Podcasts about fungal ecology

The Soil Matters with Dr. James White Season 2, Episode 40   Today's Guest: Dr. James White - Department of Plant Biology   James F. White is Professor of Plant Biology at Rutgers University in New Jersey where he and students conduct research on ecology of microbes that inhabit plants (endophytes). James White obtained the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Botany and Plant Pathology from Auburn University in Alabama, and the Ph.D. in Botany/Mycology from the University of Texas at Austin. James White is the author of more than 300 articles and book chapters, and author and editor of seven books on the biology of plant microbes, including Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses (1994), Microbial Endophytes (2000), The Clavicipitalean Fungi (2004), The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem (2005, 2017), Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis (2009), and Seed Endophytes: Biology and Biotechnology (2019) and Microbial Inoculants and Other Microbiome Stimulants for Crops: Mechanisms and Applications (2021; Elsevier, In press). James White is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and Associate Editor for journals Symbiosis, Fungal Ecology, MycoScience, Biology and Scientific Reports, and serves as Chief Editor for the Plant-Microbe Interactions Section of the MDPI journal Microorganisms. James White received the Alexopoulos Research Prize in 1996 (Mycological Society of America), the Distinguished Research Award in 1994 (Auburn University Montgomery), and the Research Excellence Award in 1998 (Rutgers University). James White has presented extensively at international industry and academic conferences focused on regenerative agriculture, plant biostimulants and crop microbiomes.   Your Host:   Leighton Morrison https://www.instagram.com/kingdomaqua... https://www.kingdomaquaponicsllc.com/   Executive Producer Ken Somerville https://www.instagram.com/kensomerville/ https://www.itsallaboutthebiology.ca Contact email itsallaboutthebiology@gmail.com Reach out to Ken for a quick 15 min call: https://calendly.com/kensomerville/connections   Help to support the mission: patreon.com/user?u=104510089   Discount codes available at: https://www.itsallaboutthebiology.ca/discountcodes   #flowers,#plants,#nature,#gardening,#garden,#growing,#koreannaturalfarming,#naturalfarming,#jadam,#naturalfertilizer,#naturalfarminginputs,#permaculture,#regenerative,#foodforest,#biodynamic,#bioactive,#organic,#notill,#knf,#organicgardening,#urbangardening,#containergardening,#homegardening,   Music by The Invisible Gardener (Andy Lopez) https://soundcloud.com/invisiblegardener For Full: Disclaimer

We are excited to bring you this special podcast. It's the live recording from the very first AgEmerge Event that was held in Monterey California in 2019. It all began when Monte read a paper Dr. White had written about the rhizophagy cycle and he knew he needed to get this powerful research and information in the hands of farmers and ranchers. Dr. White had everyone on the edge of their seats as he shared this groundbreaking research. We've included Dr. White's main stage presentation along with his breakout session but first we bring you a special clip of Monte and Gabe Brown discussing that day because Gabe was both a presenter and listener when Dr. White was on the stage. Enjoy! Dr. James F. White is Professor of Plant Biology at Rutgers University where he and students conduct research on beneficial microbes that inhabit plant tissues. Dr. White obtained the M.S. in Mycology and Plant Pathology from Auburn University, Alabama, and the Ph.D. in Botany/Mycology from the University of Texas, Austin. Dr. White specializes in the study of endophytic microbes and how they affect plants. Dr. White is the author of more than 200 articles, and author and editor of reference books on the biology of endophytes, including Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses (1994), Microbial Endophytes (2000), The Clavicipitalean Fungi (2004), The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem (2005, 2017), Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis (2009), and Seed Endophytes: Biology and Biotechnology (2019). Dr. White is a fellow of the AAAS, and Associate Editor for journals Fungal Ecology, Symbiosis, Mycoscience, and Scientific Reports. Got questions you want answered? Send them our way and we'll do our best to research and find answers. Know someone you think would be great on the AgEmerge stage or podcast? Send your questions or suggestions to kim@asn.farm we'd love to hear from you.

The Soil Matters with Dr. James White Season 2, Episode 17   Today's Guest: Dr. James White - Department of Plant Biology   James F. White is Professor of Plant Biology at Rutgers University in New Jersey where he and students conduct research on ecology of microbes that inhabit plants (endophytes). James White obtained the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Botany and Plant Pathology from Auburn University in Alabama, and the Ph.D. in Botany/Mycology from the University of Texas at Austin. James White is the author of more than 300 articles and book chapters, and author and editor of seven books on the biology of plant microbes, including Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses (1994), Microbial Endophytes (2000), The Clavicipitalean Fungi (2004), The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem (2005, 2017), Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis (2009), and Seed Endophytes: Biology and Biotechnology (2019) and Microbial Inoculants and Other Microbiome Stimulants for Crops: Mechanisms and Applications (2021; Elsevier, In press). James White is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and Associate Editor for journals Symbiosis, Fungal Ecology, MycoScience, Biology and Scientific Reports, and serves as Chief Editor for the Plant-Microbe Interactions Section of the MDPI journal Microorganisms. James White received the Alexopoulos Research Prize in 1996 (Mycological Society of America), the Distinguished Research Award in 1994 (Auburn University Montgomery), and the Research Excellence Award in 1998 (Rutgers University). James White has presented extensively at international industry and academic conferences focused on regenerative agriculture, plant biostimulants and crop microbiomes.   Your Host:   Leighton Morrison https://www.instagram.com/kingdomaqua... https://www.kingdomaquaponicsllc.com/   Executive Producer Ken Somerville https://www.instagram.com/kensomerville/ https://www.itsallaboutthebiology.ca Contact email itsallaboutthebiology@gmail.com Reach out to Ken for a quick 15 min call: https://calendly.com/kensomerville/connections   Help to support the mission: patreon.com/user?u=104510089   Discount codes available at: https://www.itsallaboutthebiology.ca/discountcodes   #flowers,#plants,#nature,#gardening,#garden,#growing,#koreannaturalfarming,#naturalfarming,#jadam,#naturalfertilizer,#naturalfarminginputs,#permaculture,#regenerative,#foodforest,#biodynamic,#bioactive,#organic,#notill,#knf,#organicgardening,#urbangardening,#containergardening,#homegardening,   Music by The Invisible Gardener (Andy Lopez) https://soundcloud.com/invisiblegardener For Full: Disclaimer

In episode 046 Elle chats with Dr. Matthew Kasson: Mycologist and Plant Pathologist who studies fungus biodiversity centered around tree diseases and fungus-arthropod interactions.  Socials: https://x.com/ImperfectFunGuy https://twitter.com/plantdisease Research, Sci-Comm and related press and media: Online media, Nightmare-fuel fungi exist in real life, Popular Science (PopSci) https://www.popsci.com/environment/zombie-fungus-real-life-diseases/. Single author piece on the real-life fungal threats we face given all the attention fungi are getting from HBO's The Last of Us. Feb. 3, 2023.  Online media, How to keep your jack-o'-lantern from turning into moldy, maggoty mush before Halloween, The Conversation, How to keep your jack-o'-lantern from turning into moldy, maggoty mush before Halloween (theconversation.com). Single author piece on how fungi impact our seasonal celebrations and rituals particularly around Halloween. Oct. 6, 2022. Re-published by Scientific American, Popular Science, and PBS.  Printed and Online media, Wild mushrooms are curious organisms that require respect, The Washington Post, Wild mushrooms aren't all poisonous, but they all require caution - The Washington Post. Single author piece on how our fears of a small number of fungi shape our willingness to interact with them. August 24, 2022  Online media, Beyond flora and fauna: Why it's time to include fungi in global conservation goals, The Conversation, Beyond flora and fauna: Why it's time to include fungi in global conservation goals (theconversation.com). Co-authored piece with Brian Lovett (WVU PSS) and Patty Kaishian (Bard College) on how fungi are regularly excluded from talks on global conservation. May 17, 2022. Re-published in Indonesian.  Online media, Finding mental-health clarity under pandemic pressures. Nature. Finding mental-health clarity under pandemic pressures (nature.com) Single author column on my mental health struggles in academia. Dec. 14, 2021.   Research Podcast with Online Media, Episode 25: “Of Peeps and People…and Plant Pathology” Plantopia, https://www.plantopiapodcast.org/25.  The official podcast on The American Phytopathological Society featuring my work in forest pathology, science communication, and advocacy. July 21. 2022.  Podcast with Online Media, Episode 4: How cicadas become flying saltshakers of death Overheard at National Geographic, Episode 4: How cicadas become flying saltshakers of death (nationalgeographic.com) May 25, 2021.  National Radio with Online Media, Drugged Cicadas Mate Like Wild After Their Butts Fall Off, All Things Considered, National Public Radio., Drugged Cicadas Mate Like Wild After Their Butts Fall Off : NPR Coverage of Brood X and my lab's research of cicada fungus Massospora. May 18, 2021.  Online Media, Drugged, Castrated, Eager to Mate: the Lives of Fungi-Infected Cicadas, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/science/cicadas-fungus-butts.html, Coverage of our Fungal Ecology paper on cicadas " Psychoactive plant- and mushroom-associated alkaloids from two behavior modifying cicada pathogens.", July 28, 2019.  Online Media, This Parasite Drugs Its Hosts With the Psychedelic Chemical in Shrooms, The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/07/massospora-parasite-drugs-its-hosts/566324/, Coverage of our BioRxiv pre-print "Psychoactive plant- and mushroom-associated alkaloids from two behavior modifying cicada pathogens.", July 30, 2018.   SciComm  Online media, These fungi demand more pumpkin in their pumpkin spice lattes. Popular Science. Some fungi are fans of pumpkin spice lattes, too | Popular Science (popsci.com). Coverage of my Sept. 9, 2022 viral tweet seeing which fungi preferred growth media with real pumpkin compared with pumpkin spice and pumpkin spice latte-substituted growth media. Sept. 15, 2022.  National Radio with Online Media, A Disturbing Twinkie That Has, So Far, Defied Science, National Public Radio, Scientists Are Fascinated By An 8-Year-Old, Moldy Twinkie : NPR, Coverage of my viral Twitter experiment isolating fungi from moldy Twinkies. Oct. 15, 2020.  Online Media, Injecting Marshmallow Peeps With Fungi, for Science, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/science/marshmallow-peeps-fungus.html?searchResultPosition=1, Coverage of our Twitter #fungalPeeps project, March 29, 2019.   Expertise Online and printed media, Janet Yellen ate magic mushrooms. Here's why she didn't get high.  The Washington Post. Interview to talk about  Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's trip to China and consumption of a mushroom known as jian shou qing. Aug. 16, 2023. Janet Yellen ate magic mushrooms. Here's why she didn't get high. - The Washington Post  Online media, The fungal threat to human health is growing in a warmer, wetter, sicker world. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/07/health/fungus-health-threat-scn/index.html. Coverage on the fungal craze surrounding HBO's The Last of Us. Feb. 7, 2023.  Online media, We Asked a Mycologist About The Last of Us and It Got Weird. Esquire. https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a42760795/last-of-us-fungus-cordyceps-mycologist/ Interview to speak about the fungal craze surrounding HBO's The Last of Us. Feb. 5, 2023.  National Radio with Online Media, Finally, scientists have found a true millipede, All Things Considered, National Public Radio., Finally, scientists have found a true millipede : NPR Coverage of my colleague's discovery of the first true millipede with commentary from me. Dec. 20, 2021. Finally, scientists have found a true millipede : NPR   Elle Kaye socials www.instagram.com/ellekayetaxidermy www.twitter.com/ellektaxidermy Podcast socials www.instagram.com/specimenspod wwww.twitter.com/ellektaxidermy www.patreon.com/specimenspod www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch Artwork ©  2021 Madison Erin Mayfield www.instagram.com/madisonerinmayfield www.twitter.com/MEMIllustration Music Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye Concept/Title ©  2020 Elle Kaye

A long, disjointed rant about using and writing Dichotomous Keys and why it's sometimes a process of grasping for straws or throwing a bunch of stuff to a wall to see what sticks, what an ideal floral key might look like if it were written by a neurotic, rambling schmuck fixated on ecology and biogeography. Other subjects include the gradation between ecotypes and species in Fremontodendron as well as the mycorrhizal associations found with Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia (Ericaceae, Arbutoideae) in the chaparral of Baja California, Mexico.

I'm thrilled to introduce my new friend, Jasper Degenaars, the educational mycologist who runs Fungi Academy. With over 2000 students from 45+ countries, Jasper has taught people about the wonders of mushrooms with a mission to make learning about mycology easy, fun, and exciting! In our conversation, Jasper dives into Fungi Academy's spirit of community, educational mycology, and the healing power of fungi at the intersection of life and death.  Fungi Academy serves not only as an educational center for mycology but also as an intentional community. We touch on the array of beautifully produced online courses offered by Fungi Academy that contain everything you will ever need to know about mushrooms. Plus, Jasper shares his story of leaving his corporate sales job after a life-changing encounter with psychedelics and his perspective on structured psychedelic therapy versus self-exploration.  So many overlook the importance of fungi in our ecosystem. Jasper hopes that through education, people will start to see how crucial they are in sustaining life on Earth and fostering a closer connection between humanity and nature.  Join us for a deep and insightful exploration of the relationship between fungi, nature, and the human experience.  Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcast platform.  Topics Covered:  An introduction to Jasper and Fungi Academy Fungi Academy's approach to building intentional communities  Their new course offering and its comprehensive modules The often-overlooked importance of lichen in mycology A brief lesson on the evolution of fungi  Fungi's role in sustaining life on Earth Jasper's perspective on the holistic use of psychedelics How fungi have aided Jasper and his community during challenging times Guest Info:  Follow Jasper on Instagram: @jasperiuss  Follow Fungi Academy on Instagram: @fungiacademy  Check out Fungi Academy's new course: fungiacademy.com  Follow Me: Follow me on Instagram: @tonyapapanikolove  Follow Rainbo on Instagram: @rainbomushrooms  Shop Rainbo: rainbo.com

The Soil Matters with Dr. James White #jameswhite,#leightonmorrison,#avsingh,#livingsoil,   Today's Guest: Dr. James White - Department of Plant Biology   James F. White is Professor of Plant Biology at Rutgers University in New Jersey where he and students conduct research on ecology of microbes that inhabit plants (endophytes). James White obtained the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Botany and Plant Pathology from Auburn University in Alabama, and the Ph.D. in Botany/Mycology from the University of Texas at Austin. James White is the author of more than 300 articles and book chapters, and author and editor of seven books on the biology of plant microbes, including Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses (1994), Microbial Endophytes (2000), The Clavicipitalean Fungi (2004), The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem (2005, 2017), Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis (2009), and Seed Endophytes: Biology and Biotechnology (2019) and Microbial Inoculants and Other Microbiome Stimulants for Crops: Mechanisms and Applications (2021; Elsevier, In press). James White is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and Associate Editor for journals Symbiosis, Fungal Ecology, MycoScience, Biology and Scientific Reports, and serves as Chief Editor for the Plant-Microbe Interactions Section of the MDPI journal Microorganisms. James White received the Alexopoulos Research Prize in 1996 (Mycological Society of America), the Distinguished Research Award in 1994 (Auburn University Montgomery), and the Research Excellence Award in 1998 (Rutgers University). James White has presented extensively at international industry and academic conferences focused on regenerative agriculture, plant biostimulants and crop microbiomes.   Your Hosts: Dr. Av Singh, Ph.D., PAg. https://www.linkedin.com/in/av-singh-... https://www.fs-cannabis.com/ https://growupconference.com/ For a full bio visit: https://growupconference.com/speakers...   Leighton Morrison https://www.instagram.com/kingdomaqua... https://www.kingdomaquaponicsllc.com/   Executive Producer Ken Somerville https://www.instagram.com/kensomerville/ https://www.itsallaboutthebiology.ca Contact email itsallaboutthebiologytour@gmail.com Gifts to support the tour: https://www.givesendgo.com/G9AZD Reach out to Ken for a quick 15 min call: https://calendly.com/kensomerville/connections   #flowers,#plants,#nature,#gardening,#garden,#growing,#koreannaturalfarming,#naturalfarming,#jadam,#naturalfertilizer,#naturalfarminginputs,#permaculture,#regenerative,#foodforest,#biodynamic,#bioactive,#organic,#notill,#knf,#organicgardening,#urbangardening,#containergardening,#homegardening,#cannabis,#cannabisgrowing,

A couple weeks ago I had a wonderful conversation with my good friend Harriet Mela, the independent researcher from Austria who has helped push the boundaries of soil science and plant physiological understanding. We focused last time on how plants handle water stress, specifically drought and the management practices that can either help or inhibit their natural adaptation to this stress. Harriet also made it clear that she had a lot more to say on this topic and behind the scenes we talked about how to frame another discussion. In that time I shared a link to research done by Dr James White demonstrating how plants can absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere via enzymes in the stomata of their leaves. Turns out that Harriet is of course in close correspondence with James and she suggested that we invite him to our next session to explore the newest discoveries and experiments that they're both conducting. How could I say no to that! So a quick intro to Dr James White to get us oriented. James is Professor of Plant Biology at Rutgers University in New Jersey where he and students conduct research on ecology of microbes that inhabit plants known as endophytes. James White is the author of more than 270 articles and book chapters, and author and editor of seven books on the biology of plant microbes. He is also an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and Associate Editor for journals Symbiosis, Fungal Ecology, MycoScience, Biology and Scientific Reports, and also serves as Chief Editor for the Plant-Microbe Interactions Section of the MDPI journal Microorganisms and has presented extensively at international industry and academic conferences focused on regenerative agriculture, plant biostimulants and crop microbiomes. So as you can imagine, between James and Harriet, we get into some epic material.  Though this session takes us in many directions, a couple of which I probably can't even pronounce correctly, the overarching theme that we explore is the workings of plants and their symbiotic relationships with other organisms that helps them to adapt and overcome stress in their environments. We start by looking at this topic from the perspective of drought tolerance to wrap up the previous conversation, and then we expand from there. We even get into genetic adaptation, the problems with industrially produced seeds, and by the end uncover a key piece of the puzzle that could help you cut the time it takes to transition to regenerative management of your farm into a fraction. Join the discord discussion channel to answer the weekly questions and learn new skills with the whole community Links: https://www.jefflowenfels.com/books-by-jeff-lownfels/ https://kindharvest.ag/courses/ra-cc-carbon-course/

Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist and writer who has written a book about the vast world of fungi while pursuing a plant study involving fungi symbiosis. He shares with listeners The prehistoric and ongoing relationship between plants and fungi, The nature and variety of these multisystem symbioses, and The composition of the "wood wide web" that the ecology and environment of plant and fungal symbioses creates. Merlin Sheldrake has studied plant sciences, microbiology, ecology, and the history and philosophy of science. He has his Ph.D. in tropical ecology from Cambridge University for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama. He was awarded the position of research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute while pursuing his Ph.D.  Merlin has just published the book Entangled Life, which describes how fungi affect our world. He shares many of these effects in this conversation, starting with his own fascination as a child for how natural objects transform. As he studied about decomposers and learned about symbiosis, plant study and research into plant and fungi relationships was a natural direction to pursue. He explains that fungi exists in plant roots and spread deep into soil but also live in plant leaves and stems as endocytes.  In fact, there are no plants found without endocytes. Therefore, he says, fungi are a fundamental part of planthood, even more than roots and leaves, as fungi existed in symbiosis with plants even before roots evolved. He tells listeners more about this relationship, current studies on communication between plants, fungi, and other plants and the necessity of fungi for health soil.  For more, find his book Entangled Life, which was just published, and see his website: merlinsheldrake.com.

The fungal organism engages with its community and environment in countless ways; without the fungi, much of life on Earth would not be possible.

Conversation with Jason C. Slot on Fungal Ecology, Fungi as it interacts with external environments, the evolution of Humans, Terence Mckenna's stoned ape theory, and much more!

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss fungi. These organisms are not plants or animals but a kingdom of their own. Millions of species of fungi live on the Earth and they play a crucial role in ecosystems, enabling plants to obtain nutrients and causing material to decay. Without fungi, life as we know it simply would not exist. They are also a significant part of our daily life, making possible the production of bread, wine and certain antibiotics. Although fungi brought about the colonisation of the planet by plants about 450 million years ago, some species can kill humans and devastate trees. With: Lynne Boddy Professor of Fungal Ecology at Cardiff University Sarah Gurr Professor of Food Security in the Biosciences Department at the University of Exeter David Johnson N8 Chair in Microbial Ecology at the University of Manchester Producer: Victoria Brignell.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss fungi. These organisms are not plants or animals but a kingdom of their own. Millions of species of fungi live on the Earth and they play a crucial role in ecosystems, enabling plants to obtain nutrients and causing material to decay. Without fungi, life as we know it simply would not exist. They are also a significant part of our daily life, making possible the production of bread, wine and certain antibiotics. Although fungi brought about the colonisation of the planet by plants about 450 million years ago, some species can kill humans and devastate trees. With: Lynne Boddy Professor of Fungal Ecology at Cardiff University Sarah Gurr Professor of Food Security in the Biosciences Department at the University of Exeter David Johnson N8 Chair in Microbial Ecology at the University of Manchester Producer: Victoria Brignell.

A two-part series that will critically analyze what is being suggested as the worst public policy mistake in a generation. A prominent UN representative calls it a "crime against humanity", and this "crime" may shock even the most environmentally conscious of individuals, because it is in reference to biofuels, a technology that is in the early stages of an unprecedented boom around the world. The green image being painted by industry and world leaders is doing little to convince skeptics that using agricultural land to grow fuel is as environmentally friendly as it is reported to be. Compounding the environmental debate, biofuels are being referred to by some of the world's most influential international organizations as contributing to increases in global hunger at staggering rates. The money being thrown around the world and being invested into these biofuel technologies is incredible. In July 2007, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised 1.5 billion dollars in incentives to get the Canadian biofuel industry up and running. British Petroleum has controversially invested half a billion dollars into biofuel research at the University of California at Berkeley. The seriousness of this issue has prompted a careful approach to addressing this topic, and this two-part series has been designed to hopefully be the most critical 2-hours of radio produced to date on this rapid emergence of biofuels around the world. Part II On Part II, we examine the accusation that biofuels are a crime against humanity and how the biofuel boom will affect food prices around the world. We deconstruct the suggestion that biofuels will help Canadian farmers and rural communities, and we explore the controversy on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley where on February 1, 2007, a biofuel research deal worth half a billion dollars was announced between BP (British Petroleum) and the University. Guests Darrin Qualman - Director of Research, National Farmers' Union (NFU) (Saskatoon, SK) - NFU members believe that the problems facing farmers are common problems, and that farmers producing diverse products must work together to advance effective solutions. The NFU works toward the development of economic and social policies that will maintain the family farm as the primary food-producing unit in Canada. Eric Holt-Gimenez - Executive Director, Food First (Oakland, CA) - Also known as the Institute for Food and Development Policy, the purpose of Food First is to eliminate the injustices that cause hunger, a purpose they've been operating with for over 32 years. The institute was launched by Joseph Collins and Francis Moore Lappe. Lappe is most well known for her book published around that time - Diet for a Small Planet. Robin Speer - Director of Public Affairs, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (Toronto, ON) - Founded in 1994, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) mission is to promote the use of renewable fuels for transportation through consumer awareness and government liaison activities. The CRFA membership is comprised of representatives from all levels of the ethanol and biodiesel industry, including: grain and cellulose ethanol producers, biodiesel producers, fuel technology providers, and agricultural associations. Other Voices Len Penner - President, Cargill Canada (Winnipeg, MB) - One of Canada's largest agricultural merchandisers and processors with interests in meat, egg, malt and oilseed processing, livestock feed, salt manufacturing, as well as crop input products, grain handling and merchandizing. The company is a subsidiary of Cargill Limited based in the United States. In February 2007, Deconstructing Dinner ran a 2-part series on the operations of the company. Len was interviewed and recorded speaking by Host Jon Steinman in September 2007 at the CropLife Canada conference in Saskatoon. Ignacio Chapela - Associate Professor, College of Natural Resources, University of California - Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) - Working in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, the Chapela Lab focuses its research on the Ecology of Transgenes and Fungal Ecology. Chapela became the centre of controversy in 2000 while examining the native maize population in Oaxaca. One of Chapela’s graduate students, David Quist, made a shocking discovery. Despite a ban imposed by the Mexican government upon genetically-engineered(GE) corn in the birth place of modern maize domestication, there was clear evidence of genetic contamination. Chapela has long been a vocal opponent of genetic modification, which will be one focus of the BP/Berkeley Biofuels research. Miguel Altieri - Professor, College of Natural Resources, University of California - Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) - Working in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, Miguel's research group uses the concepts of agroecology to obtain a deep understanding of the nature of agroecosystems and the principles by which they function. Throughout their research and writings they have aided in the emergence of agroecology as the discipline that provides the basic ecological principles for how to study, design, and manage sustainable agroecosystems that are both productive and natural resource conserving, and that are also culturally-sensitive, socially-just and economically viable. Ali Tonak - PhD Student, College of Natural Resources, University of California - Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) - Ali is a student of Igancio Chapela and one of the organizers of the Stop BP-Berkeley Campaign. Ali was arrested on March 1, 2007 during a theatrical protest on the campus. JoAnne Buth - President, Canola Council of Canada (Winnipeg, MB) - A national trade association representing producers, input suppliers, processors and marketers of canola and its products. JoAnne was interviewed and recorded speaking by Host Jon Steinman in September 2007 at the CropLife Canada conference in Saskatoon. Jean Ziegler - Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, United Nations (Geneva, Switzerland) - In September 2000, Jean Ziegler was nominated by the UN Commission on Human Rights to be the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. Ziegler is a senior Professor at the University of Geneva and the University of Sorbonne, Paris. At the University of Geneva, he established the Laboratory of sociology for the study of the societies of the Third World, and most of his work has focused on developing countries. Arnold Schwarzeneggar - Governor, California (Sacramento, CA) Robert Birgeneau - Chancellor, University of California - Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) Robert Malone - Chairman and CEO, BP America (Houston, TX)