Podcasts about Food policy

This week on The Food Professor Podcast, co-hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois welcome two special guests for a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred interview: Axel Schwan, President of Tim Hortons Canada & U.S., and Duncan Fulton, Chief Corporate Officer of Restaurant Brands International (RBI). With Dunkin' Donuts announcing its return to Canada and Canadians passionately debating the future of their most iconic coffee brand, Axel and Duncan showed up ready to answer the tough questions. In a candid 40-minute conversation, Schwan and Fulton open up about Tim Hortons' "Back to Basics" strategy — the largest consumer research project in the company's history — and the quality overhaul that followed: freshly cracked eggs replacing frozen patties in breakfast sandwiches, 40% more apple in the apple fritter, more Venetian cream in the Boston cream, and the removal of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives across the menu. They share how Tim Hortons serves four million guests a day across 4,000 restaurants owned by 1,500 Canadian franchisees, why traffic is the one metric Axel watches daily, and how the brand is winning younger consumers with its Quenchers platform — including the imminent launch of Popping Quenchers — plus celebrity partnerships with Justin Bieber and Ryan Reynolds. The duo also tackles the controversy head-on: Is the wave of announcements — 400 restaurant renovations, 80 new builds, a national hiring campaign — a reaction to Dunkin's arrival? Fulton sets the record straight on the temporary foreign worker debate, noting roughly 4,000 of 110,000 restaurant team members are part of the program, and explains how AI is being deployed to improve the team member experience, from labour scheduling to order accuracy. A rapid-fire round covers everything from the biggest public misconception about Tim Hortons to the products Canadians want back, while Michael shares his own fun factoid: he helped invent Roll Up the Rim during his Dixie Cup days. But first, we start with the food and agriculture news of the week. Sobeys gets served as the Competition Bureau flexes its new Competition Act powers to investigate property controls in Canadian grocery. We break down Ottawa's newly published AI strategy and what it means for agriculture and food, where Canada's persistent data deficit threatens to undermine even the best intentions. Then, the screwworm fly resurfaces in Texas, prompting the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to take targeted action — and sending cattle futures and already-high beef prices climbing. Sylvain also reports from Delaware, where he keynoted a healthcare conference on food as medicine and discovered a surprising threat to American farmland: hundreds of AI data centres being built on fertile soil. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

In this episode, Diana and Michael are joined by Baylen Linnekin, the Deputy Director of the Food Integrity Campaign at the Government Accountability Project. Here, Baylen discusses his background in food policy, the history and work of the Government Accountability Project, and the role of strategic litigation in our food system.You can find Baylen's biography here.Michael T. Roberts is the Executive Director of the Resnick Center for Food Law & Policy at UCLA Law. Diana Winters is the Deputy Director of the Resnick Center for Food Law & Policy at UCLA Law. You can find a link to Baylen's book, Biting the Hand that Feeds Us, here.  

Send us Fan MailFor years, I've loved Michael Pollan's famous advice: Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants.It felt grounded. Sensible. Refreshingly free from diet culture nonsense.But what if one of the most trusted pieces of nutrition advice of the last two decades isn't quite as simple as it sounds?In this episode, I sit down with food systems researchers Jan Dutkiewicz and Gabriel N. Rosenberg, co-authors of Feed the People. Their book challenges a lot of the assumptions many of us have about food, health, and what it means to be a "good eater."We dig into the controversy around ultra-processed foods and why that label may not tell us nearly as much as we've been led to believe. We talk about protein powders, plant-based meats, frozen vegetables, sliced bread, and why some foods that get demonized online might actually be perfectly healthy additions to a balanced diet.We also explore a much bigger question: what happens when we put all the responsibility for fixing our food system on individual consumers?Jan and Gabriel make a compelling case that nutrition isn't just about personal choices. It's also about policy, affordability, accessibility, labor, agriculture, and the systems that determine what ends up on our plates in the first place.Some of their arguments challenged my own beliefs. A few made my jaw hit the floor. Like the idea that a Walmart can improve community nutrition more effectively than a farmers' market. Or that obsessing over every ingredient label may be doing more harm than good.Whether you agree with everything in this conversation or not, I think you'll walk away questioning some of the nutrition "truths" we've all absorbed over the years. And honestly, that's what makes this episode so interesting.What's Inside:Why "ultra-processed food" may be far too broad a category to be usefulThe difference between food processing and actual nutritional qualityWhy affordability and access matter more than food purity narrativesHow policy, not individual perfection, shapes healthier communitiesThis conversation reminded me that nutrition is rarely as black and white as social media makes it seem. Sometimes the most useful thing we can do is trade certainty for curiosity. Tell me: what's one food belief you've changed your mind about recently? DM me on Instagram and let me know!Mentioned in This Episode:Feed the People: Why Industrial Food Is Good And How To Make It Even BetterGet Healthy AF Book FreeOonagh Duncan on InstagramFit Feels GoodLeave me a voice note on Speak Pipe!

This week on The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Don Hill, Chairman of Sucro, for a rare inside look at one of the most significant investments in Canada's food manufacturing sector in decades. Sucro has quickly become one of North America's fastest-growing sugar companies, and its newly built Ontario refinery marks the first major new sugar-refining investment in Canada in generations. Don explains why Canada became Sucro's first major international investment market, how the company is challenging conventional thinking in a traditionally conservative industry, and why innovation, reinvestment, and operational efficiency are becoming critical competitive advantages in food manufacturing. The conversation explores the strategic role sugar plays in food production beyond sweetness, including shelf life, texture, functionality, product formulation, and cost management. Don also discusses how Sucro is navigating labour shortages, global trade disruptions, tariffs, supply chain volatility, and geopolitical uncertainty while building what he believes is the most modern and competitive sugar refinery in North America. Michael and Sylvain also dive into the impact of GLP-1 weight-loss medications on food consumption with Don, the opportunities and limitations of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, and why Canada remains an attractive destination for food production despite growing trade tensions and policy uncertainty. Don shares his perspective on the future of food manufacturing investment, North American competitiveness, and Sucro's plans for growth over the next decade. Before the interview, the hosts tackle another packed week of food and agriculture news. They discuss Canada's economic outlook and the debate over recession terminology, new research comparing household food spending across G20 countries, and the ongoing rise in food insecurity and food bank usage across Canada. The discussion also covers soaring tomato prices linked to North American trade disruptions, new revelations surrounding the Canada Royal Milk infant formula facility in Kingston, and concerns about transparency within Canada's supply-managed dairy sector. The episode also reflects on Metro CEO Eric La Flèche's retirement announcement, examining his lasting impact on Canadian grocery retailing and congratulating the highly skilled and experienced Marc Giroux on becoming the new CEO. Finally, Michael and Sylvain explore how some farmers are finding new revenue streams through YouTube and digital content creation, demonstrating the remarkable adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit of modern agriculture. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Tune in to Robert T. Howard, Esq., Co-chair of the Health Law Community Steering Committee, as he moderates a dynamic conversation with panelists Remi Mehner, Esq. and Amaru Sanchez, Esq., counsels in Akin's Health Care and Life Sciences practice, as they discuss the topic Food is Health/Medicine: Why Health Lawyers Should Start Paying Attention to Food Policy. This conversation introduces the concept of how nutritional interventions are being used to prevent and treat diet-related chronic diseases, and why this is relevant to those working in the health law and health policy space. The discussion opens with an overview of the concept of food is medicine, including key terms. Next the panelists inform the listeners about why health lawyers should start paying attention to food policy. The panel discusses actions and signals in the governmental landscape that indicate the importance and timeliness of this discussion. The panelists then discuss funding models, including federal, state, and private sector funding. Lastly, the panelists discuss food law and food policy developments that health lawyers should have on their radar.Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.Thank You to our Sponsor!Posh is the 24/7 call answering service designed for legal professionals of all kinds. Save time and win business with an AI receptionist and team of live agents always at the ready. Capabilities include customized client intake, appointment scheduling, call screening and transferring, English- and Spanish-fluent receptionists, legal integrations, and much more. Simply set your availability and instructions, and Posh handles the rest. Get a free trial at posh.com/law or call 833-GET-POSH.

This week on The Food Professor Podcast, recorded live at SIAL Canada 2026 in Montreal, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois welcome back Karen Proud, President & Adjudicator of the Canada Grocery Code, for an important conversation about one of the most closely watched structural reforms in the Canadian grocery industry. Only months after the official launch of the Canada Grocery Code, Proud provides an inside look at how the new voluntary, industry-led framework is functioning in its early stages. She explains the mission of the Office of the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct, the rationale behind creating a voluntary code instead of government regulation, and why more than 200 companies have already joined the initiative. Proud discusses how the code is designed to improve business relationships between retailers and suppliers, strengthen transparency, create more predictable contracting practices, and encourage long-term investment and innovation throughout Canada's food supply chain. The conversation explores the challenges of building trust across a fragmented grocery ecosystem while balancing supplier concerns, retailer expectations, and government scrutiny. Proud outlines how her office is approaching compliance, dispute resolution, reporting transparency, and stakeholder engagement while emphasizing that the code is not intended to directly control grocery prices or solve food inflation. Instead, the long-term objective is to create a healthier and more competitive grocery marketplace that ultimately benefits Canadian consumers through increased investment, innovation, and product diversity. Before the interview, Michael and Sylvain dive deep into the rapidly rising price of chicken in Canada, examining how supply management, quota allocation challenges, and surging consumer demand are contributing to record levels of poultry imports from the United States and beyond. They debate whether the current system is adequately responding to shifting protein demand as consumers move away from expensive beef toward chicken. The episode also explores Quebec's decision to permanently remove sales tax from certain grocery categories, growing concerns among Canadian beef producers over potential trade negotiations involving South American imports, and how global instability, drought conditions, and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz are beginning to impact grain and wheat prices worldwide. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

https://www.markwinne.com/ https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/road-to-a-hungerfree-america-9798765132340/ https://www.cultivatingself.org/ Today, we are diving deep into the blueprints (or green prints) of food democracy with Mark Winne. For over forty years, Mark has been at the forefront of the food justice movement, bridging the gap between grassroots activism and structural policy. As a co-founder of some of the nation's very first Food Policy Councils, he took food out of the realm of simple charity and turned it into an act of local self-governance. Through his acclaimed books like Food Town, USA, Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart Cookin' Mamas and Closing the Food Gap, Mark has spent decades documenting how communities can reclaim their food systems from corporate monopolies. His work proves that when you organize municipal food policy around equity, you don't just feed people—you build community wealth, improve public health, and revitalize local economies. He is here to remind us that a resilient democracy begins at the kitchen table and the town hall.

Explore how livestock impacts climate, pollution, biodiversity, and soil—plus the benefits of shifting toward plant-centered diets. #ClimateChange #SustainableEating #PlantPower #EnvironmentalImpact

This week on The Food Professor Podcast, our interview is recorded live at SIAL Canada 2026 in Montreal. Michael LeBlanc welcomes one of the most influential executives in global consumer packaged goods: Jessica C. Adelman, Mars Snacking North America. Fresh off Mars' massive $36 billion acquisition of Kellanova, Adelman offers a rare inside look at the strategic thinking behind one of the largest CPG transactions in history. She explains how Mars — now a $86+ billion privately held global powerhouse operating across more than 80 countries — is reshaping itself into a modern snacking giant with iconic brands spanning M&M's, Snickers, Skittles, Pringles, Pop-Tarts, Cheez-It, and more. The conversation dives deep into how large food companies are navigating a radically different operating environment shaped by geopolitical volatility, inflation, climate pressures, AI disruption, and changing consumer behaviour. Adelman shares Mars' approach to resilience, reputation management, and long-term strategic planning in an era where business shocks arrive faster and harder than ever before. She also discusses why Mars continues investing heavily in North American manufacturing, including a recent $180 million investment across Ontario facilities. Michael and Jessica explore the transformative impact of AI across food retail and supply chains, from reducing food waste and optimizing logistics to enabling consumer discovery and personalization. They also examine how GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are changing eating habits, portion sizes, and snack consumption patterns — a growing issue every major food manufacturer is now monitoring closely. The interview also touches on sustainability, food system resilience, consumer affordability, and the evolving role of global brands in helping consumers balance value, convenience, nutrition, and enjoyment. Throughout the discussion, Adelman offers a thoughtful perspective on leadership, agility, and why companies must move beyond simply “playing the hits” to remain relevant in a rapidly changing marketplace. But first, Michael and Sylvain Charlebois tackle another packed week in food and agriculture news. The hosts debate Ontario's emerging “6% milk” trend, the accelerating adoption of GLP-1 drugs across Canada thanks to the launch of a generic pill format, and renewed calls (along with the history and original objectives) to overhaul Canada's confusing best-before date system to combat food waste and improve affordability. They also discuss food theft and organized crime concerns in grocery retail, mounting pressure on Atlantic Canada's oyster industry, mushroom trade tensions with the United States, the definition of food deserts in urban Canada, and the critical importance of grain infrastructure in Atlantic Canada and a world awash in Bourbon. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

This week on The Food Professor Podcast, recorded live from the West Coast, Syvain in Chilliwack, Michael in L.A., begin with a fast-moving roundup of the biggest food, grocery, and agriculture headlines shaping Canada. First, the hosts unpack Dunkin's return to Canada and debate where the iconic brand could fit in a market dominated by Tim Hortons and McDonald's. They also explore major developments in Canada's greenhouse sector, dairy production policy, and the growing demand for dairy proteins as producers respond to changing consumer habits. The conversation then turns to some of the most consequential policy issues impacting food prices and agriculture today, including climate science, industrial carbon pricing, Canadian counter-tariffs, and what new signals from the Bank of Canada could mean for grocery inflation, farm economics, and consumer affordability. Michael and Sylvain offer their unfiltered analysis on government policy, food security, and how unintended consequences continue to ripple across Canadian households. Then, the episode shifts into a compelling long-form interview with Kim Furlong, CEO of Retail Council of Canada. In one of her first major podcast interviews since assuming the role, Kim provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at the realities of modern retail in Canada. She discusses stepping into the leadership role previously held by industry icon Diane Brisebois, and explains why the grocery business remains one of the most misunderstood sectors in the country. Kim breaks down why Canadians often “see the shelf, but not the supply chain,” revealing the upstream pressures—from transportation and labour costs to energy prices and currency fluctuations—that shape food prices long before products ever reach store shelves. She also tackles some of retail's hottest issues, including algorithmic pricing, surveillance pricing concerns, the Grocery Code of Conduct, AI-driven supply chains, domestic sourcing, Buy Canadian momentum, and how retailers are preparing for a future defined by geopolitical disruption, economic volatility, and changing consumer expectations. We also hear about Michael's visit to Laurel Supply, a new bespoke grocery store in West Hollywood that could be the most beautiful grocery store in America, thanks to the amazing work of Kevin Kelley's Shook Kelley retail design firm. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Join us at 1440, June 11-13th, 2026: Click to learn moreIf you've been trying to figure out what's actually happening with our food system right now — what's rhetoric, what's real, and what you need to know, this is the episode you've been waiting for.Award winning food journalist, Helena Bottemiller Evich has covered food policy in Washington for over 15 years. She's the founder of the Food Fix newsletter and the host of the new podcast American Dish, and she has a rare gift: she can separate the noise from the action in a news cycle that makes both very hard to tell apart.For more resources related to today's episode, visit the podcast episode page: https://www.drmindypelz.com/ep339Connect with Helena Bottemiller-Evich:Sign up for Helena's newsletter: foodfix.coHelena's Instagram: @heleenabenaAmerican Dish Instagram: @americandishpodcastLinkedIn: Food Fix Co LinkedIn: Helena Bottemiller-EvichX: @foodfixcoX: @hbottemillerConnect with Dr. Mindy:Join Reset AcademyWatch the episodes on YouTubeFollow Dr. Mindy on InstagramSubscribe to Dr. Mindy's newsletterDisclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, fasting routine, or lifestyle.

The senior senator from the Garden State has taken a leading role on the food and ag issues that we care about at Forked. We were so excited that Cory Booker was our guest on this episode. Helena and Theodore get his take on what Democrats should be doing about food policy, whatever happened to the farm bill – and whether his party can grab food issues back from Republicans before the midterms.

n this latest episode of The Food Professor Podcast, recorded live inside the podcast fishbowl at SIAL Canada 2026 in Montreal, Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois welcome one of the most exciting entrepreneurs in Canadian food innovation: Santiago Stacey. Fresh off winning SIAL's prestigious Gold Innovation Award, Santiago shares the remarkable story behind Ku Na Na, creator of Canada's first plant-based banana milk made from 100% rescued, upcycled bananas. Born in Ecuador—the world's largest exporter of bananas—Santiago witnessed firsthand how millions of bananas are discarded simply for failing to meet cosmetic standards. That insight sparked a mission to create not just a beverage, but a better food system. Joined by innovation jury co-president  Isabelle Marquis, the conversation explores why Ku Na Na stood out among more than 320 entrants. From sustainability and nutrition to taste, convenience, and commercial viability, this product hits every major trend shaping the future of food. Santiago also reveals his expansion plans across Ontario, Quebec, and beyond, while sharing why banana milk could become the next major plant-based category. But first, Michael and Sylvain break down the week's biggest food and agriculture headlines. The hosts unpack Canada's push toward regulatory modernization and why reducing bureaucratic layering could be critical for food innovation, entrepreneurship, and national food security. They examine troubling new data on Canada's restaurant industry, with margin compression and closures accelerating in key markets like Ontario and Quebec. The conversation also dives into controversial moves by pharmacies in Quebec to pull energy drinks from shelves, AI-powered drive-thrus rolling out at Dairy Queen, and a deeply emotional discussion about dairy farmer mental health and the economic realities facing agricultural producers across North America. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/03/us/dairy-farm-butter-ridge-pennsylvania.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gVA.Xwqj.Qig6BXd4EEKQ&smid=url-share About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Show notes: (0:00) Intro (0:56) Ty Beal's personal path into nutrition (1:51) His core food philosophy (5:59) Eating out, seed oils, and fried foods (10:04) How the nutritional value score works (14:31) Animal vs. plant protein quality (16:39) How much protein most people need (23:33) Top nutrient-dense foods (29:58) Soy, hormones, and health myths (35:30) Simple steps to improve your diet (44:25) Diet soda, sweeteners, and better drink choices (47:11) Where to find and learn more about Ty (48:02) Outro Who is Ty Beal, PhD?   Ty Beal, PhD, is a nutrition scientist, Senior Technical Specialist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, and host of The Ty Beal Show. His work focuses on diet quality, micronutrients, food processing, animal-source foods, and how food choices affect human health. He leads food systems data and analytics work at GAIN and has advised major global organizations, including WHO, FAO, and UNICEF. Ty is known for making nutrition science clear, practical, and grounded in evidence. He has published more than 60 scientific papers and has been cited over 7,000 times, bringing deep research experience to conversations about healthy, sustainable diets. Connect with Ty: Website: https://tybeal.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tybeal X: https://x.com/TyBealPhD/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/tybealphd/ Tune in: https://tybeal.com/podcast/ Links and Resources: Peak Performance Life  Peak Performance on Facebook Peak Performance on Instagram

Broadcasting live from the vibrant show floor of the SIAL Food Innovation Show in Montreal, this episode of The Food Professor Podcast delivers a dynamic blend of industry insight, macroeconomic analysis, and a compelling first-ever deep dive into the fast-growing pet food sector. Our guest on this episode is Dylan Munro, Canadian-born COO and Co-Founder of Spot & Tango. Munro unpacks how the company is disrupting traditional pet food with its human-grade, vet-developed meals delivered via a direct-to-consumer subscription model. At the center of its innovation is FreshDry™ “UnKibble,” a product that bridges the gap between fresh and dry food—offering both nutritional integrity and convenience. With millions of meals already served in the U.S., Munro explains how the company is thoughtfully adapting its operations, logistics, and value proposition for Canadian pet parents—highlighting broader trends in premiumization, transparency, and health-conscious consumption across both human and pet food categories. In the news, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois pivot to the week's most pressing food and agriculture news. They begin with a wide-ranging macro discussion. Central banks, including the Bank of Canada and the Federal Reserve, are holding interest rates steady amid geopolitical volatility, including disruptions stemming from the Iran war and the blockages in the Strait of Hormuz. The hosts explore how these pressures ripple through global supply chains, commodity pricing, and ultimately food costs and will result in food inflation towards the top of the estimate band for 2026 of 6%. The conversation then turns to Canada's evolving fiscal strategy, including a spring fiscal update and debate over a potential sovereign wealth fund, drawing comparisons to the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund. They assess what this could mean for long-term agricultural investment and national food security. Data takes center stage with a discussion of the Canadian Food Sentiment Index from Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab, supported by Caddle. The hosts unpack key findings on consumer confidence, affordability concerns, and shifting perceptions of the food system. They also tackle the increasingly controversial topic of surveillance pricing—what it is, whether it exists in practice, and how regulators and retailers are responding to the political pressure. The episode wraps with a series of sharp, fast-moving stories: follow-up legal action by Quebec's maple syrup federation over alleged product adulteration, grassroots innovation from food banks experimenting with fresh produce, and the growing influence of creator-led food entrepreneurship—highlighted by a Montreal restaurateur hitting one million YouTube subscribers. The show closes on a celebratory note with the expansion of a local restaurant, reinforcing the resilience and creativity of Indie restaurants. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Guest: Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDNShow Notes:Food policy isn't abstract, it shapes what food costs, what's marketed, and what ends up on our plates. In this episode, we break down the biggest policies influencing America's diet (from subsidies to school meals), how policy can either fuel or prevent chronic disease, and why sustainability belongs in the conversation. Stay to the end for a practical playbook on how you can influence change locally, starting now.Guest Bio:Christina Badaracco works as a healthcare consultant, author, and thought leader, seeking to advance the role of nutrition in healthcare. She also regularly writes, teaches, and develops programs about nutrition, culinary medicine, and sustainable agriculture at both the local and national levels.Quote:“The way that we spend our dollars does have an influence on what food companies are making and what types of food businesses are actually able to operate.”Question of the Day:How do you see food policy affecting your own health or community?On This Episode You Will Learn:What food policy is and how it shapes food access, pricing, and marketingHow federal, state, and local policies influence what we grow, sell, and eatWhy U.S. food subsidies impact the rise of ultra-processed foodsHow policies can either increase or help prevent chronic diseases like diabetes and heart diseasePractical ways individuals can influence food policy in their own communitiesConnect with Yumlish!Yumlish Website: YumlishYumlish on Instagram: @yumlish_Yumlish on Facebook: YumlishYumlish on Twitter: @yumlish_Yumlish on LinkedIn: YumlishConnect with !Website URL: www.christinabadaracco.com Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/cbadarac/?hl=en LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-badaracco/ Other promos (books, publications, speeches, etc.) : https://islandpress.org/books/farm-bill#desc,   https://www.christinabadaracco.com/booksandcourses 

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Trinh Tham, CEO of the Kevito Group, operator of Chatime and Bake Code—two of Canada's fastest-growing quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands. Tham shares a compelling leadership journey spanning grocery retail, luxury fashion, and now high-growth foodservice, offering a masterclass in brand building, cultural authenticity, and scaling modern food concepts. Tham explains how her career—rooted in marketing, e-commerce, and digital merchandising at leading organizations like Sobeys and Harry Rosen—prepared her to lead in an entrepreneurial environment. She discusses the intentional pivot into a purpose-driven role aligned with her cultural heritage, helping bring globally inspired Asian beverage and bakery concepts into the Canadian mainstream. Under her leadership, Chatime has grown to over 100 locations, capitalizing on the explosive popularity of bubble tea—a category she describes as still early in its growth curve in Canada. A central theme is the balance between authenticity and localization. Tham outlines how Kevito adapts global food trends for Canadian consumers while preserving the cultural DNA that gives these brands credibility. She also breaks down the operational realities of scaling a franchise system, including managing costs, driving unit economics, and maintaining consistency—all while innovating with new products and experiences. Her perspective on building versus managing a business—and her emphasis on relationships, creativity, and disciplined execution—offers valuable insights for food entrepreneurs and retail leaders alike. Before the interview, the hosts unpack the week's food and agriculture news. Key topics include shifting consumer attitudes toward sustainability amid economic pressure, rising food inflation (still among the highest in the G7), and new data identifying Canada's most and least expensive cities for grocery shopping. The episode also dives into global trade tensions impacting agri-food, including beef pricing pressures, supply chain dynamics, and potential import strategies to ease consumer costs. Additional discussion touches on farmland policy, grocery labour disruptions, and the ongoing complexity of food affordability. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

¿Quién decide realmente cuánto vale un kilo de maíz? No es el agricultor, no es el centro de acopio, y tampoco es el gobierno. En este episodio de Podcast Agricultura descubrimos cómo se forman los precios de los granos desde adentro, con nombres, cifras y mecanismos que pocas veces se explican con esta claridad.Exploramos la diferencia entre el precio spot y el precio futuro, qué es el CBOT de Chicago y por qué sus reportes mensuales mueven mercados en cuestión de minutos. También entendemos el papel de China, el USDA y los fondos de inversión especulativos en la volatilidad que termina golpeando al productor en campo.El episodio conecta la geopolítica agrícola con la realidad del productor mexicano: por qué el maíz blanco no tiene mercado de futuros propio, cómo funciona la base y qué implica el tipo de cambio para quien vende en el mercado local.Si produces granos, los compras, o simplemente quieres entender por qué sube el precio de la tortilla, este episodio te da el mapa completo para leer el mercado sin depender de nadie más.Mercados de granos, precios agrícolas, futuros del maíz, CBOT, precio del maíz en México, volatilidad en commodities, soya, trigo, geopolítica agrícola, inflación alimentaria.Escucha Agricultura Profesional:https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZuOW2DhD7PK4SM33gtFWy?si=e33021063a114550--Créditos musicales:INTROMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-graham/53License code: 62TIV9S8Q1XCM65WOUTROMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: KUSUTAITXDLYUTHQ--Fuentes consultadas:FAO, OCDE. "OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032." OCDE Publishing. Incluye proyecciones de producción, consumo y comercio internacional de granos, con datos históricos de precios.USDA Economic Research Service. "Feed Grains: Yearbook Tables." Datos actualizados de producción, inventarios y comercio de maíz y otros granos. Disponible en ers.usda.gov.Tadesse, G., et al. "Drivers and Triggers of International Food Price Spikes and Volatility." Food Policy, 2016. Análisis académico sobre los factores detrás de los picos de precios en mercados de granos, incluyendo el rol de la especulación financiera.SAGARPA/SADER. "Panorama agroalimentario: Maíz 2022." Servicio de Información Agroalimentaria y Pesquera (SIAP). Datos de producción, importación y consumo de maíz en México.Clapp, Jennifer. "Financialization, Distance and Global Food Politics." Journal of Peasant Studies, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2014. Análisis sobre la influencia de los mercados financieros en los precios de los commodities agrícolas y sus implicaciones para la seguridad alimentaria global.

What does it take to build a stronger, more resilient food system? In this episode we speak with Nessa Richman, executive director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council about how the Council is bringing diverse stakeholders together to tackle complex food challenges, from farmers and fishers to public health leaders and policymakers.  Nessa will explain how the council creates space for collaboration across the food system, helping break down silos and align efforts around shared goals like food access, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability. Through convenings, education programs, and coordinated advocacy, the council is driving more equitable and community-informed food policy.Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for State Governments | ASTHOSustaining Accreditation: How Montana and Southern Nevada Are Building Resilient Public Health Infrastructure for the Long Term | ASTHOA Guide for Sustainable Public Health Accreditation | ASTHOHow States Can Prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences Through Stability, Safety, and Support | ASTHOUtilizing Partnerships, Data, and Messaging to Prevent ACEs | ASTHOAdverse Childhood Experiences | ASTHO

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois welcome back to the mic Michael Graydon, CEO of Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP), for a timely and wide-ranging conversation on the state of Canada's food manufacturing sector, regulatory pressures, and the future of food policy. Graydon delivers a candid assessment of an industry at a crossroads. While large-scale manufacturers like Coca-Cola, McCain, and Kraft Heinz are doubling down on Canada with major capital investments, small and medium-sized food producers—over 5,000 across the country—are facing mounting challenges. From limited access to capital and increasing regulatory burdens to retail consolidation and “pay-to-play” shelf dynamics, the pressure on emerging brands is intensifying. A central theme of the discussion is regulation. Graydon outlines how Canada's regulatory environment—estimated to cost the industry billions annually—has become a structural barrier to innovation and competitiveness. He calls for urgent modernization and the reduction of red tape, warning that without meaningful reform, Canada risks falling behind global peers. The conversation also explores trade uncertainty, including the potential implications of a renegotiated or disrupted North American trade framework. With deeply integrated supply chains across Canada and the U.S., food manufacturers are navigating volatility while delaying investment decisions amid policy ambiguity. Graydon also shares insights on the Grocery Code of Conduct, emphasizing its importance in stabilizing relationships between retailers and manufacturers. While not a direct solution to food affordability, he positions the code as a critical mechanism for restoring balance, fostering collaboration, and enabling long-term innovation across the food ecosystem. Beyond the interview, the episode opens with a robust discussion on the latest food and agriculture news shaping Canada. Topics include government policy shifts with the new Liberal majority, the amazing innovative work of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, positive fuel tax implications, food price dynamics, supply chain developments, and the growing divide in Canada's “K-shaped economy,” where rising demand from higher-income consumers continues to put pressure on affordability for others.  We end by celebrating a key role in restaurants, a Vancouver restaurant that epitomizes the bespoke tin seafood TikTok trend (Como Taperia), and former NFL star Laurent Duvernay-Tardif purchasing a Montreal bakery. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

The government is finally catching up to what biohackers have known for decades, and the man helping lead that charge just sat down with Host Dave Asprey to talk longevity science, aging biomarkers, dietary overhaul, AI in medicine, and what a real science-first health agenda actually looks like. Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR Jim O'Neill served as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Acting Director of the CDC before being nominated to lead the National Science Foundation in March 2026. Before entering government, he was CEO of SENS Research Foundation, where he led cutting-edge regenerative medicine research targeting mitochondrial mutations, senescent cells, and neocortex rejuvenation. He is a 30-year veteran of health care reform and a genuine longevity insider. Dave and Jim cover the complete rewrite of federal dietary guidelines, the government's new randomized controlled trials on saturated fats, and why grains are no longer the core of a "balanced diet." They dig into a 144 million dollar ARPA H program to establish causal aging biomarkers that will unlock real anti-aging drug development and accelerate the kind of longevity research the SENS Foundation pioneered. Jim explains why current aging clocks and DNA methylation markers are not enough, and what comes next for functional medicine, sleep optimization, and metabolism research. They also break down the CDC's return to its infectious disease core, the future of AI in health care, wearable data for disease surveillance, organ bioprinting, GLP-1s, supplements like vitamin D, peptides, and the right to self-experiment. You will learn: Why the new federal dietary guidelines finally reject grain-centric nutrition and validate what the biohacking world has argued for 25 years How a 144 million dollar government program aims to build the causal biomarkers that will make real anti-aging and longevity drug development possible What Jim thinks about DNA methylation clocks and why better tools are needed to measure aging and human performance How AI is reshaping prescription refills, clinical decision support, Medicare reimbursement, and the future of functional medicine Why Jim wears an Oura Ring and uses sleep optimization data to make daily health decisions The government's evolving stance on peptides, supplements, and therapies that are not patent protected How organ bioprinting using a patient's own cells could solve the organ shortage crisis What real science replication looks like and why the government is now funding it What the CDC is doing to refocus on infectious disease while shedding mission creep How GLP-1s, fitness tracking, and updated nutrition strategies could significantly cut national obesity rates within five years Thank you to our sponsors! - Neuronic | Go to www.neuronic.online Code DAVE for $100 off - iRestore | Reverse hair loss with www.irestore.com/DAVE and get exclusive savings on the iRestore Elite, use code DAVE - Go to timeline.com/dave and save 20% with code DAVE20 - Superstratum Labs | Get Dave's exact home mold detox kit and save 10% at superstratumlabs.com/products/dave Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: Jim O'Neill, CDC, HHS, dietary guidelines, saturated fat, aging biomarkers, ARPA H, SENS Research Foundation, longevity, anti-aging, senescent cells, mitochondria, DNA methylation, sleep optimization, Oura Ring, AI healthcare, organ bioprinting, GLP-1, peptides, vitamin D, supplements, functional medicine, biohacking, Dave Asprey, human performance, metabolism Resources: • Learn more at: https://www.hhs.gov/ • Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/ • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Trailer 01:15 – Dietary Guidelines Overhaul 06:48 – Misinformation & Scientific Integrity 10:26 – Longevity vs. Chronic Disease 13:03 – Aging Biomarkers & ARPA-H 14:31 – CDC's Refocus on Infectious Disease 16:55 – Alternative Therapies & Biohacking 19:21 – Health Trackers & Privacy 22:27 – AI in Healthcare 24:01 – Diet, Supplements & School Meals 27:31 – Food Safety, Pesticides & Peptides See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kansas Wheat Rust for 2026 Flinchbaugh Center: U.S. Biofuels Managing Ticks, Chiggers and Mosquitoes   00:01:05 – Kansas Wheat Rust for 2026: K-State wheat pathologist, Kelsey Andersen Onofre, starts the show as she explains the likelihood of stripe, leaf and stem rust in Kansas this year. Wheat Rust Outlook and Reminders for the 2026 Season   00:12:05 – Flinchbaugh Center: U.S. Biofuels: The show continues with part of a Clearing the Air podcast episode from the Barry Flinchbaugh Center for Ag and Food Policy as Jenny Ifft, Mark Edelman and Scott Irwin discuss biofuels in the U.S. Full Podcast Episode   00:23:05 – Managing Ticks, Chiggers and Mosquitoes: Raymond Cloyd, K-State horticultural entomologist, ends the show saying personal protection and eliminating breeding sites can help prepare for encounters with ticks, chiggers and mosquitoes.     Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.   Agriculture Today is a daily program featuring Kansas State University agricultural specialists and other experts examining ag issues facing Kansas and the nation. It is hosted by Shelby Varner and distributed to radio stations throughout Kansas and as a daily podcast.   K‑State Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit Extension.ksu.edu. K-State Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Stéphane Thuillier, CEO of SIAL Canada, for an in-depth conversation on the future of food innovation, global trade shows, and Canada's expanding influence in the international food ecosystem. Thuillier shares his global perspective from leading one of the world's most important food exhibition networks, with SIAL events spanning countries including France, China, India, and Canada. He explains why Canada is emerging as a high-growth market for food innovation and how SIAL Canada is breaking attendance and exhibitor records in 2026. The discussion explores the enduring value of in-person trade shows in a post-pandemic world, highlighting the limits of digital-only engagement and the importance of physical product discovery, relationship-building, and real-time collaboration. The conversation also dives into key food trends shaping the industry, including the rise of “buy Canadian,” demand for affordable and private label products, the growth of functional and health-focused foods, and the increasing importance of multicultural offerings reflecting Canada's diverse population. Thuillier also provides practical advice for entrepreneurs and attendees on how to maximize their trade show experience—balancing structured meetings with open exploration to uncover unexpected opportunities. First, the episode opens with the food and agriculture news of the week, where Michael and Sylvain analyze the ongoing geopolitical tensions impacting global food supply chains, particularly the volatility in energy markets and fertilizer access linked to the Strait of Hormuz . They discuss how uncertainty is driving cost inflation across the food system, from farming to retail. The hosts also examine a major food fraud case involving adulterated maple syrup in Quebec, raising concerns about oversight and trust in Canada's food system. In addition, they break down new research on Health Canada's front-of-pack labelling, revealing early evidence that the policy is influencing consumer behaviour—particularly among Gen Z shoppers About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

What does it really take to run one of Canada's largest western grocery enterprises — and what does the future of food retail actually look like from the inside? This week on the Food Professor Podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Professor Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Jamie Nelson, President of Pattison Food Group, for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on grocery economics, consumer behaviour, supply chain complexity, AI adoption, and the evolving Buy Canadian movement. Nelson joined the grocery business as a retail clerk in Mission, BC in 1979 and never looked back. Today he leads Pattison Food Group — the organization he describes as "the biggest of the mids" — with nearly 30,000 employees, over 308 retail locations, and 11 banners stretching from Victoria to Whitehorse to Winnipeg, including the flagship Save On Foods brand. He opens up about what Canadians don't understand about the true cost of running a grocery store: diesel prices, labour agreements, rising property taxes, construction costs, and security — all of which squeeze margins that consumers rarely see. On consumer trends, Nelson sees a fundamental shift underway. Today's shoppers are demanding more control, seeking cleaner ingredients, locally sourced products, and genuine innovation — not just another new flavour in a 90-foot cereal aisle. He shares how Pattison's private label Western Family and their new natural and organic line, Only Goodness (now at 500 SKUs), are helping differentiate the business and meet this demand head-on. Nelson also offers a measured, pragmatic take on AI in grocery — welcoming the opportunity but urging caution on investment, noting that rushing in can raise costs rather than reduce them. On supply chains, he speaks from hard-won experience: forecasting product orders three months out, managing natural disasters, and ensuring that small-town independents served by Pattison's wholesale arm never face a food security gap. Then the hosts dig into the food industry news of the week. They unpack the NDP's proposal for government-run grocery stores under new leader Avi Lewis — debating whether publicly owned grocery is feasible, and whether co-ops might be a smarter alternative. They analyze the massive McCormick-Unilever Foods merger, creating a $65 billion CPG giant, and what it means for competition and consumer prices. They discuss Sysco's $29 billion acquisition of Restaurant Depot, the rise of cash-and-carry retail, and the growing threat to traditional food distribution. And they wrap up with Alberta's move to create a protected "Alberta Whisky" designation — and what geographic branding could mean for Canadian food and beverage innovation. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois lead with a fascinating interview featuring Rob Kelly, Chief Commercial Officer at IKEA Canada. Kelly, a 35-year veteran of the company, explains how IKEA—best known as the world's largest furniture retailer—has become a powerful force in food culture and consumer insight. IKEA's newly released global food habits study, conducted with over 30,000 participants across 31 countries, including Canada, takes center stage in the discussion. The findings reveal shifting consumer behaviours: only 38% of Canadians regularly eat at a dining table, 27% eat on the sofa, and a striking 94% use screens during meals. The study also highlights economic pressures, with one in four Canadians admitting to eating food past its best-before date. These insights reinforce IKEA's focus on “life at home,” where food shapes everyday experiences. Kelly also provides a behind-the-scenes look at IKEA's food business, which is far more significant than many realize. IKEA Canada alone sells over 70 million meatballs annually, making food one of the brand's most powerful traffic drivers. The company is evolving its offering with new “round food” innovations such as plant-based balls and cod balls, as well as globally inspired menu items, while balancing Swedish heritage with locally sourced Canadian ingredients. Sustainability, affordability, and customer experience remain core to IKEA's food strategy. Before the interview segment, the hosts break down the latest food and agriculture news shaping the industry. Rising fuel prices linked to geopolitical tensions are already impacting transportation costs, with companies like DoorDash proactively supporting drivers—costs that are expected to flow through to consumers quickly. In Canada, Manitoba's move to eliminate provincial sales tax on groceries signals a bold policy shift aimed at improving affordability, particularly for vulnerable households. The episode also highlights positive momentum in Canadian food manufacturing, including a $250 million investment by Kraft Heinz in its Montreal facility, alongside broader industry consolidation trends such as potential acquisitions in the global CPG sector. Additional discussion explores export opportunities for Canadian dairy and value-added products to China, as well as the challenges facing vertical farming due to high capital costs.   Ikea Canadian Top 10 Highlights in the Cooking & Eating Report:     About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois tackle the biggest forces shaping Canada's food economy—from rising grocery prices and global conflict to policy debates and shifting consumer behaviour. The episode opens with a deep dive into the latest food and agriculture news. The hosts unpack the escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran and their ripple effects on oil markets, fertilizer supply, and global food prices. While commodity increases remain moderate for now, the risk of further inflation looms as supply chain disruptions and higher input costs begin to cascade through the system. The conversation then turns to Canadian affordability. Despite wage growth of over 4%, food prices—particularly meat—continue to outpace income gains, leaving consumers feeling financially squeezed. Beef prices are up significantly, with chicken and pork also climbing, reinforcing the ongoing pressure at the grocery store. Michael and Sylvain also explore and respond to claims about the contentious carbon tax's impact on food prices, challenging the claim that it has minimal impact on food prices. Sylvain argues that indirect costs across transportation, packaging, and inputs create a ripple effect throughout the supply chain. Additional discussions include government policy decisions, temporary foreign worker adjustments for agriculture, and growing consumer frustration with tipping culture, as new data suggests many Canadians want fundamental change. The episode also touches on cultural and consumer trends—from ethical debates around lobster preparation to emerging food concepts like specialty butter shops—before closing the news segment with a tribute to a Canadian restaurant industry icon. The second half of the episode features a compelling interview with Brent Cator, President & Owner of Cardinal Meats, as the company celebrates 60 years in business and over a century of family legacy in the meat industry. Brent shares how Cardinal Meats has evolved into a national leader in protein innovation, supplying retail, foodservice, and industrial customers across Canada. He highlights the company's commitment to innovation, including pioneering commercial-scale sous-vide cooking, developing natural-textured burgers, and introducing advanced DNA testing for food safety. A major focus of the discussion is Cardinal's leadership in food safety and its role in shaping industry-wide standards in collaboration with regulators and academic institutions. Brent explains how trust, consistency, and customer-driven innovation have been key to long-term success. The conversation also explores sourcing strategies, including balancing Canadian and global supply to achieve quality and consistency, as well as the company's early leadership in plant-based proteins. Looking ahead, Brent offers insights into the future of food production, noting that while automation and AI will enhance logistics and decision-making, human expertise will remain critical in manufacturing. We wrap with the latest TikTok trend of making butter while running, and dedicate the episode to Edward Pottinger, co-founder of the landmark Caribbean restaurant The Real Jerk, who passed away last week. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Cooper Sleeman, from John Sleeman & Sons Company's Spring Mill Distillery, to explore how one of Canada's most recognizable brewing families is redefining the country's craft spirits landscape. Cooper shares the remarkable story behind Spring Mill Distillery and how the Sleeman family's brewing legacy—dating back nearly two centuries—ultimately inspired the launch of a new whisky-focused venture in Ontario. After Sleeman Breweries was acquired by Sapporo, Cooper and his father began exploring the possibility of building a Canadian distillery capable of producing world-class spirits traditionally associated with other countries. Their vision was ambitious: to produce bourbon-style whiskey, single malt, Irish-style blends, and Canadian rye entirely in Canada, using domestic grains and craftsmanship. During the conversation, Cooper explains how Spring Mill Distillery differentiates itself in a competitive spirits market. The distillery focuses on premium production methods, including Canadian grains, handcrafted barrels, and traditional distillation equipment sourced from Scotland. One standout product—Cooper's Rye—uses Canadian rye aged in barrels crafted by Cooper's own brother, a trained cooper, making it a uniquely Canadian whisky from grain to glass. Beyond the interview, Michael and Sylvain begin the episode with their food and agriculture news roundup. The hosts analyze global developments affecting the food supply chain, including volatility in oil markets linked to the Iran war, fertilizer costs impacting farmers during planting season, and the potential knock-on effects on food prices for Canadian consumers. They also discuss industry topics, ranging from restaurant trends spotted at the Restaurants Canada show to those experienced firsthand on their Toronto pizza crawl, which ended at the fabulous Bar Sugo, and Sylvain's visit with the President of McDonald's Canada. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Evie Dallmann chats with College of Design PhD student, Erin White, about his research and practice in integrated food systems and policy design in North Carolina. He emphasizes the importance of working at a regional level across multiple counties in North Carolina to connect urban and rural food production and consumption ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois begin with their weekly conversation on the latest food and agriculture news shaping the global agri-food economy. The discussion covers geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the potential ripple effects on energy prices, transportation costs, and food inflation. The hosts explore how rising fuel prices could impact the cost of food production and distribution and how much money already strapped Canadians have to spend on food, while also discussing broader global trade implications for agriculture.  And maybe, just maybe, the upside to the war in Iran.  They also talk about the social media CEO burger-bit war between McDonalds and Burger King, and of course A&W! The episode also examines Canada's evolving international relationships, including new diplomatic and trade developments involving India and Australia, India being a critical growth market for Canadian agricultural exports. LeBlanc and Charlebois discuss the importance of pulses, grains, and other agri-food commodities in strengthening Canada's role as a global food supplier. They also look at new interprovincial agreements that could expand alcohol trade between Ontario and Nova Scotia, highlighting the potential for Nova Scotia's amazing wine and beverage producers to reach new domestic markets. The hosts round out the news segment with commentary on front-of-package nutrition labelling research and how such policies may influence consumer behaviour and long-term public health outcomes.  The conversation then shifts to an in-depth interview with Gavin Schneider, CEO and Co-Founder of Maia Farms, a Vancouver-based food technology company developing sustainable mushroom and mycelium-based protein ingredients. Schneider explains how Maia Farms originated from the Canadian Space Agency's Deep Space Food Challenge, which aimed to develop food production systems for future space missions. What began as a solution for astronauts has since evolved into a rapidly growing food innovation company focused on improving everyday food products on Earth. Schneider describes how Maia Farms operates primarily as a B2B ingredient supplier, partnering with food manufacturers to integrate mushroom-based ingredients into a wide range of products. These ingredients can replace or complement traditional proteins such as soy, pea, or meat while improving taste, texture, and nutritional value. The company's mushroom-based proteins are already being used in ready-to-eat meals, soups, snacks, and other packaged foods. A key differentiator for Maia Farms is its scalable distributed manufacturing model, which allows the company to partner with production facilities across North America rather than building capital-intensive factories. This strategy has enabled Maia Farms to scale quickly while remaining capital efficient. Schneider also discusses the emerging concept of balanced protein, blending mushroom ingredients with animal proteins to enhance flavour, nutrition, and sustainability while maintaining consumer familiarity. As the global food system seeks new ways to feed a growing population, Maia Farms believes mushrooms and fermentation-based proteins will play an increasingly important role. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

A native of Albany, New York, Dr. Alex Ford is one of the few clinicians in the country who is both a Board-Certified Family Physician and a Registered Dietitian. After serving as Chief Resident at the Cleveland Clinic, he returned home to revolutionize how we think about 'food as medicine.'He is the co-founder of Neotrition Brands, the Director of Medical Education for 4th Family Inc., and the recipient of the prestigious 2025 CDPHP Top Doctors Peabody Award for his exceptional commitment to patient care. Whether he's mentoring local athletes or helping patients reverse chronic disease through lifestyle intervention, Dr. Ford is at the forefront of the proactive health movement.Sponsors:Bombas offers a wide variety of sock lengths, colors, and patterns that have you covered whether you're working out, going out, or lounging at home. If you want to upgrade your sock game to one that's more comfortable, durable, fashionable, and charitable, head over to⁠ ⁠Bombas⁠⁠ to browse their full collection of everyday wear and don't forget to use code CDSF20 for 20% off your first order.ANCORE: Named the best portable cable machine by Men's Health Home Gym Awards. Head over to⁠ ⁠ancoretraining.com/cdsf10⁠⁠ and use promo code CDSF10 for $50 off your order today.By combining the most potent organic nootropics found in nature, Drink Alchemy delivers sustainable boosts to creativity, memory, energy, & focus in one epic beverage. Enjoy the benefits of real ingredients, natural nootropics, and live with your Mind Unbound by going to⁠ ⁠drinkalchemy.co⁠⁠ and use code CDSF at checkout for 10% off your order today.Thorne vitamins and supplements are made without compromise: quality ingredients ensure your body optimally absorbs and digests your daily supplements, while in-house and third-party testing ensure you're getting exactly what you paid for. Thorne's selection of high-quality supplements can help improve your quality of life. Switch to Thorne's high-quality and extensively tested supplements today at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠thorne.com/u/CDSF⁠⁠.Marc Pro. Marc Pro is an electric muscle stimulator that focuses on improving recovery through its patented technology. Unlike a traditional TENS unit, the Marc Pro doesn't just mask your pain, it improves circulation, flushes lymphatic waste, reduces soreness and fatigue, and prevents overuse injuries – leading to improved performance in the gym and on the field. Start taking your recovery to the next level. Head over to⁠ Marc Pro⁠ and use code CDSF for 10% off your Marc Pro, Marc Pro Plus, or Boost Pro Massage gun.Intro/outro music:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠freebeats.io/⁠⁠ (prod. White Hot)

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Robert Carter, President of the Coffee Association of Canada and Managing Partner at StrattonHunter Group, for an in-depth look at Canada's coffee and restaurant industries at a moment of significant disruption. Carter explains why coffee remains Canada's most consumed beverage and a cornerstone of daily life, yet the industry is under intense pressure. Record-high green bean futures, climate volatility in producing nations, commodity speculation, and persistent U.S. tariffs — notably outside CUSMA protections — are reshaping the economics of roasting and exporting. Carter details how tariff exposure is impacting Canadian processors, forcing operational shifts, and creating uncertainty across North American trade. The conversation expands into restaurant profitability, where rising input costs, labour pressures, rent, and delivery platform commissions are compressing margins. With nearly 30% of sales flowing through off-premise channels, operators must rethink strategy. Carter outlines how AI and data-driven tools are becoming essential for pricing optimization, operational audits, consumer insights, and long-term competitiveness. Restaurants that invest in AI readiness today, he argues, will outperform tomorrow. In the news segment, the hosts unpack the U.S.. Supreme Court's tariff ruling and continued trade uncertainty affecting Canadian agriculture, along with debate surrounding glyphosate, precision agriculture, and regulatory risk. They also analyze grocery concentration trends, declining supermarket density per capita, and Costco's accelerating Canadian expansion. The episode closes on restaurant innovation and cultural momentum. The arrival of Eggslut in Toronto signals continued appetite for experiential fast-casual concepts. Bobby Flay's expansion into Canada underscores global chef brands' confidence in the market. And Canadian entrepreneur Charlotte Langley's Nice Cans sardines earning international acclaim highlights the premiumization of seafood and the growing power of differentiated food brands. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

In this special “Year of the Fire Horse” episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois deliver a wide-ranging and unfiltered analysis of the forces reshaping Canada's food economy — from stubborn food inflation to AI-powered grocery shopping, trade diplomacy, restaurant distress, and the surprising fall in cocoa and coffee prices.The episode opens with a deep dive into Canada's alarming 7.3% food inflation rate — the highest among G7 nations. Stripping out the temporary GST holiday effect, inflation still lands north of 6%, raising serious structural concerns about Canada's food supply chain. Sylvain outlines the real drivers: interprovincial trade barriers, industrial carbon taxes, logistics inefficiencies, supply management constraints, and geopolitical disruptions. The hosts challenge mainstream narratives and examine whether policy decisions — not just global pressures — are exacerbating affordability challenges.Shifting to trade, the duo assess Canada's renewed engagement with Mexico, highlighting opportunities for agricultural exports, food manufacturing expansion, and supply chain diversification under CUSMA. With U.S. agricultural groups openly supporting the trade agreement, the geopolitical chessboard around North American food trade is heating up.On the business front, Coca-Cola's $141 million expansion in Brampton underscores the importance of food processing capacity in driving economic resilience. Meanwhile, Diageo's Ontario investment announcement sparks debate about political optics versus substantive impact.Technology also takes center stage as Loblaw's integration with OpenAI signals the beginning of visible AI deployment in Canadian food retail. Michael explores how AI will disrupt food discovery, loyalty programs, and consumer personalization — while Sylvain raises concerns about algorithmic pricing, consumer trust, and the moral contract between grocers and shoppers.There's relief on the horizon: cocoa and coffee commodity prices are falling sharply from record highs, potentially translating into lower consumer prices later in 2026.The episode closes with sobering data from Restaurants Canada: 44% of restaurants are operating at break-even or loss levels — a stark reminder of how fragile Canada's foodservice sector remains. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Episode Summary What if the global food system isn't "broken" in the way sustainability debates usually claim, and treating it that way leads to worse decisions?   Paul Shapiro sits down with Jan Dutkiewicz and Gabriel Rosenberg, authors of Feed the People, to unpack how industrial scale and trade created unprecedented food abundance, why "eat local" and small-farm nostalgia collapses at 8 billion people, and what practical policy levers can improve outcomes without fantasy. They explore a clear framework, more food, less feed, no fuel, why animal agriculture remains an inefficient use of land and protein, and how public policy can reshape meat demand by changing incentives instead of accepting forecasts as fate.   You'll leave with sharper systems thinking, grounded tradeoffs, and a clearer view of what scalable food system decarbonization can actually look like.   Things You Will Learn How to evaluate food system claims using systems logic instead of slogans. Why meat demand rises, and how policy can bend the curve without moralizing. What "more food, less feed, no fuel" implies for land use, emissions, and investment priorities.   Tools & Frameworks Covered More food, less feed, no fuel. Prioritizes crops for human food over animal feed and biofuels. Incentives over narratives. Shows how policy choices shape production, prices, and demand. Democratic hedonism. Meets people where they are, then reduces harm at scale.   #BusinessForGood #SustainableBusiness #FutureOfFood #AlternativeProtein #FoodSystemDecarbonization

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes dietitian Jenny Lo from Wellness and Sports Dietetics to discuss the recently revised dietary guidelines for Americans. They discuss what's changed, the emphasis on protein, the ambiguity over ultraprocessed foods, and the best advice she gives to new clients looking to make dietary changes. Related Articles:Panel behind new dietary guidelines had financial ties to beef, dairy industries (Stat News)Experts Who Advised on Diet Guidelines Say RFK Jr.'s Version Is Full of Errors (MedPage Today)A Multilayered Public Policy Approach To Ultraprocessed Foods (Health Affairs Forefront)MAHA says its new food pyramid is affordable and healthy. We asked experts (Stat News)

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois deliver a wide-ranging discussion that spans Canadian agricultural investment, dairy transparency, food trade infrastructure, and seafood sustainability—before welcoming Jason McLinton, President of the Fisheries Council of Canada, for an in-depth conversation on the future of Canada's wild capture seafood industry.The episode opens with analysis of major developments shaping Canadian agri-food policy. Sylvain reflects on Canadian Ag Day  spent in Saskatoon and the newly announced $5 billion investment coalition led by Farm Credit Canada, designed to mobilize private capital into agriculture and agri-food innovation. The hosts debate whether this signals a meaningful shift toward private-sector leadership in food production. They also tackle dairy sector transparency, highlighting new data showing that 4.9% of collected milk is being rejected or “skimmed,” raising renewed concerns around supply management efficiency and food affordability.Trade infrastructure also takes center stage, with discussion of the Gordie Howe International Bridge and its implications for cross-border agri-food movement. As geopolitical tensions evolve, the hosts examine how Canadian consumers and producers are reacting to U.S. trade volatility and what it means for domestic competitiveness.The second half of the episode features Jason McLinton, who outlines why Canada's seafood sector—representing more than $9 billion in economic activity—is both economically vital and culturally foundational. McLinton explains how Canada consistently ranks among the top five most sustainable seafood producers globally, reinforcing its reputation as a premium, trusted source in international markets.The conversation explores Canada's export-heavy seafood model, noting that more than $8 billion of production is shipped abroad annually. McLinton highlights the strategic importance of maintaining tariff-free access to key markets such as China and the United States, while continuing to expand into the Indo-Pacific and other high-growth regions.He also addresses regulatory uncertainty, marine conservation policy, access to fisheries resources, and the need for science-based decision-making. With climate adaptation, sustainability technology, and global market diversification top of mind, McLinton shares his strategic priorities for strengthening Canada's blue economy while protecting coastal communities. About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois deliver a wide-ranging discussion that connects Canadian food policy, trade risk, pricing power, and the accelerating role of AI in restaurants. The episode is anchored by a forward-looking interview with Deborah Matteliano Simeoni, Global Head of Restaurants at Amazon Web Services (AWS), recorded live at the NRF Big Show in New York.The first half of the episode focuses on the state of Canadian agriculture and food affordability. Sylvain shares firsthand insights from meetings with farmers across the Prairies, highlighting cautious optimism around renewed beef access to China alongside deep concern about U.S. trade policy and the durability of CUSMA. The hosts debate the federal government's grocery rebate program, questioning its long-term fiscal impact and contrasting it with a structural alternative: removing GST on food and foodservice to address affordability more directly.A key political and policy thread centers on Mark Wiseman, Canada's incoming Ambassador to the United States. Michael and Sylvain discuss Wiseman's previously published criticism of supply management, exploring whether his appointment signals potential pressure on the system during future Canada–U.S. trade negotiations—and whether Ottawa may ultimately position reforms as externally forced rather than domestically driven. The conversation situates supply management within broader competitiveness, trade credibility, and agri-food resilience debates.The hosts also examine PepsiCo's high-profile U.S. snack price reductions, questioning whether the move reflects margin recalibration, competitive signaling, or Super Bowl-era marketing—and why those cuts do not apply to Canada. Additional topics include the quiet disappearance of frozen orange juice concentrate, the continued normalization of food delivery, and why physical restaurants still matter as legitimizing anchors for digital-first and delivery-led food brands.The second half features an in-depth conversation with Deborah Matteliano Simeoni, who reframes AI not as an end goal, but as a tool for solving real restaurant challenges. Drawing on her experience launching Uber Eats and now advising global QSR brands at AWS, she explains how AI is improving drive-through accuracy, enhancing employee satisfaction, and enabling sophisticated personalization within loyalty ecosystems. Deborah emphasizes experimentation, data-driven learning, and customer-centric design as essential to scaling technology responsibly.Lastly we celebrate the Lobster Lady, still fishing at 101, leaving the earth at 103: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/business/virginia-oliver-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.J1A.q_7X.15lWPrsTltE7&smid=url-share About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

Impact of Weather on Weeds and Wheat Flinchbaugh Center: Agricultural Economy Ready for Garden Planting   00:01:05 – Impact of Weather on Weeds and Wheat: Starting off the show is Chip Redmond, Sarah Lancaster, and Kelsey Andersen Onofre as they chat about how the previous above average temperatures and now cold temperatures have impacted impact weeds and wheat.    00:12:05 – Flinchbaugh Center: Agricultural Economy: Part of the Flinchbaugh Center for Ag and Food Policy's podcast continues today's show as Jenny Ifft, Brad Lubben, Joe Glauber and Eric Atkinson talk about the current state of the agricultural economy. Full Podcast Episode Smoke & Mirrors: Ag Policy Unfiltered - Apple Podcasts   00:23:05 – Ready for Garden Planting: K-State Extension agent for Riley County, Gregg Eyestone, ends the show discussing things gardeners can do now to get ready for planting this spring.      Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.   Agriculture Today is a daily program featuring Kansas State University agricultural specialists and other experts examining ag issues facing Kansas and the nation. It is hosted by Shelby Varner and distributed to radio stations throughout Kansas and as a daily podcast.   K‑State Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Lianna Levine Reisner, MSOD, is building a multicultural movement for health as President and Network Director of Plant Powered Metro New York, an organization she co-founded in 2019 to empower local communities to prevent and reverse chronic disease through evidence-based, plant-based nutrition. To address her family's health challenges, Lianna had been searching for clear, evidence-based nutritional guidelines that made sense for her family. The writings of T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and his colleagues made a compelling case for whole food, plant-based nutrition, helping her to lose 20% of her body weight, reverse endometriosis and hormonal imbalances, and heavily reduce her allergies and skin issues, among many other benefits. Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center honored Lianna as a 40 Under 40 Rising Star in Food Policy in 2022. Lianna holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell, and she is a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator through Main Street Vegan Academy. She is also a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. With a Master's from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management, Lianna previously worked as an independent coach and consultant serving UJA-Federation of New York, providing organizational change support to Jewish nonprofit organizations in the New York metropolitan area. She lives in the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband and three children.

Do you ever wonder whether your grocery store cares about whether you have a healthy diet? Every time we shop or read advertisement flyers, food retailers influence our diets through product offerings, pricings, promotions, and of course store design. Think of the candy at the checkout counters. When I walk into my Costco, over on the right there's this wall of all these things they would like me to buy and I'm sure it's all done very intentionally. And so, if we're so influenced by these things, is it in our interest? Today we're going to discuss a report card of sorts for food retailers and the big ones - Walmart, Kroger, Ahold Delhaize USA, which is a very large holding company that has a variety of supermarket chains. And this is all about an index produced by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi), a global foundation challenging the food industry investors and policy makers to shape a healthier food system. The US Retail Assessment 2025 Report evaluates how these three businesses influence your access to nutritious and affordable foods through their policies, commitments, and actual performance. The Access to Nutrition Initiatives' director of Policy and Communications, Katherine Pittore is here with us to discuss the report's findings. We'll also speak with Eva Greenthal, who oversees the Center for Science in the Public Interest's Federal Food Labeling work.   Interview Transcript Access ATNi's 2025 Assessment Report for the US and other countries here: Retail https://accesstonutrition.org/index/retail-assessment-2025/ Let's start with an introduction to your organizations. This will help ground our listeners in the work that you've done, some of which we've spoken about on our podcast. Kat, let's begin with you and the Access to Nutrition Initiative. Can you tell us a bit about the organization and what work it does? Kat Pittore - Thank you. So, the Access to Nutrition Initiative is a global foundation actively challenging the food industry, investors, and policymakers to shape healthier food systems. We try to collect data and then use it to rank companies. For the most part, we've done companies, the largest food and beverage companies, think about PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and looking are they committed to proving the healthiness of their product portfolios. Do the companies themselves have policies? For example, maternity leave. And these are the policies that are relevant for their entire workforce. So, from people working in their factories all the way up through their corporate areas. And looking at the largest companies, can these companies increase access to healthier, more nutritious foods. One of the critical questions that we get asked, and I think Kelly, you've had some really interesting guests also talking about can corporations actually do something. Are corporations really the problem? At ATNi, we try to take a nuanced stance on this saying that these corporations produce a huge amount of the food we eat, so they can also be part of the solution. Yes, they are currently part of the problem. And we also really believe that we need more policies. And that's what brings us too into contact with organizations such as Eva's, looking at how can we also improve policies to support these companies to produce healthier foods. The thought was coming to my mind as you were speaking, I was involved in one of the initial meetings as the Access to Nutrition Initiative was being planned. And at that point, I and other people involved in this were thinking, how in the world are these people going to pull this off? Because the idea of monitoring these global behemoth companies where in some cases you need information from the companies that may not reflect favorably on their practices. And not to mention that, but constructing these indices and things like that required a great deal of thought. That initial skepticism about whether this could be done gave way, at least in me, to this admiration for what's been accomplished. So boy, hats off to you and your colleagues for what you've been able to do. And it'll be fun to dive in a little bit deeper as we go further into this podcast. Eva, tell us about your work at CSPI, Center for Science in the Public Interest. Well known organization around the world, especially here in the US and I've long admired its work as well. Tell us about what you're up to. Eva Greenthal - Thank you so much, Kelly, and again, thank you for having me here on the pod. CSPI is a US nonprofit that advocates for evidence-based and community informed policies on nutrition, food safety and health. And we're well known for holding government agencies and corporations to account and empowering consumers with independent, unbiased information to live healthier lives. And our core strategies to achieve this mission include, of course, advocacy where we do things like legislative and regulatory lobbying, litigation and corporate accountability initiatives. We also do policy and research analysis. We have strategic communications such as engagement with the public and news media, and we publish a magazine called Nutrition Action. And we also work in deep partnership with other organizations and in coalitions with other national organizations as well as smaller grassroots organizations across the country. Across all of this, we have a deep commitment to health equity and environmental sustainability that informs all we do. And our ultimate goal is improved health and wellbeing for people in all communities regardless of race, income, education, or social factors. Thanks Eva. I have great admiration for CSPI too. Its work goes back many decades. It's the leading organization advocating on behalf of consumers for a better nutrition system and better health overall. And I greatly admire its work. So, it's really a pleasure to have you here. Kat, let's talk about the US retail assessment. What is it and how did you select Walmart, Kroger, and Ahold Dehaize for the evaluation, and why are retailers so important? Kat - Great, thanks. We have, like I said before, been evaluating the largest food and beverage manufacturers for many years. So, for 13 years we have our global index, that's our bread and butter. And about two years ago we started thinking actually retailers also play a critical role. And that's where everyone interfaces with the food environment. As a consumer, when you go out to actually purchase your food, you end up most of the time in a supermarket, also online presence, et cetera. In the US 70% or more of people buy their food through some type of formal food retail environment. So, we thought we need to look at the retailers. And in this assessment we look at the owned label products, so the store brand, so anything that's branded from the store as its own. We think that's also becoming a much more important role in people's diets. In Europe it's a really critical role. A huge majority of products are owned brand and I think in the US that's increasing. Obviously, they tend to be more affordable, so people are drawn to them. So, we were interested how healthy are these products? And the US retail assessment is part of a larger retail assessment where we look at six different countries trying to look across different income levels. In high income countries, we looked at the US and France, then we looked at South Africa and Indonesia for higher middle income. And then finally we looked at Kenya and the Philippines. So, we tried to get a perspective across the world. And in the US, we picked the three companies aiming to get the largest market share. Walmart itself is 25 to 27% of the market share. I've read an amazing statistic that something like 90% of the US population lives within 25 kilometers of a Walmart. Really, I did not realize it was that large. I grew up in the US but never shopped at Walmart. So, it really does influence the diet of a huge number of Americans. And I think with the Ahold Delhaize, that's also a global conglomerate. They have a lot of supermarkets in the Netherlands where we're based, I think also in Belgium and across many countries. Although one interesting thing we did find with this retail assessment is that a big international chain, they have very different operations and basically are different companies. Because we had thought let's start with the Carrefours like those huge international companies that you find everywhere. But Carrefour France and Carrefour Kenya are basically very different. It was very hard to look at it at that level. And so that's sort of what brought us to retailers. And we're hoping through this assessment that we can reach a very large number of consumers. We estimate between 340 to 370 million consumers who shop at these different modern retail outlets. It's so ambitious what you've accomplished here. What questions did you try to answer and what were the key findings? Kat - We were interested to know how healthy are the products that are being sold at these different retailers. That was one of our critical questions. We look at the number of different products, so the owned brand products, and looked at the healthiness. And actually, this is one of the challenges we faced in the US. One is that there isn't one unified use of one type of nutrient profile model. In other countries in the Netherlands, although it's not mandatory, we have the Nutri Score and most retailers use Nutri Score. And then at least there's one thing that we can use. The US does not have one unified agreement on what type of nutrient profile model to use. So, then we're looking at different ones. Each company has their own proprietary model. That was one challenge we faced. And the other one is that in other countries you have the mandatory that you report everything per hundred grams. So, product X, Y, and Z can all be compared by some comparable thing. Okay? A hundred grams of product X and a hundred grams of product Y. In the US you have serving sizes, which are different for different products and different companies. And then you also have different units, which all of my European colleagues who are trying to do this, they're like, what is this ounces? What are these pounds? In addition to having non-comparable units, it's also non-standardized. These were two key challenges we face in the US. Before you proceed, just let me ask a little bit more about the nutrient profiling. For people that aren't familiar with that term, basically it's a way to score different foods for how good they are for you. As you said, there are different profiling systems used around the world. Some of the food companies have their own. Some of the supermarket companies have their own. And they can be sort of unbiased, evidence-based, derived by scientists who study this kind of thing a lot like the index developed by researchers at Oxford University. Or they can be self-serving, but basically, they're an index that might take away points from a food if it's high in saturated fat, let's say but give it extra points if it has fiber. And that would be an example. And when you add up all the different things that a food might contain, you might come away with a single score. And that might then provide the basis for whether it's given a green light, red light, et cetera, with some sort of a labeling system. But would you like to add anything to that? Kat - I think that's quite accurate in terms of the nutrient profile model. And maybe one other thing to say here. In our retail index, it's the first time we did this, we assess companies in terms of share of their products meeting the Health Star rating and we've used that across all of our indexes. This is the one that's used most commonly in Australia and New Zealand. A Health Star rating goes zero to five stars, and 3.5 or above is considered a healthier product. And we found the average healthiness, the mean Health Star rating, of Walmart products was 2.6. So quite low. Kroger was 2.7 and Food Lion Ahold Delhaize was 2.8. So the average is not meeting the Health Star rating of 3.5 or above. We're hoping that by 2030 we could see 50% of products still, half would be less than that. But we're not there yet. And another thing that we looked at with the retail index that was quite interesting was using markers of UPFs. And this has been a hotly debated discussion within our organization as well. Sort of, how do you define UPF? Can we use NOVA classification? NOVA Classification has obviously people who are very pro NOVA classification, people who also don't like the classification. So, we use one a sort of ranking Popkins et al. developed. A sort of system and where we looked at high salt, fat sugar and then certain non-nutritive sweeteners and additives that have no benefit. So, these aren't things like adding micronutrients to make a product fortified, but these are things like red number seven and colors that have no benefit. And looked at what share of the products that are produced by owned label products are considered ultra processed using this definition. And there we found that 88% of products at Walmart are considered ultra processed. Wow. That's quite shocking. Eighty eight percent. Yeah, 88% of all of their own brand products. Oh, my goodness. Twelve percent are not. And we did find a very high alignment, because that was also a question that we had, of sort of the high salt, fat, sugar and ultra processed. And it's not a direct alignment, because that's always a question too. Can you have a very healthy, ultra processed food? Or are or ultra processed foods by definition unhealthy beyond the high fat, salt, sugar content. And I know you've explored that with others. Don't the retailers just say that they're responding to demand, and so putting pressure on us to change what we sell isn't the real problem here, the real issue. It's to change the demand by the consumers. What do you think of that? Kat - But I mean, people buy what there is. If you went into a grocery store and you couldn't buy these products, you wouldn't buy them. I spent many years working in public health nutrition, and I find this individual narrative very challenging. It's about anything where you start to see the entire population curve shifting towards overweight or obesity, for example. Or same when I used to work more in development context where you had a whole population being stunted. And you would get the same argument - oh no, but these children are just short. They're genetically short. Oh, okay. Yes, some children are genetically short. But when you see 40 or 50% of the population shifting away from the norm, that represents that they're not growing well. So I think it is the retailer's responsibility to make their products healthier and then people will buy them. The other two questions we tried to look at were around promotions. Are our retailers actively promoting unhealthy products in their weekly circulars and flyers? Yes, very much so. We found most of the products that were being promoted are unhealthy. The highest amount that we found promoting healthy was in Food Lion. Walmart only promoted 5% healthy products. The other 95% of the products that they're actively promoting in their own circulars and advertising products are unhealthy products. So, then I would say, well, retailers definitely have a role there. They're choosing to promote these products. And then the other one is cost. And we looked across all six countries and we found that in every country, healthier food baskets are more expensive than less healthier food baskets. So you take these altogether, they're being promoted more, they're cheaper, and they're a huge percentage of what's available. Yes. Then people are going to eat less healthy diets. Right, and promoted not only by the store selling these products, but promoted by the companies that make them. A vast amount of food marketing is going on out there. The vast majority of that is for foods that wouldn't score high on any index. And then you combine that with the fact that the foods are engineered to be so palatable and to drive over consumption. Boy, there are a whole lot of factors that are conspiring in the wrong direction, aren't there. Yeah, it is challenging. And when you look at all the factors, what is your entry point? Yes. Eva, let's talk about CSPI and the work that you and your colleagues are doing in the space. When you come up with an interesting topic in the food area and somebody says, oh, that's pretty important. It's a good likelihood that CSPI has been on it for about 15 years, and that's true here as well. You and your colleagues have been working on these issues and so many others for so many years. But you're very active in advocating for healthier retail environments. Can you highlight what you think are a few key opportunities for making progress? Eva - Absolutely. To start off, I could not agree more with Kat in saying that it really is food companies that have a responsibility for the availability and affordability of healthy options. It's absolutely essential. And the excessive promotion of unhealthy options is what's really undermining people's ability to make healthy choices. Some of the policies that CSPI supports for improving the US retail environment include mandatory front of package nutrition labeling. These are labels that would make it quick and easy for busy shoppers to know which foods are high in added sugar, sodium, or saturated fat, and should therefore be limited in their diets. We also advocate for federal sodium and added sugar reduction targets. These would facilitate overall lower amounts of salt and sugar in the food supply, really putting the onus on companies to offer healthier foods instead of solely relying on shoppers to navigate the toxic food environments and make individual behavior changes. Another one is taxes on sweetened beverages. These would simultaneously nudge people to drink water or buy healthier beverages like flavored seltzers and unsweetened teas, while also raising revenue that can be directed towards important public health initiatives. Another one is healthy checkout policies. These would require retailers to offer only healthier foods and beverages in areas where shoppers stand in line to purchase their groceries. And therefore, reduce exposure to unhealthy food marketing and prevent unhealthy impulse purchases. And then another one is we advocate for online labeling requirements that would ensure consumers have easy access to nutrition, facts, ingredients, and allergen information when they grocery shop online, which unbelievably is currently not always the case. And I can also speak to our advocacy around the creating a uniform definition of healthy, because I know Kat spoke to the challenges in the US context of having different retailers using different systems for identifying healthier products. So the current food labeling landscape in the US is very confusing for the consumer. We have unregulated claims like all natural, competing with carefully regulated claims like organic. We have a very high standard of evidence for making a claim like prevents cold and flu. And then almost no standard of evidence for making a very similar claim like supports immunity. So, when it comes to claims about healthiness, it's really important to have a uniform definition of healthy so that if a product is labeled healthy, consumers can actually trust that it's truly healthy based on evidence backed nutrition standards. And also, so they can understand what that label means. An evidence-based definition of healthy will prevent misleading marketing claims. So, for example, until very recently, there was no limit on the amount of added sugar or refined grain in a product labeled healthy. But recent updates to FDA's official definition of healthy mean that now consumers can trust that any food labeled healthy provides servings from an essential food group like fruit, vegetable, whole grain, dairy, or protein. And doesn't exceed maximum limits on added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. This new healthy definition is going to be very useful for preventing misleading marketing claims. However, we do think its reach will be limited for helping consumers find and select healthy items mainly because it's a voluntary label. And we know that even among products that are eligible for the healthy claim, very few are using it on their labels. We also know that the diet related chronic disease epidemic in the US is fueled by excess consumption of junk foods, not by insufficient marketing of healthy foods. So, what we really need, as I mentioned before, are mandatory labels that call out high levels of unhealthy nutrients like sodium, added sugar, and saturated fat. Thanks for that overview. What an impressive portfolio of things you and your colleagues are working on. And we could do 10 podcasts on each of the 10 things you mentioned. But let's take one in particular: the front of the package labeling issue. At a time where it seems like there's very little in our country that the Democrats and Republicans can't agree on, the Food and Drug Administration, both previously under the Biden Harris Administration, now under the Trump Vance Administration have identified for a package of labeling as a priority. In fact, the FDA is currently working on a mandatory front of package nutrition label and is creating a final rule around that issue. Kat, from Access to Nutrition Initiative's perspective, why is mandatory front of package labeling important? What's the current situation kind of around the world and what are the retailers and manufacturers doing? Kat - So yes, we definitely stand by the need for mandatory front of package labeling. I think 16 countries globally have front of package labeling mandated, but the rest have voluntary systems. Including in the Netherlands where I live and where Access to Nutrition is based. We use the voluntary Nutri Score and what we've seen across our research is that markets where it's voluntary, it tends to not be applied in all markets. And it tends to be applied disproportionately on healthy products. So if you can choose to put it, you put it all on the ones that are the A or the Nutri Score with the green, and then you don't put it on the really unhealthy products. So, then it also skews consumers. Because like Eva was saying, people are not eating often. Well, they, they're displacing from their diet healthy products with unhealthy products. So that that is a critical challenge. Until you make it mandatory, companies aren't going to do that. And we've seen that with our different global indexes. Companies are not universally using these voluntary regulations across the board. I think that's one critical challenge that we need to address. If you scan the world, there are a variety of different systems being used to provide consumers information on the front of packages. If you could pick one system, tell us what we would actually see on the package. Kat - This is one we've been debating internally, and I saw what CSPI is pushing for, and I think there's growing evidence pushing for warning style labels. These are the ones that say the product is high in like really with a warning, high in fat, high in salt, high in sugar. And there is evidence from countries like Chile where they have introduced this to show that that does drive change. It drives product reformulation. Companies change their products, so they don't have to carry one of the labels. Consumers are aware of it. And they actively try to change their purchasing behaviors to avoid those. And there's less evidence I think interpretive is important. A Nutri Score one where you can see it and it's green. Okay, that's quick. It's easy. There are some challenges that people face with Nutri Score, for example. That Nutri Score compares products among the same category, which people don't realize outside of our niche. Actually, a colleague of mine was telling me - my boyfriend was in the grocery store last week. And he's like picked up some white flour tortillas and they had a Nutri Score D, and then the chips had a Nutri Score B. And he's like, well, surely the tortillas are healthier than the chips. But obviously the chips, the tortilla chips were compared against other salty snacks and the other one was being compared to bread. So, it's like a relatively unhealthy bread compared to a relatively healthy chip. You see this happening even among educated people. I think these labels while well intentioned, they need a good education behind them because they are challenging, and people don't realize that. I think people just see A or green and they think healthy; E is bad, and people don't realize that it's not comparing the same products from these categories. One could take the warning system approach, which tells people how many bad things there are in the foods and flip it over and say, why not just give people information on what's good in a food? Like if a food has vitamins and minerals or protein or fiber, whatever it happens. But you could label it that way and forget labeling the bad things. But of course, the industry would game that system in about two seconds and just throw in some good things to otherwise pretty crappy foods and make the scores look good. So, yeah, it shows why it's so important to be labeling the things that you'd like to see less of. I think that's already happening. You see a lot of foods with micronutrient additions, very sugary breakfast cereals. You see in Asia, a lot of biscuits and cookies that they add micronutrients to. I mean, there's still biscuits and cookies. So Eva, I'd like to get your thoughts on this. So tell us more about the proposed label in the US, what it might look like, and the history about how this got developed. And do you think there's anything else needed to make the label more useful or user-friendly for consumers? Eva - Absolutely. It is a very exciting time to work on food policy in the US, especially with this momentum around front of package labeling. CSPI actually first petitioned calling for front of pack labeling in 2006. And after more than a decade of inaction, industry lobbying, all these countries around the world adopting front of pack labeling systems, but not the US. In 2022 CSPI filed a new petition that specifically called for mandatory interpretive nutrient specific front of package labeling, similar to the nutrient warning labels already required in Mexico, Canada, and as Kat said, around 16 other countries. And in early 2025, FDA finally responded to our petition by issuing a proposal that if finalized would require a nutrition info box on packaged foods. And what the nutrition info box includes is the percent daily value per serving of sodium, added sugar and saturated fat, accompanied by the words high, medium, or low, assessing the amount of each nutrient. This proposal was a very important step forward, but the label could be improved in several ways. First off, instead of a label that is placed on all foods, regardless of their nutrient levels, we strongly recommend that FDA instead adopt labels that would only appear on products that are high in nutrients of concern. A key reason for this is it would better incentivize companies to reduce the amount of salt, sugar, or saturated fat in their product because companies will want to avoid wasting this precious marketing real estate on mandatory nutrition labels. So, for example, they could reduce the amount of sodium in a soup to avoid having a high sodium label on that soup. And also, as you were saying before around the lack of a need to require the positive nutrients on the label, fortunately the FDA proposal didn't, but just to chime in on that, these products are already plastered with claims around their high fiber content, high protein content, vitamin C, this and that. What we really need is a mandatory label that will require companies to tell you what they would otherwise prefer not to. Not the information that they already highlight for marketing purposes. So, in addition to these warning style labels, we also really want FDA to adopt front of package disclosures for foods containing low and no calorie sweeteners. Because this would discourage the industry from reducing sugar just by reformulating with additives that are not recommended for children. So that's a key recommendation that CSPI has made for when FDA finalizes the rule. FDA received thousands and thousands of comments on their labeling proposal and is now tasked with reviewing those comments and issuing a final rule. And although these deadlines are very often missed, so don't necessarily hold your breath, but the government's current agenda says it plans to issue a final rule in May 2026. At CSPI, we are working tirelessly to hold FDA to its commitment of issuing a final regulation. And to ensure that the US front of pack labeling system is number one mandatory and number two, also number one, really, mandatory, and evidence-based so that it really has the best possible chance of improving our diets and our food supply. Well, thank you for the tireless work because it's so important that we get this right. I mean, it's important that we get a system to begin with, even if it's rudimentary. But the better it can be, of course, the more helpful it'll be. And CSPI has been such an important voice in that. Kat, let's talk about some of the things that are happening in developing countries and other parts of the world. So you're part of a multi-country study looking at five additional countries, France, South Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Kenya. And as I understand, the goal is to understand how retail food environments differ across countries at various income levels. Tell us about this, if you would, and what sort of things you're finding. Kat – Yes. So one of our questions was as companies reach market saturation in places like France and the US and the Netherlands, they can't get that many more customers. They already have everyone. So now they're expanding rapidly. And you're seeing a really rapid increase in modern retail purchasing in countries like Indonesia and Kenya. Not to say that in these countries traditional markets are still where most people buy most of their food. But if you look at the graphs at the rate of increase of these modern different retailers also out of home, it's rapidly increasing. And we're really interested to see, okay, given that, are these products also exposing people to less healthy products? Is it displacing traditional diets? And overall, we are seeing that a lot of similar to what you see in other context. In high income countries. Overall healthier products are again, more expensive, and actually the differential is greater in lower income countries. Often because I think also poor people are buying foods not in modern retail environments. This is targeting currently the upper, middle, and higher income consumer groups. But that will change. And we're seeing the same thing around really high percentages of high fat, salt, sugar products. So, looking at how is this really transforming retail environments? At the same time, we have seen some really interesting examples of countries really taking initiative. In Kenya, they've introduced the first Kenyan nutrient profile model. First in Africa. They just introduced that at the end of 2025, and they're trying to introduce also a mandatory front of package warning label similar to what Eva has proposed. This would be these warnings high in fat, salt, and sugar. And that's part of this package that they've suggested. This would also include things around regulations to marketing to children, and that's all being pushed ahead. So, Kenya's doing a lot of work around that. In South Africa, there's been a lot of work on banning marketing to children as well as front of package labeling. I think one of the challenges we've seen there, and this is something... this is a story that I've heard again and again working in the policy space in different countries, is that you have a lot of momentum and initiative by civil society organizations, by concerned consumer groups. And you get all the way to the point where it's about to be passed in legislation and then it just gets kicked into the long grass. Nothing ever happens. It just sits there. I was writing a blog, we looked at Indonesia, so we worked with this organization that is working on doing taxation of sugar sweetened beverages. And that's been on the card since 2016. It actually even reminded me a lot of your story. They've been working on trying to get the sugar sweetened beverage tax in Indonesia passed since 2016. And it gets almost there, but it never gets in the budget. It just never passes. Same with the banning marketing to children in South Africa. This has been being discussed for many years, but it never actually gets passed. And what I've heard from colleagues working in this space is that then industry comes in right before it's about to get passed and says, oh no, but we're going to lose jobs. If you introduce that, then all of the companies that employ people, people will lose their jobs. And modeling studies have shown this isn't true. That overall, the economy will recover, jobs will be found elsewhere. Also, if you factor in the cost to society of treating diabetes from high consumption or sugar sweetened beverages. But it's interesting to see that this repeats again and again of countries get almost over the line. They have this really nice draft initiative and then it just doesn't quite happen. So, I think that that will be really interesting. And I think a bit like what Eva was saying in many of these countries, like with Kenya, are we going to see, start seeing the warning labels. With South Africa, is this regulation banning marketing to children actually going to happen? Are we going to see sugar sweetened beverage taxes written into the 2026 budget in Indonesia? I think very interesting space globally in many of these questions. But I think also a key time to keep the momentum up. It's interesting to hear about the industry script, talking about loss of jobs. Other familiar parts of that script are that consumers will lose choices and their prices will go up. And those things don't seem to happen either in places where these policies take effect. But boy, they're effective at getting these things stomped out. It feels to me like some turning point might be reached where some tipping point where a lot of things will start to happen all at once. But let's hope we're moving in that direction. Kat - The UK as of five days ago, just implemented bans on marketing of unhealthy products to children, changes in retail environment banning promotions of unhealthy products. I do think we are seeing in countries and especially countries with national healthcare systems where the taxpayer has to take on the cost of ill health. We are starting to see these changes coming into effect. I think that's an interesting example and very current. Groundbreaking, absolutely groundbreaking that those things are happening. Let me end by asking you each sort of a big picture question. Kat, you talked about specific goals that you've established about what percentage of products in these retail environments will meet a healthy food standard by a given year. But we're pretty far from that now. So I'd like to ask each of you, are you hopeful we'll get anywhere near those kind of goals. And if you're hopeful, what leads you to feel that way? And Kat, let's start with you and then I'll ask Eva the same thing. Kat - I am hopeful because like you said, there's so much critical momentum happening in so many different countries. And I do find that really interesting. And these are the six countries that we looked at, but also, I know Ghana has recently introduced a or working to introduce a nutrient profile model. You're seeing discussions happening in Asia as well. And a lot of different discussions happening in a lot of different places. All with the same ambition. And I do think with this critical momentum, you will start to break through some of the challenges that we're facing now too. Where you see, for example, like I know this came up with Chile. Like, oh, if you mandate it in this context, then it disadvantages. So like the World Trade Organization came out against it saying it disadvantaged trade, you can't make it mandatory. But if all countries mandate it, then you remove some of those barriers. It's a key challenge in the EU as well. That the Netherlands, for example, can't decide to introduce Nutri Score as a mandatory front of package label because that would disadvantage trade within the European Union. But I think if we hit a critical point, then a lot of the kind of key challenges that we're facing will no longer be there. If the European Union decides to adopt it, then also then you have 27 countries overnight that have to adopt a mandatory front of package label. And as companies have to do this for more and more markets, I think it will become more standardized. You will start seeing it more. I'm hopeful in the amount of momentum that's happening in different places globally. Good. It's nice to hear your optimism on that. So, Eva, what do you think? Eva - So thinking about front of package labeling and the fact that this proposed regulation was put out under the previous presidential administration, the Biden Harris Administration and is now intended to be finalized under the Trump Vance Administration, I think that's a signal of what's really this growing public awareness and bipartisan support for food and nutrition policies in the US. Obviously, the US food industry is incredibly powerful, but with growing public awareness of how multinational food companies are manipulating our diets and making us sick for their own profit, I think there's plenty of opportunity to leverage the power of consumers to fight back against this corporate greed and really take back our health. I'm really happy that you mentioned the bipartisan nature of things that starting to exist now. And it wasn't that long ago where you wouldn't think of people of the political right standing up against the food companies. But now they are, and it's a huge help. And this fact that you have more people from a variety of places on the political spectrum supporting a similar aim to kinda rein in behavior of the food industry and create a healthier food environment. Especially to protect children, leads me to be more optimistic, just like the two of you. I'm glad we can end on that note. Bios Katherine Pittore is the director of Policy and Communications at the Action to Nutrition Initiative. She is responsible for developing a strategy to ensure ATNi's research is translated into better policies. Working collaboratively with alliances and other stakeholders, she aims to identify ways for ATNi's research to support improved policies, for companies, investors and governments, with the aim of creating a more effective playing field enabling markets to deliver more nutritious foods, especially for vulnerable groups in society. Katherine has been working in the field of global nutrition and food systems since 2010. Most recently at Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (WCDI), where she worked as a nutrition and food security advisor on range projects, mostly in Africa. She also has also worked as a facilitator and trainer, and a specific interest in how to healthfully feed our increasingly urbanizing world. She has also worked for several NGOs including RESULTS UK, as a nutrition advocacy officer, setting up their nutrition advocacy portfolio focusing aimed at increasing aid spending on nutrition with the UK parliament, and Save the Children UK and Save the Children India, working with the humanitarian nutrition team. She has an MSc in Global Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a BA in Science and Society from Wesleyan University.  Eva Greenthal oversees Center for Science in the Public Interest's federal food labeling work, leveraging the food label as a powerful public health tool to influence consumer and industry behavior. Eva also conducts research and supports CSPI's science-centered approach to advocacy as a member of the Science Department. Prior to joining CSPI, Eva led a pilot evaluation of the nation's first hospital-based food pantry and worked on research initiatives related to alcohol literacy and healthy habits for young children. Before that, Eva served as a Program Coordinator for Let's Go! at Maine Medical Center and as an AmeriCorps VISTA Member at HealthReach Community Health Centers in Waterville, Maine. Eva holds a dual MS/MPH degree in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University and a BA in Environmental Studies from University of Michigan.  

Helena Bottemiller Evich is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Food Fix. She previously led coverage of food and agriculture at POLITICO for nearly a decade, winning numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious George Polk Award for a series on climate change and two James Beard Awards for features on nutrition and science. In 2022, she was a James Beard Award finalist for a deep dive on diet-related diseases and COVID-19. Helena is also a sought-after speaker and commentator on food issues, appearing on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, NPR, and other outlets. Her work is widely cited in the media and has also been published in the Columbia Journalism Review and on NBC News. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Helena [2:58] about: The newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 and their much-debated details, such as their saturated fats advice and focus on "highly processed foods" Contention around the undecided definition for "ultra-processed foods" (UPFs), and what the use of "highly processed foods" instead of UPFs in the revised DGAs could imply The differences in FDA's structure and its unique challenges today (e.g., facing the 2025 infant botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart formula) versus 2022, during the Cronobacter sakazakii/Abbott Nutrition infant formula crisis and before the establishment of FDA's Human Foods Program The rise of "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA), from a grassroots movement to an official White House-backed agenda with bipartisan support, and the implications for the food space The question within the Trump Administration of whether MAHA rhetoric will translate into real policy changes that advance MAHA objectives Shortcomings of the MAHA approach to food safety policy and regulation, particularly a lack of focus on microbiological safety and inconsistent handling of chemical safety Why the MAHA agenda may not succeed with a deregulatory approach and a weakened federal workforce and resources How the Trump Administration's moves in 2026 may determine if MAHA will remain in the forefront of public discussion, moving forward. News and Resources Eat Real Food: New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Name and Shame 'Highly Processed Foods' Food Fix We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Well today to kick off the sixth series of the podcast we welcome Anna to the R2Kast

Frank Yiannas, M.P.H. is a renowned food safety leader and executive, food system futurist, author, professor, past president of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), and advocate for consumers. Most recently, he served under two different administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a position he held from 2018–2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with Walmart and the Walt Disney Company. After retiring from FDA, Mr. Yiannas founded Smarter FY Solutions to help organizations address critical food safety and supply chain challenges. He also advises several well-known companies, offering consultancy services to modernize compliance strategies and ensure that clients meet regulatory requirements and industry standards. Throughout his career, Mr. Yiannas has been recognized for his role in strengthening food safety standards in new and innovative ways, as well as building effective food safety management systems based on modern, science-based, and tech-enabled prevention principles. Drew McDonald is the Senior Vice President of Quality and Food Safety at Taylor Fresh Foods in Salinas, California, where he oversees the quality and food safety programs across the foodservice, retail, and deli operations under both FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) jurisdictions. Mr. McDonald works with an impressive team developing and managing appropriate and practical quality and food safety programs for fresh food and produce products. He has more than 30 years of experience in fresh produce and fresh foods. Over the course of his career, Mr. McDonald has worked with growers and processors of fresh food and produce items across the globe. He currently serves on numerous food safety-related technical committees and has participated in the authorship of many produce safety articles and guidelines. He serves on the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board and is a former chair of the Center for Produce Food Safety's Technical Committee and United Fresh's Technical Council. Mr. McDonald received his education from Lawrence University in Wisconsin. John Besser, Ph.D. worked for ten years as Deputy Chief of the Enteric Diseases Laboratory Branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he was involved in national and global programs to detect, characterize, and track gastrointestinal diseases. Prior to CDC, Dr. Besser led the infectious disease laboratory at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for 19 years and served as a clinical microbiologist at the University of Minnesota Hospital for five years. He currently works as an independent contractor and consultant. Dr. Besser is the author or co-author of more than 70 publications. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. degree from the University of Minnesota. Craig Hedberg, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota and Co-Director of the Minnesota Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence. He promotes public health surveillance as a prerequisite for effective food control, and his work focuses on improving methods for collaboration among public health and regulatory agencies, academic researchers, and industry to improve foodborne illness surveillance and outbreak investigations. With a background in public health practice, Dr. Hedberg also focuses on public health workforce development and works with state, local, and tribal public health partners to build capacity for preparedness and emergency response. He is a member of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the Minnesota Environmental Health Association, and IAFP. Dr. Hedberg holds a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and an M.S. degree in Environmental Health, both from the University of Minnesota. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Mr. Yiannas, Mr. McDonald, Dr. Besser, and Dr. Hedberg [6:43] about: The increasing rate of food recalls issued by federal regulatory agencies, and what that might imply about the current systems for outbreak investigation and disease surveillance How federal and state public health agencies conduct foodborne illness outbreak investigations and the current success rates of these investigations Elements of the foodborne illness outbreak investigation process that are working well Potential areas for improvement for foodborne illness outbreak investigations and the metrics for "success" An idea for a National Foodborne Outbreak Investigation Board, similar to the model used for airlines with the National Transportation Safety Board, and how such a system might help improve food safety in the U.S. Sponsored by: Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Host McGraw Milhaven is joined by Charlie Mattos, Host of the Grand Ole Opry and Co-Host/Producer of Coffee, Country & Cody on WSM Nashville, to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, exploring its legacy, legendary performers, and enduring impact on American music. Later, McGraw welcomes Dan Glickman, Chair of the Board of Hunger Free America, former USDA Secretary, and former U.S. Representative from Kansas, to discuss the state of American farming, national food challenges, and his new book “Laughing at Myself.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all know by now that plants grown in living, thriving, life-filled soil, give us living, thriving, life-filled food... but the steps to getting there in the face of a multinational industry devoted to toxic, nutritionally empty, addictive - and highly profitable - ultra-processed 'food-like substances' are harder to see.  This week's guest, Daphne du Cros, spends her life deep in the mycelial networks of food and farming systems, bringing both into genuinely regenerative balance. Daphne is a food policy researcher, educator, and farmer. She holds a PhD in Food Policy at the Centre for Food Policy at City St. George's University of London, and a Master's in Environmental Science and Management from Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. She is Director and Coordinator at Shropshire Good Food Partnership; Director at Light Foot Enterprises; Project Lead at Food Forward BC (where BC stands for Bishop's Castle, not British Columbia or any of the other potential options) -   and she's co-owner of Little Woodbatch CIC, a farm just outside BC that hosts the Bishop's Castle Community Seed Bank. She is the author of the town's Community Food Resilience Strategy - the only such policy in Shropshire.Daphne and I are relatively near neighbours, we have swapped seeds - her more than me - and share ideas about systems thinking and how we might evolve our world. She's deeply involved at every level from actual growing up to governmental meetings trying to get those in power to find some wisdom when it comes to food resilience, food security and all the other things we say as we try to get them to move away from the corruption innate in our system towards something that actually works in service to life. Daphne on LinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/in/daphne-du-cros-743128332Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlewoodbatch/ Shropshire Good Food Partnership:  https://www.shropshiregoodfood.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shropshiregoodfood/ Soil Ed UK: https://www.instagram.com/soil_ed_uk/  Gaia Foundation Seed Sovereignty Network: https://www.seedsovereignty.info/Serving the Public https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/serving-the-public-the-good-food-revolution-in-schools-hospitals-and-prisons-kevin-morgan/7657661?ean=9781526180469&next=tCivil Food Resilience Report: https://nationalpreparednesscommission.uk/publications/just-in-case-7-steps-to-narrow-the-uk-civil-food-resilience-gap/  Little Woodbatch Farm https://www.littlewoodbatch.co.uk/What we offer: Accidental Gods, Dreaming Awake and the Thrutopia Writing Masterclass If you'd like to join our next Open Gathering offered by our Accidental Gods Programme it's  'Dreaming Your Year Awake' (you don't have to be a member) on Sunday 4th January 2026 from 16:00 - 20:00 GMT - details are hereIf you'd like to join us at Accidental Gods, this is the membership where we endeavour to help you to connect fully with the living web of life. If you'd like to train more deeply in the contemporary shamanic work at Dreaming Awake, you'll find us here. If you'd like to explore the recordings from our last Thrutopia Writing Masterclass, the details are here

What's really in your food? If MAGA or MAHA the so-called health initiative of Bob Kennedy, RFK Jr prevails you may have a difficult time avoiding forever chemicals when getting your groceries and dining out. Trump's Food Policy Bombshell: Are Toxic Chemicals About to Hit Every American Meal?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Global Fresh Series, we explore three dynamic stories shaping the produce world and beyond. First, we dive into the innovative trend of packing premium avocados in festive Christmas gift boxes—what it means for growers, exporters, retailers and the seasonal consumer mindset. Next, we examine the latest global public-health push around ultra-processed foods: how policy, research and consumer behavior are changing, and why this matters for fresh produce marketers. Finally, we take a delightful detour into the world of agritourism with a UK farmer who invites visitors to cuddle cows—exploring diversification, consumer experience, and how farm storytelling can reshape perceptions of agriculture. Tune in for a wide-angle view of freshness, health, and the unexpected sweet spots in the produce ecosystem.

This episode of Food Talk features two conversations from Food Tank's first annual Food and Agriculture Policy Summit in Washington D.C. First Congressmember Nikki Budzinski, who represents Illinois' 13th District, joins Dani to talk about the legislation that's needed to connect local farmers with food pantries and the hunger crisis that's about to worsen as we hurtle toward the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding cliff. Then Congressmember Shontel Brown, who represents Ohio's 11th District, sits down with Politico's Marcia Brown to talk about her own experience relying on SNAP, dispelling myths around those reliant on nutrition assistance programs, and what she's learned through her meetings with family farmers who are looking for more certainty in chaotic times. This event was held in partnership with the Global Food Institute at GW, the Culinary Institute of America, and Jose Andres, in collaboration with Driscoll's, Meatable, and Oatly. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

This episode of Food Talk features two conversations from Food Tank's recent Summit in Phoenix, Arizona to uplift the partnerships that will help us eat for health while supporting the wellbeing of farmers and the planet. First Crystal FitzSimons, President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) talks about human impact of the policies threatening food and nutrition security as well as the bright spots we shouldn't overlook in a conversation moderated by Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director of the Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems. Then Michel Nischan, a Chef and the Founder and Executive Chair of Wholesome Wave, sits down with Clara Migoya, the Agriculture and Water Reporter at The Arizona Republic, for a conversation about filling the gaps left by federal funding cuts and finding common ground to improve food and farming systems. This event was held in partnership with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems, and the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” wherever you consume your podcasts.

270: I sat down with Ryland and Mollie Engelhart, farmers, filmmakers and real food advocates. This dynamic brother-sister duo is at the forefront of the regenerative farming movement, which they've explored in the critically-acclaimed documentaries “Kiss the Ground” and “Common Ground.” We're talking about MAHA (and where it can improve), rethinking SNAP to include whole foods, and the dire challenges facing local farms today.  Topics Discussed:  → How can we make health and nutrition a truly bipartisan issue? → What changes does MAHA need to actually support real food reform? → How could reframing SNAP bring more whole foods to families in need? → Are corporations and the government helping or harming our food system? → What can we do to save family farms and strengthen local food economies? Sponsored By: → Timeline | Timeline is offering 10% off your order of Mitopure Go to www.timeline.com/REALFOODOLOGY. → Function Health | Function is a near-360 view to see what's happening in your body, and my 1000 followers get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit www.functionhealth.com/realfoodology or use code REALFOODOLOGY100 at sign-up to own your health. → Clearstem | Go to www.clearstem.com/realfoodology and use code REALFOODOLOGY at checkout for 15% off your first order.  → BIOptimizers | For 15% off go to www.bioptimizers.com/realfoodology and use promo code REALFOODOLOGY. → Puori | Feel the difference for yourself, go to www.puori.com/REALFOODOLOGY and use the code REALFOODOLOGY at checkout for 20% off. → Everyday Dose | Buy any two Everyday Dose products at a Target store near you, and they'll pay you back for one! Visit www.everydaydose.com/REALFOODOLOGYBOGO for more details. → Beekeeper's Naturals | Go to www.beekeepersnaturals.com/REALFOODOLOGY or enter code REALFOODOLOGY to get 20% off your order. Timestamps:  → 00:00:00 - Introduction  → 00:05:26 - Make America Healthy Again    → 00:17:50 - Where MAHA Needs Improvement  → 00:24:36 - Making Health Bipartisan  → 00:38:52 - Reforming SNAP  → 00:53:09 - Saving Family Farms  → 00:57:00 - Creating Community  → 01:00:21 - Soda, SNAP + Corporate Collusion  → 01:04:05 - Farm Supply Struggles → 01:06:24 - Advice for the Secretary of Agriculture Show Links: → Kiss the Ground (Documentary) → Common Ground (Documentary)  Check Out: → Ryland Engelhart  → Mollie Engelhart  → Sovereignty Ranch  Check Out Courtney:  →  LEAVE US A VOICE MESSAGE →  Check Out My new FREE Grocery Guide! →  @realfoodology →  www.realfoodology.com →  My Immune Supplement by 2x4 →  Air Dr Air Purifier →  AquaTru Water Filter →  EWG Tap Water Database Produced By: Drake Peterson