re not ‘dousing’ our fields, we’re not ‘mining’ our soil, and nutrients don’t ‘run off’ the fields during normal rainfall.” 

As a dietitian turned full-time farmer on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Jennie Schmidt has heard it all when it comes to misconceptions about how our food is raised.  Growing corn, soybeans, wheat, green beans, and wine grapes with her brother-in-law, Jennie is equally passionate about the health of her soil as she is about cutting through the noise about agriculture for fellow dietitians. She questions how farming today is monoculture and walks through example after example. 

And while Jennie recognizes the importance of dietitians being able to clear up misconceptions for the consumer so they can make the best choices for feeding their families, she warns that misinformation can have an even bigger impact.

“Misperceptions in the marketplace on food and farming can end up as bad policy and regulations when consumers are fed misinformation by environmentalists,” says Schmidt.

Listen in on Schmidt’s insights on everything from GMOs to monoculture to glyphosate to vineyards to technology helping soil health.

Follow on Instagram @dirtdietitian and Twitter @farmgirljen.

“Everyday life on the farm isn’t always sunshine and roses.”

Nick Schweitzwer, a fifth generation farmer from the area known as “the ridge” north of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Roughly 60% of Michigan’s apple production are grown in the area and Nick grows over 18 varieties on his farm.  He shares how there are many challenges unique to Midwest apple growers. Nick relishes the opportunity to share how he tackles the impact of high humidity, something his Pacific Northwest counterparts don’t grapple with.

Noting that the choice of organic or conventionally grown apples is a consumer choice, Nick cautions that when grocers make that decision for their shoppers, the results can be detrimental to this sector of agriculture.

“There has been at least one fairly large chain grocer that has decided to buy strictly organic apples and will not buy any conventionally grown fruit. If more followed this path, then it would have a serious negative effect for us growers in the Midwest and Atlantic states. We generally have high humidity and unfortunately, fungal diseases love humidity.”

In this episode, Nick also discusses what it means to “support local,” cross-pollination, treating fungi/weeds/insects in the orchard and explains the role of pheromones in growing apples. Nicole's mind is blown learning about how this pheromone technology confuses pests and prevents them from mating. 

Find Nick on Insta & TikTok at @that.apple.guy and Twitter: @thatappleguy616.

“Go out and get the work done.” If there’s one insight to be gleaned from the 100th episode of the Food Bullying Podcast, it might be this one from co-host Michele. Or that she'd rather smell like her cows, while Nicole wishes to smell like Froot Loops.

When Michele wanted to take the Food Bullying podcast in a new direction, she tapped a dietitian as a co-host.  But why one with zero background in agriculture?  Nicole's candid discussion touches on everything from Nicole’s perceived indoctrination of “big ag” being bad during her nutrition studies in New York City to where the co-hosts stand on Froot Loops (both as a food and potential fragrance choice).  

While their backgrounds are vastly different, Michele and Nicole raise young women in what often feels like a food war zone, and each shares her unique perspective on positioning food as a source of joy and not fear. They both strongly believe food should be about celebration, not condemnation. 

Listen in as they divulge their biggest nutrition and supermarket pet peeves, the greatest takeaways from the show, and their thoughts on how farmers and dietitians can continue to collaborate across the plate for the benefit of the consumer.

They've collaborated across the food plate to bring insights from agriculture to dietitians and share what they've learned along the way. They've talked with experts on animal welfare, beef, cans, chicken, cranberries, dairy, dietetics, FFA, food waste, GMOs, lamb, lettuce, livestock heat stress, peanuts, pork, prunes, RDN education, soybeans, sustainability sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and more. Upcoming episodes will include apples, beans, eggs, ethics, pesticides & soil health, strawberries, sugar beets.

“I learn something new with literally EVERY episode,” says Nicole. “But what I find most heartening is that each farmer we speak with - whether from a large or small operation - has the same goal: to do the right thing for the environment.” 

Follow Michele across most social media platforms at  @mpaynspeaker and Nicole on Instagram @notoriously.nicole.RD

If Hannah Craun and Levi Schiller are any indication, the future of farming certainly shines bright. Craun, a masters student at Virginia Tech focusing on cattle reproduction, and Schiller, an Ag Business major at The University of Nebraska, boast numerous awards and experiences in 4-H and FFA. They also share a concern about the misconceptions surrounding agriculture - and how fear and confusion are impacting the consumer.

“The basic knowledge gap that separates agriculturists from the rest of society is huge and hugely concerning,” says Craun, who was raised on her family’s dairy, beef, and crop operation.  

"While misconceptions about agriculture may not seem directly related to dietetics, it's important to anyone purchasing food. A lot of our decisions in life are based more on how they make us feel rather than the facts behind the matter. If we don't feel sure that our food was produced in a safe manner for all involved, that may take a mental and emotional toll, not to mention economic. 

This can motivate us to spend more money on purchasing food that isn't any different nutritionally. In addition, understanding basic production practices has extreme importance when applied to food labeling. What isn't understood can be intimidating or even scary, when, in this case, it's truly not. From a producer's point of view, it can be disheartening when consumers don't trust what you do simply because they don't understand. More and more, governing policy is also being dictated by those who aren't familiar with standard practices. This makes it a very real possibility that agriculturalists are prevented from doing what is best for their animals or crops."

While both Craun and Schiller emphasize the importance of modern agriculture in feeding a growing population, they recognize that certain technologies are misunderstood.

“I wish people knew that producers try their hardest to make the safest product while being the most efficient,” says Schiller. He hopes dietitians will meet more FFA members and learn more about modern day farming products. 

Listen in as these two agvocates share their insights on answering tough questions about agriculture, what they look for on a label before tossing an item into their grocery carts, and bridging the gap from farm to plate for the next generation.

Natalie Mariani Kling is a fourth generation family member of premium dried fruit company, which was started by her great grandfather in 1906 in what is now Silicon Valley. "My family and I are committed to 'inspire healthy living' and being a real solution for busy families trying to eat a little healthier every day."

Natalie shares different perspectives in the medical and nutritional community about natural sugar vs. added sugar, and understanding how bad certain sugars are for your body. "When natural sugar is combined with a good amount of fiber, your body is able to digest natural sugars found in dried fruit at a slower rate vs. refined sugar which spikes blood sugar.

"Prunes are not just good for gut health and a healthy microbiome, but research shows they are excellent for bone health. Recent research in postmenopausal women found that eating prunes daily both protected bone mineral density and mitigated fracture risk at the hip"

Natalie talked with Michele Payn and Nicole Rodriguez about how dried fruits, such as plums and dates, are incredible for adding a natural sweetness to recipes. "By adding water to rehydrate the fruit, you can create purees/syrups/drizzles out of prunes, and essentially any dried fruit, for baking, stews, even cocktails."

Prunes have an awareness problem. They have been for so long paralleled with digestion, and yet they may be best super fruits on the market - good source of fiber and an excellent source of Vitamin K, an essential bone nutrient. "People have fear and anxiety around buying shelf-stable fruits and vegetables, so they gravitate towards 'keto' and 'paleo' (which have served their purpose) yet they don't consider dried fruit an option to enjoy year-round." Listen in to the Food Bullying podcast for more about this shelf-stable fruit, which extends the fruit season, and provides a convenient grab-and-go snacks.

As a certified clinical nutritionist, she's committed to promoting habits that support healthy children and families; this passion stems from her son who was born with neurological challenges, so she knows the power of nutrition as a foundation for life.

The Mariani Family Packing Company has partner growers (our 'extended family') span the globe, growing orchard fruits (prunes, peaches, apricots), berries, and extending to tropical fruits (mango, pineapple), raisins, dates and others.  Natalie shares "Family is our differentiating factor, and we consider our grower partners around the world part of our extended family. We believe in treating others with respect - some of our long-term partners have been with us for multiple generations, e.g., our partnership with Kellogg's has extended +35 years."

Mariani's respect Mother Nature - they have a fun family quote 'We report to Mother Nature.' Natalie reports "We're focused on increasing our sustainability efforts more so now than ever through our solar installation, water purification plant and water usage on the farms, and our growing techniques. We also believe in less food waste - prunes fit easily into a sustainable diet as consumers can eat the entire fruit without worrying about a peel or other inedible plant parts taking up space in their waste cans. Because prunes are simply dried plums, they have reduced water content, making them much lighter in weight and less perishable. This means fewer resources are needed to transport them and less refrigeration is used, resulting in a lower carbon footprint."

Listen in to hear about prunes can help brains, bones, and guts and follow Marianis at www.facebook.com/MarianiFamily on Facebook, www.instagram.com/themarianifamily/ on Instagram, or https://twitter.com/MarianiFamily on Twitter. 

Food prices rose 13% in 2022. Yet American's 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. 

A prolific writer, she’s published eight books, including several in the popular For Dummies® series, including her latest include Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies® (Jan 2022, John Wiley & Sons), and the 2nd edition of DASH Diet For Dummies® (November 2020).

Rosanne  believe's there's more than one way to consume a healthy diet. "We understand the big picture, including human physiology, human nutrition, and food science. We take behavior into account and understand how to help people make changes that they can accept. We also understand how to evaluate the evidence and put diet into perspective for overall health.

People come up with strict rules. They hear so many soundbites of misinformation (like "sugar is toxic", "carbs are killing you", "organic is best". This all-or-nothing approach is affecting the mental health of many people who may feel they are failing because they aren't reaching some unrealistic goal. At a time when food budgets (and all budgets) are tightening, we need to take this fear away. And also help those who HAVE a choice (to shop at fancy food stores) to understand that demonizing the rest (with no evidence of inferiority) is detrimental to everyone."

Rosanne received her bachelor's degree in Dietetics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and her M.S. in Nutrition from the University of Pittsburgh. Owner of Rust Nutrition Services, she provides a variety of nutrition communication services. Her philosophy has always been to take a fad-free, doable approach to healthy eating, in order to help people put food and nutrition into perspective and set realistic health goals.

You can connect with her on Facebook,Insta, Twitter, or TikTok.

How is soy a part of your diet? Maryland farmer Belinda Burrier talks about high oleic soybean oil, GMOs, international demand, the health benefits of soy, and so much more in the latest Food Bullying podcast. 

Belinda farms soybeans, corn, wheat, and hay in central Maryland, just north of Washington DC with her husband and nephew.
She married into farming 20 years ago, she and her husband have been awarded the Mid-Atlantic Master Farmers and the Northeastern Region Conservation Legacy Award. She is the chair of the United Soybean Board Promotion & Education Committee. 

"When I married into farming, I knew nothing and asked many questions- why do you do that? It made my husband think outside of the box and he did change some of his practices, not many, he is very progressive; so what I want people to know as a mother and grandmother that I always have my family’s best interest and health in mind before any choices are made on the farm. Water, air, and soil are my greatest concern."

Belinda points out "Some very influential people bad mouth soybean products and it’s hard to break that apart." She breaks down how the bean is grown, why GMO has value, what the benefits of high Oleic soy is, and more in this podcast. 

She understand how food bullying impacts people in the grocery store. "I look for soybeans in my products, if I can purchase items locally I will, I won’t buy products just because they say so and so on the label. If I am truly concerned about how something is produced I will look at reviews and talk to my dietitian friends or women whose opinion I value. I really try to buy US, but sometimes that’s not available." Belinda works to try to ensure more people have access to soy products, including biodiesel across the globe.

She is on Facebook as Belinda Doyle Burrier, Insta as Burrier Farms, and LInkedin under Belinda Burrier. Connect with her to learn more about the power of soy in a diet. 

Do you know the latest research on peanuts & allergens? Or that these protein essential grow in the ground? Or that the peanut plant is a legume that is rotated with other crops to help with soil health? 

Case Cox Kerr is the sixth generation of her family to farm on the Flint River in south Georgia. Her family farm, Longleaf Ridge, produces sweet corn, peanuts, field corn, soybeans, and timber. She was recently appointed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve as Georgia’s Board Member on the National Peanut Board, and is the first woman from Georgia to serve on NPB!

Casey points to several misconceptions and wishes people knew how much peanut farmers nationwide have invested into peanut allergy research, education, and awareness.

• Peanut allergies & early intro guidelines for dietitians to know
• Myths about peanuts – i.e., that they are inflammatory or nutritionally inferior to other nuts.
• Misconceptions about general nutrition benefits – natural peanut butter, organic peanut butter, added sugars, fats – many consumers seem to think there are big differences in the nutrient profiles, but they are largely similar.

She points to the myths around peanuts creating misconceptions with consumers and misinformation being shared that can lead to unnecessary fear about a safe and nutritious food. 

Visit The National Peanut Board website or lonleafridge.com or connect with @caseycoxkerr on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Take the gene as a sentence in a book. Copy that sentence (gene) into another book. Now scientists can put the gene into a specific paragraph. Farmer Paul Hodgen uses this example to explain genetic modification in food. He has worked with GMOs - genetically modified organism - in both the laboratory as an agronomist, as well as farming GMO corn and soybeans.

He uses biotechnology to make his job easier to produce a low cost, healthy, environmentally-friend product. GMO crops allow him to use fewer pesticides, make fewer passes across the field, and spend more time with his family than the non-GMO fields he farms. He wants dietitians to know the facts behind biotechnology so they can share accurate information with their clients. 

"The biggest misconception is driven by the fear labels" says Paul. The companies are trying to add fear with non-GMO labels, particularly when there are no genetically modified products available - meaning there is no difference. He also points out how GMO food can be healthier for you and that GMO labeling is marketing trying to get more of your food dollar.

Paul discusses how consumers want affordable, safe, and environmentally friendly products - and GMOs allow farmers to do that efficiently. He talks about biotechnology, CRISPR, and gene editing techniques, as well as the improvements made in the technology that improves our food and farming. 

Insect control, managing weeds, and quality traits such as high oleic soybeans are some of the reasons farmers use GMO seeds. He points to high oleic soybeans as a way to have a consistent source of oils found in fish.

In responding to the claims about how much research has been done, Paul highlights how years and years of research have been done with the proteins used in GMOs. Where is the activity of the trait happening in the plant or the food we're consuming? Most don't have activity with humans. 

Paul highlights how growing non-GMO crops cost him more time away from the family, additional hours of work more exposure to chemicals, and increases his financial risks. He encourages RDNs and all listeners with a nutrition preference to consider the whole picture rather than activist-led information. 

The world's poor cannot afford the more expensive alternatives. GMO allows food costs to be lower and deserves your consideration as to why it makes sense in food. 

Follow Hodgen Farms on Instagram or look up Paul Hodgen on social channels to learn more.

"Avoid the center of the store...canned food isn't nutritious and filled with preservatives." These are examples of the negative bias put on the canning and processing community, according to our Food Bullying podcast guest Andy Russick. Reality is that canned vegetables and fruits can help you cut food costs, as well as get more nutrients in your diet.

"I read and hear with frequency a suspicion that is held about canning being a process that cooks all the nutrients out of food or that canners add too much sugar or salt to our products. Sometimes new articles claim that we still have BPA in our cans (not true since 2012) or that we use additives or preservatives to our products to extend shelf life (not correct - nothing added).

Incorrect reporting such as I have mentioned above, gives consumers pause to purchase our products. It also levies a feeling of mom guilt or dad guilt on can purchasers which is not fair to the purchaser or the producer or brand owner when this misconception is repeated and laid upon our loyal followers" notes Russick. 

When asked what he wishes people knew, he quickly points out "Incorrect reporting such as I have mentioned above, gives consumers pause to purchase our products. It also levies a feeling of mom guilt or dad guilt on can purchasers which is not fair to the purchaser or the producer or brand owner when this misconception is repeated and laid upon our loyal followers." He hopes dietitians can bridge the understanding of the value of canned food in cutting food costs during this time of inflation, as well as recommend canned veggies and fruits to improve their nutrition.

Andy Russick is the Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service for Pacific Coast Producers. Over the 35 years he has been with PCP, he has held the positions of Vice President of Retail Sales, Director of Retail Sales, National Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Field Operations Manager and Logistics Coordinator. He began working for Pacific Coast Producers shortly after his time at Santa Clara University, where he graduated in 1986 with a degree in Economics. Andy has been very happily married to Kathleen for 32 years and has two smart and cheerful daughters, Chloe and Jana. He travels to various customer's offices across the country, attends trade shows, rides a Peloton, surfs, skis, golfs and listens to a good many podcasts and sporting events.

Andy wishes that his legacy in his time working for the Food Industry would be that our nation’s population adopt his vociferous appreciation for the qualitative goodness, economic value and logistical sensibility of shelf stable (particularly canned) products. Learn more at www.pcoastp.com or follow Pacific Coast Prodcuers 1971 on Instagram. 

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?

Heather is a Marketing Specialist with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She grew up in the city, but has spent more than 20 years working in agriculture. She is the mom to three boys and her favorite way to eat sweetpotatoes is in muffins. She also asked us to be sure we spelled sweetpotatoes the correct way.

When asked about the biggest misconception around this fall favorite, she highlights throughout the episode: 

• In talking with consumers they often tell me they can't eat sweetpotatoes because they shouldn't have carbs. Sweetpotatoes are a nearly perfect food and fit well in any eating program. My son has Type 1 diabetes and sweetpotatoes are great for him.
• There is no nutritional difference between organic and conventional sweetpotatoes. This is important because sweetpotates are a nutrition powerhouse. Organic produce costs more at the grocery store and it's important for consumers of every income level to know the nutrition is the same.
• Sweetpotatoes and yams are not the same thing.

Listen in for excellent insight from Heather, recipes, and links to help you provide better nutrition insight. Follow Heather at @CarolinaFarmMom. 

One of the misconceptions around beef is grass-fed beef is better for human health and the environment. "Many times this is promoted by those who are far removed from agriculture. Or they base it on one nutrient such as short chain omega-3 fatty acids.
My scientific take: there are system trade-offs, no system absolutes."

Sarah Klopatek is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Davis who is focused on grass-fed and grain-fed beef systems. She received her undergraduate from the University of Arizona, her masters from Texas A&M and her PhD at UC Davis. Sarah is determining how beef cattle’s water footprint has changed over the last 30 years.

"People are stressing to buy grass-fed beef, and trainers and celebrities are pushing for this product. However, this product is more expensive and consumers may feel bad it they may not be able to afford this product. Consumers should have the right to choose what protein they want to consume but providing false narrative and does not provide value to food or nutritional security.

Furthermore, when looking at sustainability one must also look at sustainability of scale. Can a small grass-fed system in Pennsylvania be sustainable? What about grass-fed for the entire country where there are areas of drought ext? Multiple systems are key to resilience and resilience is key to sustainability."

Sarah was not raised in livestock and once had a poster on her wall about the greenhouse effect. It's been her life's journey to work in science to help find the answers to reducing the effects of climate change. "Working in livestock is not antagonistic to this goal. Workin in livestock can be a part of the solution."

Connect with her on Twitter at Dr. BeefBabe & Linked in at www.linkedin.com/in/klopatek-beefphd

Leslie Bonci has filled four decades as a dietitians with certifications, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetic offices, and building an amazing practice of serving athletes & real people. Leslie is all about helping  clients discover their best through knowledge, application, and motivation. 

Leslie notes "No one knows what RDs do. We have not done a great job of marketing ourselves and our voice is lost in the sea of sinfluencers. We also need to find ways to resonate with relevance leading with emotion and the common ground before facts and evidence. We must find ways to connect before we correct."

She also believes that creating a budget, living within one's salary cup, culinary competence, and being able to separate the nonsense from the real are critically important skills that consumers need to master. "The economy, the misinformation, the proliferation of stress on all fronts is making it more difficult for people to thrive."

In this episode, Leslie talks about her walk in learning more about agriculture and provides suggestions for other RDNs to learn more about food is grown. She believes in the value of inclusion and has worked hard to not exclude anyone from the food conversation. 

Congrats, Leslie, on your remarkable legacy. A must listen for any dietitian. 

Did you know that a three ounce serving of lamb delivers 23 grams of protein – almost 50% of your daily protein needs? Lamb is a great meat, but largely misunderstood. Michigan farmer Elaine Palm wants to change that.

She is a partner on her family’s farm in Michigan, where she and her two parents raise sheep for meat and for breeding stock, plus the crops and pasture that support the sheep flock. She and her husband Rick have goals to raise their new baby on the farm. Like many farmers, Elaine and Rick have careers off the farm and spend many mornings, evenings, weekends and vacation days building the farm business.

Elaine shares "When people find out I raise sheep, I get two main questions: 'Oh, like for the wool?,' and, 'Oh, how can you eat those cute little things?' When people think of the image of a lamb, I think they're often thinking about newborns at around 8-15 pounds, which can be a barrier to considering putting lamb on your plate. However, the reality is that a lamb is any sheep under one year, and lamb meat comes from animals that have, literally, more meat on their bones. Lamb meat is varied across the industry depending on age, breed type, size and body composition at the time of marketing a lamb. Lamb is often used as a specialty meat for holidays, celebrations and special events, but lamb is a great choice for lean protein any time!"

She also wants dietitians to know the choices that farmers make in their business practices allow for more choice in the marketplace. "Just because I might farm one way doesn't mean that everyone should. We do what works best for our family, and we're always adapting. And all of the overwhelming options in the stores...or at farmers markets, on-farm markets, wherever you're buying food...they all come from the diversity of farm products and farm practices. That should be celebrated!"

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.

"I feel we are working to grow food that is safe and affordable and we take great pride in what we are doing. We all get are groceries from the same place and know we have safe food choices in this country."

Paula and family are trying to raise the livestock and crops in a manner that is safe and economically prudent. "We don’t cut corners but try to find ways to save money where we can." even when a flood devastates their crop, which happened this year. 

She talks through the investment their farm makes just to plant a field, which Mother Nature can destroy in a few minutes - which is what happened with a hail storm this year. Listen in for a better idea of the risks farmers take in raising food, or follow her on Facebook at @Farmerpaulahasafarm.

"There is a lot of misinformation about where our food comes from, how it is grown, and how that food impacts our health. We can see this in topics regarding organic farming, GMO's, and whether or not dairy products can fit into a healthy diet. With dietitians being the go to resource for nutrition, they also need to become more educated on agriculture so that they can guide consumers and not add to further confusion" points out Food Bullying podcast guest RDN Lauren Twigge.

Lauren is in the unique position to bridge the dietetic and farming world. She is a Dallas based registered and licensed Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Lauren was born and raised in a family of farmers located in central California and is an outspoken supporter of agriculture. Growing up on a dairy and being raised around farming her whole life has given Lauren a unique perspective on where our food comes from and her passion is to work at the crux of agriculture and human nutrition to fight misinformation and give consumers back their food confidence.

Along with running her own private client business, Lauren works on Instagram @nutrition.at.its.roots and educates on a variety of health topics including the truth about the agricultural industry, education on where our food comes, and discussing the role that various agricultural products, like milk, can play in a healthy diet!

She also says "People fear what they do not understand and with the distance between consumers and agriculture, many consumers are stressed and worried about their own and their families health. Many feel confused and overwhelmed with the amount of conflicting information which can put dietitians in a difficult myth busting position."

Listen in to learn about what myths need to be busted about milk, how RDNs can help, how dairy farmers take care of their cows, factory farms, and more insight on dairy. 

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.

Most people think that produce items like lettuce and leafy greens are farmed by corporations – especially when it comes to the leafy greens. that are found in retail grocery stores. “My company is a cooperative made up of five farming families, all of Japanese descent, who have banned together to sell their products. There are stories like this throughout the leafy greens industry” says Dan. 

“It’s important for dietitians to clear up this ‘corporate ag’ image so that consumers understand that the people growing their fresh leafy greens are moms, dads, grandfathers and grandmothers who care a great deal about the quality, safety and nutrition of these foods because we feed them to our own kids along with millions of families across the country. We take this responsibility very seriously. And I think knowing this is something very important to people.”

POVE farms several different varieties of leafy greens and specialty Asian vegetables. Dan is also a member and past chairman of the Board of an organization called the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, which is a program that exists to make lettuce and leafy green safer by enforcing a set of food safety practices that take place on lettuce farms. He knows salads, loves salads, and is committed to gettin people trained to be your salad is safe. 

He believes food bullying is negatively effecting his business because there a big knowledge gap when it comes to people understanding where their food comes from. “The leafy greens industry is a tough industry to understand to begin with. Growing safe, healthy, fresh high quality lettuce is challenging and we face all kinds of obstacles from weather to labor and food safety. I don’t think people have any idea how difficult that is and what measures we take out in the field to make sure food is safe. For example, most people don’t know that we have very stringent rules for hygiene that are required under the LGMA food safety program and, by law, in the state of California. Anyone who enters our fields must wear a hair net, we always have bathrooms and hand-washing facilities near the fields and people are trained regularly to follow all food safety precautions. This is just one example of something that most people have no idea about when it comes to the food on their dinner table.”

This vegetable grower also wants you to know he believes one of most important factors in farming leafy greens are POVE’s workers. “Most people don’t understand the relationships that farmers often have with their workers. They really can be a part of our own families. We see their kids grow up, many of them work for us for generations. They are just such a big part of our operations and I think the perception is that farmers don’t treat their workers very well. Most people don’t understand how critical that workers are to our every day operations and how important they are to us.”

Learn more across all social channels by following Lettuce Info, visit lettuceinfo.org or the POVE co-op at pove.net.

Chicken bull speak (B.S.): chickens are pumped full of hormones and steroids, broiler chickens are raised in cages, mass confusion between layers and broilers, chickens are genetically modified and "big" is bad. This Food Bullying podcast episode features Tom Super to address all of these myths and more. 

Tom  is senior vice president of communications at the National Chicken Council, where he oversees all internal and external communications, media relations and issues management. The council's members are comprised of companies that produce about 95% of the chicken meat that ends up on Americans' tables.

He notes that all of the misinformation adds confusion when consumers are trying to make purchase choices for themselves and their families. "They don't want to have to feel guilty when buying a pack of chicken breasts."

Tom hopes that dietitians and consumers learn more about the truth in food production.  "I wish people realized that there are hard working, salt-of-the-Earth people who work to put food on our tables, and not just one big "machine."