Podcast appearances and mentions of michele payn

Scientific curiosity can change the conversation about food, whether from a food, farm, or dietetic perspective. Likewise, scientific illiteracy can leave people susceptible to food bullying. Listen to this latest episode of the Food Bullying podcast and learn about how a new book can help you better communicate science. Amy Hays is currently the Assistant Director at the Oka Institute at East Central University, focused on sustainable water solutions, land stewardship, water research, and policy. She lives on a small ranch in Oklahoma. Her passion for science literacy inspired her to start For Science Sake, a project that helps people enhance their outreach and engagement, which lead to her co-authoring the new Science Story Speak  with Michele Payn to help re-build trust in science around the food plate. "Science is being questioned and denied like never before in this era of divisiveness, inflated food prices, and social media. Decisions are often made based on emotions, rather than evidence. Yet science has never been more critical for addressing major challenges like food security, climate change, and public health." Science Story Speak helps you change the way you communicate and builds belief in scientific advancements. Declining trust in science hurts agriculture by limiting progress in modern farming technologies, hindering hunger relief, expanding regulations, increasing consumer questions about farming, and contributing to mental health challenges. Amy also notes "There's a common misconception that farming and ranching are dominated by corporate farms using harmful, environmentally unfriendly practices. In reality, it's quite the opposite. Most farms and ranches are family-owned, and the folks running them care deeply about their crops and animals. They have to — their commitment to stewardship means everything because agriculture is tightly regulated, more so than many others. If they don't do things right, they simply won't last." Learn more about Amy's work at 4sciencesake.com or the newly released Science Story Speak at ScenceStorySpeak.com.

The ALL ME® Podcast The Great Organic/Non-Organic Debate – Michele Payn Are you one of those consumers who have trouble navigating the grocery store? Like, should I buy organic foods or non-organic foods to improve my health? Do you ever wonder if you're being bullied by specific marketing messages that influence your food decisions or make you feel guilty about what you eat? Organic food sales in the US were at an all-time high in 2022 breaking through $60 billion in total revenue. This demonstrated annual incremental growth over the last 10 years. On the marketing side, there are over 200,000 misleading marketing messages in a grocery store that can influence your food choices. In this podcast, we speak with Michelle Payn, who discusses what separates organic vs non-organic foods, whether or not they provide additional nutritional benefits, how food companies are bullying you and you don't even know it, and how to help yourself and your children overcome these messages.      Michele Payn Michele Payn, CSP, connects the people and science of food and farming as principal of Cause Matters Corp. She is known for being a community catalyst, a passionate advocate for global agriculture - and antagonizing people into action. Michele has worked with farmers in more than 25 countries, raised millions of dollars for 4-H & FFA, and founded AgChat and FoodChat on Twitter. She is the author of three books:  #1 best seller & IPPY gold medalist Food Bullying, IPPY bronze medal winner Food Truths from Farm to Table, No More Food Fights!, and Agriculture's Growth Journal. Michele's degrees are in Agricultural Communications and Animal Science from Michigan State University. She has earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation, awarded to less than 10% of professional speakers globally. She resides with her 'city slicker' husband and cow-loving daughter on a small farm in central Indiana. She enjoys Registered Holsteins, the MSU Spartans, and making memories with friends around the table. Contacting Michelle: Michelle's Books: Twitter: @mypaynspeaker Instagram: @mpaynspeaker Website: Follow Us: Twitter: @theTHF Instagram: @theTHF Facebook: Taylor Hooton Foundation #ALLMEPEDFREE Contact Us:  Twitter: @theTHF Instagram: @theTHF Facebook: Taylor Hooton Foundation #ALLMEPEDFREE Email:  Phone: 214-449-1990 ALL ME Assembly Programs:

Check out these resources:AgriSafe's Webinar with Michele Payn on "Protecting Your Brain from Stress" - make a free Learning Lab account and "register" to access!)USDA's Free Farm Mediation Services - find the free resource for your state and reach out!WebMD's article on "Ways to Manage Stress"-If you are interested in QPR training, visit: https://www.agrisafe.org/QPR/Sign up for the AgriSafe newsletter: https://www.agrisafe.org/newsletter/View upcoming webinars: https://www.agrisafe.org/events/-Directed by Laura SiegelHosted by Linda EmanuelEdited by Matt McKenney for ProPodcastingServices.comSpecial Guest: Remmington Rice

September marks National Suicide Prevention Month.  The farming and ranching Industry leads the world in suicide rates and is nearly double that of other industries, however very little is tracked or discussed here in the United States.  Mental health is a serious issue among farmers and ranchers please take it seriously and don't be afraid or too proud to talk to someone about it.   Today's episode of Brands and Barbed Wire provides some practical advice for handling stress, mental wellness and suicide awareness.  Thank you for listening to Brands and Barbed Wire. On today's episode of Brands and Barbed Wire we get the opportunity to visit with Michele Payn of Cause Matters.  Michele is a passionate advocate for global agriculture and has worked with farmers and ranchers in more than 25 countries, whether it's growing the farm and food conversation, developing an advocacy strategy, or discussing mental health, Michele connects conversations around the food plate.  I hope you enjoy today's episode and get some very practical information from today's guest Michele Payn.  You can find more information at www.causematters.com. Register for the National Farm Safety & Heath “Protecting Your Brain from Stress” webinar at  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_06IGV6tCQ5WOoIkmmv2jtg#/registration - it's free and all registrants will receive a link to the recording. Michele's AgDaily column on stress management is at https://www.agdaily.com/writer/michele-payn. Agriculture's Growth Journal, filled with 50 tips and challenge questions, is at  https://causematters.com/growthjournal/ Michele's compilation of mental health resources is at https://causematters.com/mental-health-resources/ Social links are below, and Linkedin is https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpaynspeaker/. Thanks to today's sponsor Jorgensen Land and Cattle www.jorgensenfarms.com ,  B.R. Cutrer Ranch www.brcutrer.com, Ranch House Designs www.ranchhousedesigns.com and JMAR Genetics  www.jmargenetics.com. 

... Show MoreStress Management & Food Bullying | Michele Payn

About the Guest Michele Payn, CSP, connects the people and science of food and farming as principal of Cause Matters Corp. She is known for being a community catalyst, a passionate advocate for global agriculture – and touching hearts to move minds. Michele has worked with farmers in more than 25 countries, raised millions of […]

Subscribe to the listener list HEREMichele Payn, CSP, has connected the people and science of food and farming as principal of Cause Matters Corp. for 22 years. She is known for being a community catalyst, a passionate advocate for global agriculture - and antagonizing people into action.Michele has worked with farmers in more than 25 countries, raised millions of dollars for 4-H & FFA and founded Ag Chat and FoodChat on Twitter.She is the author of three books: Food Bullying, a #1 best seller & IPPY gold medalist; Food Truths from Farm to Table, an IPPY bronze medal winner; No More Food Fights!; and Agriculture's Growth Calendar.Michele's degrees are in Agricultural Communications and Animal Science from Michigan State University. She has earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation, awarded to less than 10% of professional speakers globally.She resides with her 'city slicker' husband and cow-loving daughter on a small farm in Indiana. She enjoys Registered Holsteins, the MSU Spartans, and making memories with friends around the table.Website: www.causematters.comFacebook: Cause MattersInstagram: @mpaynspeakerLinkdin: Michele Payn Twitter: @mpaynspeaker~~~~~~~~~~Subscribe to the listener list HEREJoin the Agripreneur Empire by following along on instagram @agripreneur_empire and the facebook page at Agripreneur Empire PodcastSPONSERS:~Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/flyingfranchAre you loving the show and want more? Join me and my closest cheerleaders on Patreon!----------~ Start Your Shopify Trial!Build your business with Shopify to sell online, offline, and everywhere in between.Start a free trial and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for $1/month on select plans.“Powered by Shopify”Free Shopify Trial-------------~TraegerThe traeger lineup brings ultimate wood-flavor to the table, unlocking your food's true potential. No matter which grill you select, Traeger's 6-in-1 ability means you can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and bbq.Our family loves to smoke meats, cook pizza and even bake cookies on our Traeger Grill!Check Out Traeger Here!---------------FlodeskGet 50% off Flodesk your first year and start creating unique emails for your loyal subscribers!Flying F Ranch- Special discount code for listeners! Enter code “podcast” at check out on flyingfranch.org to score 20% off a leather patch “I GIVE A FLYING F ABOUT BEEF” hat!Interested in being a guest? Email me at afender614@gmail.com with the subject line as "Podcast Guest" and I would be happy to chat and get you on the show if it is a good fit!Support the show

Michele Payn, one of the world's leading food science experts, is trying to stop the global food fight. She discusses industry topics like food bullying and food misrepresentation and explores facts around controversial GMOs, organics, pesticides, and antibiotics. Discover how agriculture and science work to impact consumer trust.

Natalie Mariani Kling is a fourth generation family member of premium dried fruit company, which was started by her great grandfather in 1906 in what is now Silicon Valley. "My family and I are committed to 'inspire healthy living' and being a real solution for busy families trying to eat a little healthier every day." Natalie shares different perspectives in the medical and nutritional community about natural sugar vs. added sugar, and understanding how bad certain sugars are for your body. "When natural sugar is combined with a good amount of fiber, your body is able to digest natural sugars found in dried fruit at a slower rate vs. refined sugar which spikes blood sugar. "Prunes are not just good for gut health and a healthy microbiome, but research shows they are excellent for bone health. Recent research in postmenopausal women found that eating prunes daily both protected bone mineral density and mitigated fracture risk at the hip" Natalie talked with Michele Payn and Nicole Rodriguez about how dried fruits, such as plums and dates, are incredible for adding a natural sweetness to recipes. "By adding water to rehydrate the fruit, you can create purees/syrups/drizzles out of prunes, and essentially any dried fruit, for baking, stews, even cocktails." Prunes have an awareness problem. They have been for so long paralleled with digestion, and yet they may be best super fruits on the market - good source of fiber and an excellent source of Vitamin K, an essential bone nutrient. "People have fear and anxiety around buying shelf-stable fruits and vegetables, so they gravitate towards 'keto' and 'paleo' (which have served their purpose) yet they don't consider dried fruit an option to enjoy year-round." Listen in to the Food Bullying podcast for more about this shelf-stable fruit, which extends the fruit season, and provides a convenient grab-and-go snacks. As a certified clinical nutritionist, she's committed to promoting habits that support healthy children and families; this passion stems from her son who was born with neurological challenges, so she knows the power of nutrition as a foundation for life. The Mariani Family Packing Company has partner growers (our 'extended family') span the globe, growing orchard fruits (prunes, peaches, apricots), berries, and extending to tropical fruits (mango, pineapple), raisins, dates and others.  Natalie shares "Family is our differentiating factor, and we consider our grower partners around the world part of our extended family. We believe in treating others with respect - some of our long-term partners have been with us for multiple generations, e.g., our partnership with Kellogg's has extended +35 years." Mariani's respect Mother Nature - they have a fun family quote 'We report to Mother Nature.' Natalie reports "We're focused on increasing our sustainability efforts more so now than ever through our solar installation, water purification plant and water usage on the farms, and our growing techniques. We also believe in less food waste - prunes fit easily into a sustainable diet as consumers can eat the entire fruit without worrying about a peel or other inedible plant parts taking up space in their waste cans. Because prunes are simply dried plums, they have reduced water content, making them much lighter in weight and less perishable. This means fewer resources are needed to transport them and less refrigeration is used, resulting in a lower carbon footprint." Listen in to hear about prunes can help brains, bones, and guts and follow Marianis at www.facebook.com/MarianiFamily on Facebook, www.instagram.com/themarianifamily/ on Instagram, or https://twitter.com/MarianiFamily on Twitter. 

In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast, host Kimmi Devaney visits with author and well-known speaker Michele Payn about stress – what it is, how it manifests, how it impacts our farms, and most importantly, what we can do about it. Michele is passionate about agriculture and has connected with a multitude of audiences about utilizing science to connect people across the food plate, in addition to advocacy, mental health and much more. Here is a breakdown of the episode: About Michele, her dairy background and how she helps farmers [~1:30]What inspired your passion for helping farmers with mental health and stress management? [~2:50]What are you hearing from farmers these days about stress, stress levels and stress management? [~4:40]How has that conversation changed in the last five to 10 years? [~6:40]What does work-life balance look like on a dairy farm and what are some first steps farmers can take if they are looking for more balance in their lives? [~8:45]How do stress and cortisol manifest in the body? [~12:20]What are the consequences of maintaining stress levels that are too high for too long? [~14:25]On the flip side, are there any benefits to stress? [~17:15]How can our listeners recognize if their stress is out of control? [~17:40]What are some of the ways to create a buffer against stress? [~19:25]You recorded an episode with Eliz Greene on your podcast about how overwhelm and uncertainty are two main stressors for many people. Tell us more about this and why these two in particular are so impactful. [~23:00]Why do you say stress management is an essential business practice and how can someone be strategic about either dealing with or preventing stress? [~26:35]You recently developed a growth journal. Tell us about that and how someone can utilize it. [~30:20]What are some resources farmers can access as they incorporate stress management into their lives and businesses? [~33:10]What are some red flags people should be looking for in their friends and family when it comes to mental health and stress management? [~34:55]What else should farmers know about mental health and stress management that we haven't covered yet? [~37:25]What role does gratitude play in all of this? [~39:05]Rapid-fire questions [~42:00] Contact Michele Payn Website: causematters.com Email: mpayn@causematters.com Social media: @mpaynspeaker

Michele Payn welcomes Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Nicole Rodriguez to the Food Bullying podcast as the new co-host. A second career dietitian, Nicole found a huge disconnect between her education in New York City and agriculture. Michele and Nicole have teamed up help dietitians and consumers get firsthand perspective from farmers about how food is grown. Nicole Rodriguez, registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, resides in the metro New York area, where she offers nutrition counseling and fitness coaching to a diverse clientele.  Always encouraging her friends, family, followers, and clients to make fruits and vegetables the stars of their plates, Nicole serves as a partner in kind with the Produce For Better Health Foundation.  Eager to inspire the next generation of bold, active, and compassionate entrepreneurs, Nicole serves as leader of her daughter's Girl Scout troop.  In her spare time, you'll find her browsing the grocery store aisles, working on her deadlift, and on the beach with her family. Visit enjoyfoodenjoylife.com for more info. Listen in to learn more about the people behind the voices at the newly re-launched Food Bullying podcast. 

Jaden Maze is a high school student from Indiana. She is doing so many remarkable things in regards to mental health in agriculture. Jaden and I were connected by our mutual friend Michele Payn and I am so thankful for the connection. As you can tell from this interivew, Jaden is ahead of the curve in talking about mental health in ag. She has a very bright future and I can't wait to see what it has in store for her. Reach out to Jaden at Jaden.Maze@weboschools.org .Todays episode brought to you by AgXplore.com

Today's podcast is brought to you by Douglas Plant Health. To unharness your soil's fertility and to maximize yield, consider Douglas Plant Health. Visit DPHBio.com . Today's episode features the return of our friend Michele Payn. Michele was our guest way back on Episode 6 . Today, we talk about Michele's project of Agriculture's Growth Calendar, a resource that is an easy way to give ag connected folks weekly tips on being their best selves. Check out Michele online at https://causematters.com/. To sign up for the Ag State of Mind email list, go to https://www.subscribepage.com/agstateofmind

North American Ag's Chrissy Wozniak talks with author Michele Payn. For those involved in agriculture the lies can be maddening, what's the best way to address the narrative that's being fed to those furthest from the farm. Michele Payn exists to stop the food bullying that is so pervasive in our culture. Known as one of North America's leading experts in connecting farm and food, she serves as a resource for people around the plate.  Utilizing her diverse professional experience in the agricultural, sales and not-for-profit sectors, Michele founded Cause Matters Corp., a company designed to create connections around the food plate, in 2001. Cause Matters Corp. focuses on addressing food myths, developing science communication, and connecting farm to food. In each of these core areas, Michele helps organizations clearly identify issues, understand their audience and develop big picture solutions. Michele's goal is to help you communicate "why your cause matters" - whether you're a scientist, dietitian or in agribusiness. In her Food Bullying podcast, Michele and cohost Eliz talk about the $5.75 trillion secret that food marketers and celebrity spokespeople don't want you to know. Each episode is filled with tangible ideas on how you may have been bullied, why it impacts your wellness, and how to overcome food bullying. Michele and Eliz are known for their humorous, real-life debates about food, health and the stress associated with each. Visit https://northamericanag.com/cause-matters/ or https://causematters.com/ to learn more. This episode is sponsored by Energrow, learn more at https://northamericanag.com/exhibitors/energrow.North American Ag Spotlight videos are meant to help producers, and those involved in agribusiness learn about the products, services, events and media that are available in our great agricultural industry. Brought to you by NorthAmericanAg.com and ChrissyWozniak.com. Visit us at https://www.northamericanag.com/ , and https://www.chrissywozniak.com/.If you ate today, thank a farmer!The Women in Agribusiness (WIA) Summit annually convenes over 800 of the country's female agribusiness decision-makers. The 2022 WIA Summit, September 26-28 in Dallas, TX includes presentations from Cargill's Corporate Senior Vice President, Animal Health & Nutrition, Ruth Kimmelshue; Marco Orioli, VP of Global Grain & Processing for EMEA, CHS; and Brooke Appleton of the NCGA. Learn more at https://agr.fyi/wia_register. FIRA USA 18-20 OCT. 2022 (FRESNO-CA): The only 3-day event dedicated to the California and North America market for autonomous agriculture and agricultural robotics solutions.Learn More at https://agr.fyi/fira

How to help your customers and your salespeople Join me today as I interview Michele Payn.   Michele spent the last 20 years working at the intersection of the farm and food.  Connecting those that produce our food with those that process it and consume it.  An international speaker and author, Michele sat down with me to talk about a topic that is very important in today's agribusiness world:  stress, stress management and the mental health of those that produce our food.     Highlights: 3:30 - Tough conversations to have 5:10 - The #1 hurdle to dealing with stress and mental health topics 7:09 - The effects of chronic stress 8:20 - Steps you can take as a salesperson 13:01 - Isolation in farming and selling 14:30 - The #1 way to combat it 19:50 - Your customers and your salespeople need you now more than ever before 23:50 - Provide them with perspective 24:50 - Provide some historical examples   For further information on Michele and this topic: www.CauseMatters.com @MPaynSpeaker Crucial Conversations in Agribusiness Crucial Conversations in Agribusiness - PODCAST They need you now more than ever before They need you now more than ever before - PODCAST _______________________________________________________________________________________   Register in advance for this webinar:                                      Go from being a Good Salesperson to a Trusted Advisor This virtual training course takes you through the process of becoming that trusted advisor to your customers. Establishing yourself as the Go-To Salesperson to buy from.  Learn how to build your brand in the market to reduce objections. “I bring everything I have to this course to show you a clear path on how to overcome the most common problems salespeople have in agribusiness. Along with my 30 years of selling and leading sales people, I pull from thousands who have gone through my training programs in the last five years.” Click on the links above to watch the free webinar and enroll in the course to go from a good salesperson to a trusted advisor _______________________________________________________________________________________ If this podcast helped you on your journey to being more effective in your selling, I ask you to share it with those who might also benefit from it. Sign up for my weekly blog and podcast using the links on this page As a final request, take a look at the newest book on the market written specifically for you!    A Season for Sales:  Your Guide to Ag Sales Success  The only book written specifically for the Ag Sales Professional, by an Ag Sales Professional!

Michele Payn wants us to better understand the connection between food and the farm. One way she does that is by bringing clarity and common sense to help us all navigate the grocery store. As one of North America’s leading advocates, she is passionate about getting back to the truth in food – raised the right way, by the right people, for the right reasons. In this episode of Eating at a Meeting Tracy and Michele share truths about food labeling, discuss food bullying, and exploring food insecurity. causematters.com facebook.com/causematters instagram.com/mpaynspeaker twitter.com/mpaynspeaker www.linkedin.com/in/mpaynspeaker Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Opening with a few breaths together and moments of gratitude. Before diving into the meat and potatoes of the episode, Bre tells us about her hair stylist, [shout out to Claire Bowler] and the eggs she left with after her hair appointment #onlyinWYoming. We briefly talk about GMOs and food “buzzwords.” Alan brings up that we are simply sharing our view and relationship with food. Reminds everyone that eating disorders are serious and to seek the appropriate help if you have an eating disorder. Bre reminds us to do what is best for you, make sure you have awareness around your relationship with food, understand how food makes you feel and listen to what your body is telling you about the food you are consuming or NOT consuming. Alan's hunting story is epic! First he gives perspective about growing up in NYC and what he was taught about guns. Alan shares elk hunting success rates in Colorado - 14% with a bow and 24% with a rifle. In his story, he was so excited with his elk hunting success that in the moment he threw his rifle, while funny, this is a HUGE safety concern and is not something anyone should do. Bre mentions she used to be vegetarian and talks about how her perspective changed; all living things have a soul, killing a plant is like killing an animal. Food relationships can be very cultural and vegetarianism can be considered a privilege. Back in the day, you would never turn down eating meat from a kill, it's survival. We talk about regenerative farming, more buzz words “Organic” and “grass-fed' and the importance of local. Food's correlation to socio-economic levels and that it is more about education than access- time & money play factor. Counter argument is that you are going to pay for it no matter what, food and medication/health problems later. Alan talks exercise and getting off the couch, important to not use exercise for punishment. We need to take ownership of what we eat and drink. Bre references her dad's statement “that it is our generation's job to fix the problems from the prior generation.” This goes for food- not knowing previously what is bad. Alan and Bre discuss the link to big pharma, food and the government. Alan believes healthcare is not what we think it is and mentions his wife Jessica started seeing a Functional Medicine doctor which is a great mixture of eastern and western medicine. Alan's dog makes a cameo appearance. If you get anything from this episode, HAVE COMPASSION FOR YOURSELF, especially regarding food, exercise and health. If you are struggling please reach out for help. Friends, Family, Help Lines, Doctor/Professionals, just reach out. You are worthy of help and you matter. Alan does not want to end the episode but knows it is inevitable, but breaches the topic of food and culture. He talks about Ahimsa (non-violence/non-harming) in the yoga community and his thoughts. Bre and Alan plan to do a Part 2 about Hunting and Our Relationship with Food, next time they want to include listeners to share their thoughts and perspectives. JOURNAL PROMPT: Write about your thoughts from the episode. Write about your relationship with food. Write this “show yourself empathy. HUGE THANK YOU to the Allyson Band https://allysonband.com for the podcast's music and Brianna Cote https://briannacote.com for photography and cover design. Documentary, Book, & References: Being conscious about what we consume, how we consume and where we consume, please support your local bookstore, they can typically order most books for you if they don't have it in the store. Food Bullying: How to avoid buying B.S. by Michele Payn. Kiss the Ground on Netflix. Some potassium/sodium heart health numbers for wild game: https://highpotassiumfoods.org/high-potassium-foods/high-potassium-foods-wild-game-table. Temple Grandin & humane livestock slaughtering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thehunterandthehippie/support

So how can we cut through the noise and make healthy and tasty food choices for our families? We'll hear from two Spartans whose lives revolve around food: award-winning author and speaker, Michele Payn and MSU corporate chef, Kurt Kwiatkowski. Michele and Chef Kurt will pull back the curtain on food and demystify some of the myths and misnomers fed to consumers.Michele is a 1993 graduate of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, holding a degree in agricultural communications and animal science. She's an award-winning author and the founder of Cause Matters, a company dedicated to addressing food myths and connecting the farm to food. Her latest book, Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS, dives into the marketing tactics and psychology that pressure consumers into questioning their food choices. Michele is a passionate advocate for global agriculture and a catalyst for re-establishing food as a means of celebration rather than contention. “I was inspired to write Food Bullying because I have worked for nearly 20 years in the space of connecting farm to food. I'm so tired of people being scared of their food and where it is grown,” says Payn. “I continue to see marketing claims get out of hand. And what I have found through the research and writing the book is that there are actual neuro-marketing techniques that are being used to manipulate your brain to believe certain things that are not true.“Food should be a celebration, especially at this time of year. If there was one thing that you could remember during the holidays it is to celebrate the abundance of food that we have today. It's really unfortunate in a pandemic that people aren't doing enough of that, but rather they're fearing for their health and they're worried that their food is going to harm them.“I define healthy food based upon the four standards: health, ethical, social, and environmental standards. Russ, your standards are very different than mine, I'm sure, and I think that everybody has the right to be able to have their own standards around food. And if you know what your health, environmental, ethical and social standards are, you can measure all food claims against those. For example, ‘farm raised' is what I would consider BS, which is bold speak as defined in the book. Farm-raised is a BS label in my opinion and here's why, because food is raised on a farm and there's no need to slap a label like that on that. That does not fit my ethical standard as an example. “There is no definition for sustainable food. There's no measurement that can be found on the label and therefore that doesn't fit my environmental standard. We need to all return to going to the nutrition facts label rather than the front of the packaging because, as one of my friends likes to say, that's like putting lipstick on a pig. You can dress the pig up and make it really pretty, but it's still pig. Go to the nutrition facts label if you want the real information.”Kurt Kwiatkowski is MSU's corporate chef; he's better known as Chef Kurt. In that role, Kurt designs and sets the standards for all menus in MSU residential dining halls and develops culinary training for dining hall staff. Kurt holds a bachelor's degree in food systems management and economics and a master's degree from the School of Hospitality Business. Kurt is also a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, having completed their culinary enrichment and innovation program. Chef Kurt thinks the pandemic is changing our relationship with food.“I've never seen so many people so excited about bread and growing their own vegetables in their garden,” says Kwiatkowski. “If that can get people more connected with food then I'm all for it. And my hope is that people maybe understand what it takes to make something of quality, to put something together because you can have a good sourdough bread and you can have a rock that's super heavy that has no real flavor to it whatsoever. People are learning that it's not just as easy as adding flour and yeast and just stirring and all of a sudden you have this beautiful loaf of bread. I believe people are connecting more with their food.” Chef Kurt advises us to seek “the cleanest label” when we're shopping for our food. He describes how the smaller gatherings we're encouraged to have during the pandemic are altering holiday menus. And he shares food preparation and storage safety ideas.“I try to find products that contain the least amount of ingredients. Higher quality often means fewer ingredients. I emphasize NCO in the kitchen: neat, clean, and organized. “To me, food is something really special. I think food brings people together and hopefully it can bring people together in a different way. Food creates memories. When you're cooking this holiday season, think about some of those memories. Think about the turkey and the good times and be thankful for everything that we have. We're here and we've got an abundant life and I'm incredibly thankful every single day. Take that time to just enjoy it and celebrate some of those memories.” Watch this conversation here on the MSU Alumni Office Facebook page.MSU Today airs every Sunday morning at 9:00 on 105.1 FM, AM 870, and however you stream at home. 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What happens when the market for farm products disappears and there are hungry people in the community?  In Utah it led to farmers delivering food to Navajo families, including lamb - a sacred food.  Ron Gibson shares the heart-warming story the remarkable effort to inspire all Utah families to connect, succeed, and grow through the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation during COVID-19. Ron Gibson is a sixth generation dairy farmer from Weber County, Utah. He is currently serving as the President of the Utah Farm Bureau, the largest farm & ranch organization in Utah. Its mission is to inspire ALL Utah families to connect, succeed and grow through the 'Miracle of Agriculture'. Key points: The agriculture industry was expecting 2020 to be a better year than the last few, but the pandemic changed everything. The last few years have weighed down farmers emotionally and financially. Farmers don’t control the prices.  They, for example, build a business assuming milk will be priced at $18 per pound.  When the price becomes $10 per pound - farmers lose several hundred-thousand dollars per month. COVID hit food prices plummeted.  Much of food is purchased for food service and restaurants.  Grocery store shelves were empty and farmers had no market for their harvest. Sheep ranchers were hit particularly hard since most of their harvest goes to restaurants. A community effort formed to help farmers and hungry people. Donations to the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation are used to purchase food to deliver to hungry families. The first project focused on easing the impact of hunger in the Navajo community. Sheep is a sacred animal to the Navajo. The beauty of the collaboration inspired more projects throughout the state. Sacred money is supplying sacred food and creating a sacred community. Three tips to overcome food bullying: Some of the coolest people in the world are farmers. Farmers run their businesses without knowing what the price will be at harvest. Farmers are independent and proud people who are the salt of the earth. Links: Miracle of Agriculture Foundation: https://www.miracleofag.org/  Farmers Feeding Utah Website: https://farmersfeedingutah.org/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ron.gibson.1840 Instagram: instagram.com/milkman_ron Food Bullying: How to Avoid   Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

“Many people are one emergency away from food insecurity,” says First Lady of Wyoming Jennie Gordon.  She has made fighting hunger in Wyoming her mission. In this installment of our November hunger Series, we discuss how Wyoming is banning the “sandwich of shame” from school lunches and responding to food needs that tripled during COVID-19. Jennie father was a Senior Master Sergeant who served in the navy and her mother was from Austria where she survived World War II in Vienna. Jennie has nine siblings. When her husband was appointed as Wyoming Treasurer in 2012, Jennie took over management of the Merlin Ranch full time where the the ranch has garnered national recognition for its environmental stewardship and conservation achievements as well as efforts to promote the sale of Wyoming beef worldwide. Jennie became the first lady in 2019 and launched Wyoming Hunger Initiative in October 2019. This initiative works to address hunger in Wyoming, where 1 in 6 kids and 1 in 8 adults are experiencing food insecurity. Food is security: Friday Food Bags given to children to bridge the 48 hours outside of school on the weekend allows a mom to work and not worry about kids having to go out to get food in a less than secure neighborhood. Many people are living paycheck-to-paycheck and worry about an unexpected expense driving them into food insecurity. People who are hungry didn’t put themselves in the position on purpose.  We need to view food security as a hand-up not a hand-out. Bringing compassion to school meals: Food security has to be delivered without stigma or shame. Many kids need support, but the parents do not qualify for free lunch. In the past school nurses would see 50 kids per day with tummy aches. After implementing a breakfast that is delivered to all children after the bell rings, that number is reduced 80%. Students shouldn’t be given a “sandwich of shame” if they have school lunch debt.  They are given a full meal and an initiative helps parents pay off debt. Farmers, ranchers, Department of Agriculture, hunters, and grocers unite: There is an abundance of food, but it needs to reach people. A partnership allows farmers and ranchers to donate food. Hunters can donate as well. Three tips to overcome Food Bullying: Remember food is security. Make it a hand up - not hand out. How you treat the most vulnerable shows who you are. Links: Jennie Gordon Website: https://www.nohungerwyo.org/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstladywyoming/ Instagram: instagram.com/jennie.gordon2019 Twitter: twitter.com/JennieGordon Food Bullying book with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

Cranberries! One of the stars of autumn tables evokes beautiful images, wonderful scents, and a distinct taste. We discover how cranberries are grown and harvested sustainably in this episode, plus why we shouldn’t be afraid of the “sugar” in these nutritious berries. We also learn how a cranberry bog in Massachusetts looks different than a cranberry bog in Wisconsin. Michele and Eliz are joined by Dawn Gates-Allen, a fourth generation cranberry grower, who believes that the future of agriculture is through continuing education. Collaborating with schools, realtors, universities and stewardship is a foundation; culminating these while not being afraid to embrace things that are tough will help raise awareness of what agriculture offers to our environment and at your table. Ultimately food education and good decision making is what makes us healthy and well balanced. Key points: How are cranberries grown? What you see on the commercials is a glamorized version of harvest. Cranberry bogs are flooded for harvest, but aren’t grown in water. Cranberries don’t like to have “wet feet.” Cranberries are grown on a vine with shallow roots. Durning growing season the cranberry bog looks like a lovely golf course with ditches for irrigation. Water is recycled and stored in reservoirs and ponds - It is very scenic. One of the largest managers of water in the state. How does technology help make the farm more sustainable? Remote control irrigation is used to provide the right amount of water at the right time. Everything is done by satellite through solar powered sensors. Sensors report the temperature and soil moisture conditions in the bog. Water is used to protect plants from both frost and heat. How does a cranberry bog in Massachusetts look different than a cranberry bog in Wisconsin? When cranberries farms in Massachusetts started in the 1880s, they were built in the wetlands around rocks and trees.  They are unevenly shaped and require more labor to harvest Farms in Wisconsin are more open and rectangular.  They are built with dykes around them so that machinery can be used to harvest. What about all the sugar in cranberries? As with any food, portion control is important. Cranberries have lots of health benefits. Lots of recipes call for whole, unsweetened cranberries. Much of Dawn’s work with realtors is educating them and new home owners about what to expect living near a working farm. Three tips to overcome Food Bullying: Keep an open mind. Know your sources. Freeze cranberries. They keep up a year!  Don’t let the sugar thing worry you. Links: Dawn Gates-Allen Website: www.cranberries.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MassCranberries Twitter: twitter.com/MassCranberries Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/

Did you know popcorn is an entirely different crop than the sweet corn you enjoy on the cob? Eliz didn't! Michele and Eliz welcome Brian Scott to talk about popcorn, sweet corn, field corn, GMOs, and why seeds are intellectual property. Brian is a corn, soybean, popcorn, and wheat farmer in northwest Indiana raising two young boys on the farm with his wife, Nicole. He started The Farmer's Life blog in 2011 as a way to reach out to people across the world who don't have farming as a part of their daily life. Key points: What is the difference between sweet corn, field corn, and popcorn? Field corn harvested when dry Sweet corn harvested when juicy Popcorn outside of kernel thicker than sweet corn Sweet corn and & popcorn account for about 1% of all corn grown Field corn goes to animal feed, corn oil extraction, or ethanol Why is some corn labeled GMO, but not all? There is no GMO popcorn. Most sweet corn is modified to keep worms out of the plant. If the worm takes a bite, the worm dies. Farmers don't have to spray the plants to protect them. Field corn is modified to allow farmers to keep weeds from taking nutrients, light, and water from the plants. This allows farmers to use a single herbicide. Why do farmers have to sign a contract with seed companies? It takes tremendous effort and money to create a new seed product. A farmer can choose which seeds will work best in their fields. They are not under corporate control. Farmers don't "save seeds" to plant next year because the offspring isn't the same as the original. Planting equipment is also very precise. The machinery needs very consistently sized and clean seeds. Three tips to overcome Food Bullying: Don't pay attention to labels Eat what tastes good to you Know farmers care about the environment Links: Brian Scott Website: thefarmerslife.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thefarmerslife03 Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefarmerslife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefarmerslife/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefarmerslife Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

What role does disgust play in our fear of disease?  Why should we be careful about the language used to describe disease?  Dr. Tyler Davis is back to discuss how exotic foods are associated with “otherness." Neophobia (fear of new things) creates stigmas.  Bonus, Michele expresses her feelings about snakes. It's a great start to Season 7! Dr. Tyler Davis is an associate professor of psychological sciences at Texas Tech University, where he directs the Cap Rock Lab. The Cap Rock lab is something that uses functional in neuro imaging to study cognitive neuroscience in categories, categorization, attitudes, and preference. Key points: We need to be careful about the language we use to describe disease because if we are unfamiliar with something there is more chance of misinformation. If people believe a disease, such as Covid-19 originated from an exotic food source it is perceived as more risky and this creates a stigma around the disease and the country of origin. In the United States, we don’t typically eat bats or snake (although some people eat rattlesnakes). We often don’t understand the importance of these animals to the food chain.  For example, bats control malaria by eating insects and are pollinators. People also generalize the perceived risk of exotic foods (or disease) with the people who eat it. Neophobia is the fear of new things. This plays into food bullying as identity-based avoidance technology, such as non-GMO, contributes to fear. Labels like “natural” prey on this fear. To change perceptions we need to focus on the values of the group and how they identify around a fear. Three tips to overcome food bullying: Think about how food relates to your values Check that food claims actually mean what you think they mean. Ask why people want you to believe or identify with the claim.  Don’t assume people are different because they eat differently. Links: Dr. Tyler Davis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/flatlandneuro Email: h.davis@ttu.edu Food Bullying book with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart book  with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

“Food has become a battleground where spurious marketing labels and misinformation are used to cajole, manipulate, even shame consumers about their eating choices.”So writes Michele Payn ('93 B.S., Animal Science; '93 B.S., Agriculture and Natural Resources Communication) in her third book, Food Bullying:  How to Avoid Buying B.S., (Morgan James, 2019), recipient of the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) Gold Medal in Health, Medicine and Nutrition.Armed with science, compelling personal stories, and a lifetime on the farm, Payn challenges the way we think about food.  “I believe deeply in choice, especially when it comes to food.  I wrote Food Bullying to help people first become aware of the subtle, sophisticated, often devious ways they are manipulated and then to develop strategies for making guilt-free food choices based on their own ethical, environmental and health standards.”  Payn, also a nationally acclaimed public speaker and consultant, began her business, Cause Matters, at age 30.   “When I was at Michigan State, I knew I wanted to work in the agricultural industry and I would someday launch a business.  But I never imagined I would do that at age 30.”  One of the salient themes running through all Payn's  work is the importance of dialogue among agricultural producers, consumers, doctors, nutritionists and other key influentials in the food industry.  “Communication among knowledgeable professionals ensures that science-based information becomes the key component of food purchasing decisions—rather than marketing claims or testimonials from organizations with special agendas.”  Payn grew up on a dairy farm outside Jonesville, MI and attended Litchfield High School.  “Because of frequent visits to the beautiful MSU campus for 4-H and FFA events, there was never any doubt where I would go to college.”  Her passion for dairy cows continues as a Registered Holstein Breeder on her farm in central Indiana.  The dual degree program was challenging, Payn recalls, but the blending of the animal sciences and communication provided the career preparation she sought.   Her advice to MSU students interested in working in the food and agriculture industry:  “Despite the recent tough economic times, people in the industry are resilient; we will get through this, and there will continue to be excellent career opportunities for Michigan State graduates.”“One of many things I learned at MSU is that nothing builds strength like overcoming difficulty.   Keep your mind open to possibilities; don't limit your dreams.  And avail yourself of all the wonderful opportunities MSU offers, especially the faculty and staff whose support and guidance will prove invaluable.”    In addition to her commitment to family and career, Payn volunteers for a number of organizations, including Big Sisters, Boone County 4-H, and National FFA.  She is also past president of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Board. Payn's work has been featured in USA Today, Food Insight, and Food & Nutrition Magazine, on CNN and NPR and many other media outlets. She is also the author of No More Food Fights! and Food Truths from Farm to Table, also an IPPY award winner in Health, Medicine and Nutrition.  MSU Today airs every Sunday morning at 9:00 on 105.1 FM, AM 870, and however you stream at home. Follow and subscribe at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Ever wonder if that tasty sound bite on the news about what you eat is true?  Our guest, journalist Kate Delaney, shares how to vet what you hear and why a sensational headline is more likely to get media attention. Emmy award-winning talk show host and speaker Kate Delaney’s talk show "America Tonight" is syndicated across the U.S. and is heard in 20 other countries. In the 15 years of the show, she has broadcast from Ireland, Grenada, Ecuador and many other countries. A big part of her on the roadshows include food. Key points: There isn’t enough time to delve into sources and proof in a short-form radio or television story.  Viewers and ratings are important. An attention-grabbing headline or juicy sound bite is key to making the format work. Kate likes the longer format of a talk show because she can dig deeper into topics.  She knows 25 to 54-year-old people are concerned about food and want health information.  In the longer format, she can give sources, doe research, and more “meat on the bone.”  90% of a pitch to be on a show is selling a point of view.  The media are interested in hearing from people on the front lines of producing food.  If you see or hear misinformation, reach out to the host or reporter and offer another point of view.  Reporters have to file stories.  Feeding the beast of the media will pay off. Three tips to vet media stories and fight food bullying: If you see something sensational, go deeper.  Don’t trust the information at face value; get more information. Follow reliable, trusted sources who provide sources and details. Have your guard up.  The goal of the media is to serve who pays to keep them in front of you.  Links: Kate Delaney websites: katedelaneyradio.com and dealyourowndestiny.com    Facebook: facebook.com/katedelaneyfanpage Instagram: instagram.com/katedelaneyspeaker Twitter: twitter.com/katesdelaney Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Have you liked the podcast's Facebook Page? https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

Food has become a battleground where marketing labels and misinformation is used to bully and demonize people around their eating choices. Michele asks, “What if you could stop stressing about what other people think and make eating decisions based on your standards?” Her book offers an eye-opening look at the misrepresentation of food. It sheds light on bogus nutrition and environmental claims to help you recognize bullies and defend your food choices. In today’s show, Tracy and Michele discuss precisely that. They discuss how food has become a battleground, and they explore several compelling and hot topics around food bullying. In this episode, • Michele shares her background and why she is so passionate about the food conversation. • She shares her why behind writing this book and reveals the concept of bull speak to our audience. • Tracy asks Michele about the significant players and victims of food bullying. The discuss the hierarchy of food needs and the motivators behind food bullying. • Michele encourages each one of us to build our own food story and set our own food standards. Never heard of food standards before? We have you covered. Michele explains the four areas laid out in the book, and she shares her food standards to get the audience thinking. • Michele explains the neuromarketing tactics used to generate $5.75 trillion in food sales. • Last but not least, Tracy asks Michele how farmers can stand up to food bullies and make a difference. Are you fed up with all the food bullying and false labeling and marketing that happens in our food system? If so, you will not want to miss Tracy’s conversation with Michele. If this conversation is one that you are extra passionate about, we encourage you to purchase Michele’s book. It gives words to many of the thoughts, feelings, and frustration that many farmers are currently feeling with this ever-increasing food bullying culture. You can purchase her book by visiting her website http://click2go.me/.2zbfw We will also be giving out a few copies of Michele’s book this month, so sign up now to become an Impact Insider, and you will automatically be entered in show contests. https://www.farmmarketer.com/impact_farming_show/sign-up Thank You to our Show Sponsor: Proven® Seed http://trkit.win/.2zbfz 

Social media memes and marketing messages often ring nostalgic for how things used to be on the farm. But were the “good old days” really better?  In this episode we chat with fruit and vegetable expert Gene McAvoy about how farming used to work (and how it still works in some parts of the world) and how research has made farming better.  Gene McAvoy is currently the Associate Director for Stakeholder Relations at the University of Florida Southwest Florida Research and Education Center and previously served with UF IFAS Extension as regional specialized vegetable extension agent in SW Florida for 23 years. He has over 50 years experience in vegetable production in NJ, West Africa, South Africa and the Caribbean and most recently Florida. He is currently president of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. Key points: What does an agricultural agent do? Agricultural or extension agents act as go betweens bringing research information from land grant universities to the people who need it.  How has agriculture changed? In the past farmers were barely feeding themselves - sustenance farming.  Today a single farm supports 250 people.  Florida grows food for 150 million people. , How has COVID19 impacted Florida agriculture? A single town in Florida produces 16 million pounds of produce per week during harvest. During the early months of COVID Florida had to destroy 60 million pounds of produce per week. As much food as possible was donated to charity, but difficulties in transportation and produce that perishes quickly made it challenging. Crops had to be destroyed instead of harvested to keep them from becoming a breeding ground for pests. It costs $16,000 per acre to bring a crop to market.  Florida experienced a 1/2 billion dollar loss in 6 weeks in Spring 2020. Florida agriculture is starting to recover.  How has traveling the world influenced your view of farming? In places like the Caribbean it is expensive to import food.  Growing food locally for residents and tourists increases income for the farmers and decreases expenses for local governments. In Africa a simple school garden can prevent children from going blind by supplying food rich in vitamin A.  Teaching simple practices impacts an entire community.  Three tips to overcome Food Bullying: Educate yourself.  Not everything on Facebook is true. Any fruit or vegetable is better than none. Produce is good for agriculture and good for you.   Don’t buy into claims that pit one type of agriculture against another. Links: Gene McAvoy website: https://swfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gene.mcavoy or https://www.facebook.com/South-Florida-Vegetable-Grower-149291468443385/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SWFLVegMan Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

The number of people living and working on farms is less than 2% of the population yet everyone eats. Most of us have lost our sense of connection to where food comes from, how it is grown and are plagued with misinformation resulting in genuine fear about the food supply. Michele Payn, a leading authority in connecting farm and our food, and I talk about this issue.Doug Cook RD  www.dougcookrd.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/DougCookRDFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/dougcookrd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brain.health.nutritionist/ Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dougcook)AOR Supplements Transform health through evidence-based, natural, and therapeutic products by AORDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Do you know a farm family?  The vast majority of agriculture businesses are family-owned.  Our guest, Jolene Brown, consults with hundreds of farm families each year and shares the stresses and delights of farming. Jolene Brown is a real "Farmer Brown." From Eastern Iowa, she's an internationally known professional speaker in agriculture. Jolene is a long-time friend of Michele and Eliz, who can attest that Jolene is fun and funny, insightful, and authentic in her presentations.  Her consultations in family business earned her the reputation as the "Dr. Phil of Agriculture." In this episode, she's shares experience, insight, and tools to help make a good family business even better. Key points: People in agriculture live in uncertainty all of the time: Weather, global markets, government pressures Farm families learn to be resilient Farmers critical to the economy of rural communities COVID-19 has added more uncertainty Significant economic and mental health impact Working 24 hours per day and still being in the red Not making a profit on products - Food had been dumped rather than sold Trade being questionable When uncertainty increases, people look for something to control Suicides have increased in Ag Farmers are handing on to assets and delaying decisions about succession Senior generations need to feel financially secure before handing over the reins Family farm businesses are complicated 95 - 98% of all agriculture businesses are family-owned but incorporated to address liability, asset protection, and tax issues Farmers are good people who want to do what’s right Farmers are dedicated to providing safe, abundant, and compensated food to the world Farming gives us national security Gratitude goes a long way Three tips to overcome food bullying: Know yourself and what you are willing to do Have good resources, be a good neighbor and check in with farm families Be a student and listen Links: Jolene Brown website: jolenebrown.com Facebook: facebook.com/jolene.brown.cspcpae Twitter: twitter.com/jolenebrowncsp Food Bullying with  Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

Agronomist Kevin Hoyer joins the podcast to talk about his experience helping farmers diagnose and treat their plants and soil as well as traveling the world looking at food production in other countries.  As a "doctor for crops," he says  “you can be thankful and trust that the products you buy are at the highest level of safety possible.  America carries the highest standards found anywhere in the world.” Kevin Hoyer and his wife Jody own and operate a family farm nestled in the bluffs of west central Wisconsin, not far off the Mississippi River. They grow soybeans, corn along with small grains to use as cover crops. They both also work off the farm, Jody as a quality control specialist for a local dairy processor, while Kevin works as an agronomist and crop advisor at a local ag retailer. Key points: An agronomist is like a doctor for crops trained in plant and soil health. focused on safe and abundant food that is as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible. works directly with farmers. soil tests plant health analysis advising farmers Why do farmers use chemicals? the chemicals are plant-protectants designed to protect or reduce stress on the crop. similar to using sunscreen to protect our skin. like taking an aspirin for a headache. weeds rob water and nutrients from crops many compounds used are found in nature in plants or soil plants have natural pesticidal activity to ward off pests. alfalfa evolved to grow longer hairs on the stem to ward off aphids. Why is understanding agriculture in other parts of the world important? get outside your comfort zone understand other consumers and their concerns - there are commonalities. farmers want to grow crops with as little fertilizer or pesticides to maximize production. consumers want to feel comfortable that food was grown and processed with care an safely. other countries do things we don’t do anymore. new practices reduce negative impact. America has the highest standards for food safety and quality.  Tips to overcome Food Bullying: Remember all of our food has to go through the same safety standards whether it is labeled sustainable, organic, conventional - they must meet the same levels of quality and safety. Look out for claims that seem outrageous. Trust that your food is safe. If you have questions, ask a farmer - we don’t have anything to hide.  Links: Kevin Hoyer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hoyer-Farms-138987533112713/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast Food Bullying: How to Avoid   Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/

Sugar gets the blame for many of our health issues.  Should we avoid sugar? Are there good sugars and bad sugars? Our guest, Melissa Joy Dobbins is a registered dietitian and diabetes expert.  She brings a common sense approach to eating well and says “if people with diabetes can have sugar, you can too!” Melissa Joy Dobbins MS, RDN, CDE is known as The Guilt-Free RD® – “because food shouldn’t make you feel bad!” As a dietitian and diabetes educator, Melissa helps people digest food and nutrition information so they can make their own well-informed food decisions based on facts, not fear, and ultimately – enjoy their food with health in mind. Melissa hosts the popular Sound Bites® Podcast where she interviews experts on a variety of topics ranging from fad diets to farming and delves into the science, the psychology and the strategies behind good food and nutrition. Key points More than 1/3 of Americans are obese. People blame sugar consumption, but we’ve only slightly increased sugar consumption since 1989. Sugar isn’t the sole problem. Inactivity is an issue, too. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate Common sources of sugar are Sugar cane Sugar beets Corn Honey, table sugar, and high fructose corn syrup all have 16 calories per teaspoon and are nearly identical. The difference in the source of sugar is less important than the amount consumed. Doctors don’t always have the facts on sugar. Should focus on nutrient-rich foods instead of sugar. Takes shame out of the conversation. Research shows kids drink more milk if it is flavored.  Getting the nutrition is more important.  It is like putting a little dressing on salad. Focus on what is nutrients are in the food and what things in it might you want to avoid. Doctors have implied power based on their position, but don’t receive training in nutrition. They can unintentionally spread fear about food. People have to be in the driver’s seat of their own health. There are no forbidden foods - have to pay attention and make a decision about what works best for you. Dietitians have significant on-going training and specialize in areas such as pediatrics or diabetes.  People have to swim in their own lane of expertise.  School lunches and snacks can be a source of food bullying. Things have changed over time in terms of what is encouraged for snacks at school. Now required to bring fresh fruit or vegetable for snack Challenging to avoid food waste if it all has to be fresh instead of apple sauce or raisins Doesn’t avoid allergy issues Elitist - not everyone can afford or has access to produce How to think about sugar: Look at it from diabetes point of view. Consider a combination of simple carbohydrates (sugar) and complex carbohydrates Research doesn’t support sugar creates hyperactivity Blood sugar doesn’t spike and crash unless you have diabetes or reactive hypoglycemia Be aware how much sugar is in your food - but don’t be afraid too many calories from anything will cause weight gain “hidden sugar” isn’t really an issue feeds into a conspiracy theory about the food industry tricking us into buying food - look at the label people buy what tastes good “added sugar” label is confusing Snacks should fill nutrient and hunger gaps look at label to see what nutrients are in the snack we don’t get enough produce use all forms of produce to get what we need: Fresh, canned, frozen, and dried. small cups of apple sauce or fruit are portion controlled chose based on your own needs and standards Three tips to avoid food bullying: Food shouldn’t make you feel bad.  If you aren’t feeling good about a food (or are uncertain) step back and think about your goals and standards Don’t pay attention to the front of the package. Look at the nutrition label. Focus on nutrient-rich foods. Links: Sound Bites Podcast: https://soundbitesrd.com Melissa on Instagram & Twitter:  @melissajoyrd Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast Food Bullying: How to Avoid B.S. by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/    

How do we honor the people who produce our food when most of us never set foot on a farm or ranch?  Our guest this week suggests the key is educating yourself about the benefits of food and choosing what you want without giving into what other people may think. Joe Anderson is a fourth generation farmer in Idaho & has been farming probably all his life, but as a career since 1983. Like many farmers, he knew that's what he wanted to do from an early age. When not farming, he serves his industry as an Idaho Wheat Commissioner, or is out on an adventure somewhere seeking new people and places. Key questions: What does a Wheat Commissioner do? They decide how check-off dollars are spent: Research Marketing (including international marketing) Education What would do you wish people would know about what you do? It is about more that what happens in the field. Farmers spend a lot of time educating themselves about what they produce and the market for their products. Has wheat been modified to have more gluten? Starches and proteins have not changed in the last 50 years. Wheat has been selected for yield and baking characteristics. Wheat production is customer driven.  They want a consistent product. Through universities and research create better baking traits. Gluten is a combination of wheat proteins.  It is the active part of what makes bread work. How is GMO wheat different? There is no GMO wheat. The label is marketing, not nutritional. There could be some other GMO ingredients (soy or canola oil for example) Is the gluten-free label frustrating to you? Some people need the label to avoid gluten allergy, however many products never contained gluten. Ham has always been gluten-free. It is frustrating. Do you want to go back to the “good old days” of farming? Equipment now is better e.g. tractors didn’t have cabs to protect from dirt and weather or GPS equipment. The early days were rather brutal. Now we have tools to prevent erosion and save top soil (better chemicals help reduce tillage and keep nutrients) Links: Joe Anderson on Instagram: instagram.com/lewistonjoe Twitter: twitter.com/beemerjoe Food Bullying: How to Avoid   Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

Life on the farm may be a mystery for those of us in urban and suburban areas. One of the best ways to understand where food comes from is to meet the people who grow it.  Farm kids balance school, sports, service clubs, and helping on the farm.  In this behind the scenes episode, meet our Food Bullying Podcast editor and find out about her life as a farm kid. She shares what she’s learned showing dairy cattle in 4-H, including how stubbornness and leverage can move a ton. Audrey will soon be a junior in high school and loves her Holsteins. She is an avid runner, competing in cross country and track. Audrey is a busy, high-achieving student who is also active in 4H and FFA - and wishes people understood that not all farmers fit a mold. She also describes a very successful FFA effort to solve two problems in her community.  Through a milk and meat campaign that raised more than $34,000, her FFA chapter purchased meat and milk from local farmers to be distributed to seven local food banks during the pandemic and following months. Listen in for an inside look from a teenager on the farm. Links: Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast Food Bullying: How to Avoid B.S. by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/

Does how you feel about a cut of steak or whether it is labelled “natural” impact how much you enjoy it? Our guest, Dr. Mark Miller shares his research on consumer beef preferences and how labels influence what we choose to eat. Dr. Mark Miller is the San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science at Texas Tech University. He has been instrumental in developing consumer thresholds for beef and holds two patents for the processes that improve beef tenderness and color with electrical stimulation. He is also passionate about meat judging and has coached numerous teams to seven national championships. Key points: How does price impact how we feel about the value of a product? Consumer preferences are the most important things to meat science. There is no good food or bad food. People’s preferences to eat or not eat are always right. It is the amount of foods or “dose” that can make the difference. Companies are trying to create market share through labels and messaging appealing to niche markets: “Natural” production claims have increased by 40% Organic production costs 25 - 30% more than conventional production. We should allow the market rather than marketing to decide what should be grown and produced.  Food production has to be affordable to everyone. Why would people pay so much more for beef than other meats? Beef is more expensive than chicken or other meats Eating a great cut of beef releases they same type of hormones in the brain as falling in love.  It is very satisfying. How do labels influence how we perceive beef? In an experiment, people rated several cuts of beef on tenderness, taste etc. Then they were fed the exact same cuts but they were labeled with terms such as organic, natural, hormone treated, etc. The labels created a bias that effected the enjoyment of the beef. What is the difference between conventional and grass-fed beef? New Zealand and Southern Australia are the best place in the world for grass production. They have grass in abundance and a favorable climate. In the U.S. there are only about 120 days per year that animals can graze. Grass-fed animals take 2.5 - 3 years to grow large enough. In the US we have corn and soy beans in abundance. Conventional fed animals grow to the same size in 14 months. Grass-fed beef is more expensive to produce.  It costs about $8 per pound compared to $2.90 per pound for conventional beef. The carbon foot print of conventional beef is about 45% of grass fed beef. Cattle like grain over grass.  What should we know about hormones in beef? In the U.S. we’ve been using hormones in beef production since 1957. We’ve already done the human case study for nearly 70 years.  There is not a single documented case of any health concern as a result. The additions of naturally occurring testosterone or estrogen encourages muscle growth. The amount of estrogen in cabbage is far greater than in treated beef. Anti-science propaganda make it sound scary. Working with Dr. Tyler Davis (featured in two previous episodes) on understanding reactions to marketing labels was life changing. Food choices create an emotional response.  Eating something that tastes bad creates a reaction that will last forever.  A great eating experience lasts too. 3 tips to overcome food bullying: Enjoy your point of view based on what you like to taste and eat. Don’t feel guilty. There are no good foods or bad foods.  It is all about how much you eat. Don’t believe anything that isn’t backed up by a peer-reviewed scientific study. Links: Mark Miller: mfmrraider@aol.com Tyler Davis Episodes: Is your emotional brain being tricked by food marketers? Episode 16 How is your brain being manipulated about food? Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast Food Bullying: How to Avoid B.S. by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/

Did you know the term “sustainable” is used in food marketing to achieve price advantage, without any science backing the claim?  For example, greenhouse gas emissions associated with a glass of milk today is 1/3 what it was in 1944, but many people have been led to believe both milk and meat are not environmentally friendly.  In this Earth Day episode, our guest is Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, a livestock geneticist at University of California, Davis. She sheds light on why genetics is an important component of sustainability.  She shares that practices such as selective breeding (which is like Match.com for cows) and artificial insemination have allowed each generation of cows to improve in health and milk production. In the 40’s there were about 26 million cows producing milk, and today nine million cows produce all the milk we need. Alison also warns that anytime useful breeding innovations are taken off the shelf (e.g., GMOs) it is associated with the very real opportunity cost of a less sustainable food production system. In order to overcome food bullying, she recommends you make choices based on your own standards, avoid food fads, and ask a scientist about any technology or labels you don’t understand. Key Points Alison is from Australia - so her accent makes this interview delightful. She is a Cooperative Extension Specialist in the field of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science at University of California, Davis. Right now dairy farmers are under increased pressure.  The cows can’t stop producing milk, and it would be cruel to stop milking them. If farmers have to dump milk, it is like lighting your paycheck on fire. The term “sustainable” is used in food marketing to achieve price advantage without any backing in science. “GMO” is a marketing term without a scientific definition. Technically, what people worry about with “GMO” is genetic engineering, or changing the genes of a food in a lab (in contrast to selective breeding). There are no genetically engineered meat products sold in the US. One meat product, fast growing salmon, was developed 30 years ago and is just now getting through the approvals for sale. This fish would allow Atlantic salmon to be raised locally and significantly decrease the distance it travels — which is certainly earth-friendly. Fear-based marketing that uses an absence label (such as non-GMO or rBST free milk) misleads the public about science.  Fear of innovation in agriculture led to the end of rBST in the US and many other countries, despite the lack of evidence there was anything wrong with the milk.  Stopping the use increased the environmental footprint of milk by 6%.  Alison has spent her whole life applying science to agriculture and is frustrated by the lack of investment in technology that could protect our food system. Fear has stopped research into how to fight animal diseases using genetics, such as African Swine Fever.  Alison contends that if we invested in technology to eliminate such diseases and protect our food system, it would decrease the likelihood of pandemics like COVID19. Consider  the environmental trade-offs when purchasing food. For example, foods without preservatives spoil more quickly and increase food waste. Make choices based on your own standards, avoid fad, and ask a scientist about any technology or labels you don’t understand. Links Website: https://animalbiotech.ucdavis.edu/ Alison’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alison.vaneenennaam Twitter: https://twitter.com/biobeef US Davis Biobeef Blog: https://biobeef.faculty.ucdavis.edu/ Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast

  How can you support people who are food insecure with dignity?  Our guest, Community Network Dietitian Nicole Weeks, share how her organization uses the MyPlate model in choice food pantries. Nicole shares ways to help by, “Shopping with your wallet and having a voice, as well.” Nicole is a registered dietitian focused on community nutrition. Her background includes the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) supplemental food program, school nutrition with a focus on the administration of the free and reduced meal program, and now Hunger Task Force - Milwaukee's Free and Local Food Bank. She is the Community Network Dietitian, helping to support the network of over 50 food pantries and 20 meal sites and shelters. Hunger Task Force is the first food bank in the nation to utilize the USDA MyPlate model in a food bank setting, and Nicole's role supports this throughout the network. Key Points: The My Plate model replaced the Food Pyramid model.  It emphasizes filling your plate with: 1/2 of the plate produce 1/2 of grains whole grains Lean protein Low fat dairy Hunger Task Force’s Choice Pantries are filled with items that fit within the My Plate model.  People shop the panty and choose their food.  Nicole provides education about how to use the items, including cooking tips Best things to donate are low sugar canned fruits, and low sodium canned vegetables.  Ramen noodles are terrible donations.  They are non-nutritive and can’t be used.  They end up in the Hunger Task Force compost bin. Hunger Task Force runs a farm that produces a half million pounds of vegetables and fruit each year. Hunger Task Force has a mobile market serving the community with fresh produce, meat, and dairy.  It serves 1000 people each month. Ways to help your local food bank: Donate food Donate cash Understand food assistance programs exist for a reason. They are available to anyone — and one day you might need one. Volunteer. Organizations need help assembling food boxes, sorting food, stocking, and many other opportunities. Advocate for nutrition programs.  When changes are suggested in programs, look into what is suggested.  Speak up to support those who deal with food insecurity. Links: Nicole’s email: nicole.weeks@hungertaskforce.org Hunger Task Force Website: https://www.hungertaskforce.org/ Nicole on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rdsnick Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn: https://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/ Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast/

  As we all cope with stay-at-some orders due to COVID-19, cooking and grocery shopping have become more challenging.  In this special episode, Registered Dietitians Alice Henneman and Liz Ward share tips for stocking your fridge, pantry, and freezer while sharing quick meal ideas. Liz Ward, RDN, recipe developer, writer and nutrition communicator from the Boston area.  Registered Dietitian Alice Henneman, RDN, was actively engaged as an extension educator with University of Nebraska-Lincoln for 37 years. They both provide helpful nutrition tips, recipes, and answer food question online via various social media channels. Tips for stocking up: It’s time to appreciate all food. Canned, frozen, and dried are healthy choices to stretch your food between shopping trips. You can store cans anywhere in the house. Save freezer space and buy whatever possible in cans. Best by date is for quality. Canned tuna, peanut butter, canned beans, eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, and Greek yogurt are all nutritionally dense foods that will keep well. Dry milk is great for using in baking, making oatmeal etc so you can save fresh milk for drinking. Nuts, dried fruit, whole grain rice, and whole grain pasta are great too. Buying dairy products right now is important. Dairy farmers are having to dump milk. Tips for cooking with what’s on hand: Look at what you have Pick three ingredients Search the internet for recipes with those ingredients Fabulous Quotes: “Coffee, chocolate, and wine are essential items to stock.” “Cheese fixes everything.  If you’ve made something that isn’t great, put a little cheese on it.” “Don’t buy it because you think you should.  Buy it if you’ll eat it.” “Don’t overdo the treats. This is not a snow day” “Don’t hoard.  You only need enough for two or three weeks.” Links: Liz Ward Website (www.betteristhenewperfect.com) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.ward.31) Instagram: @ewardmsrd Twitter: @EWardRD Easy Chili Recipe: (https://betteristhenewperfect.com/2017/02/02/easy-beef-and-bean-chili/) Alice Henneman Website (https://alicehenneman.com) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/alicehenneman) Instagram & Twitter: @alicehenneman All Recipes (https://www.allrecipes.com/) Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn (https://causematters.com/foodbullying/) Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene (http://www.embraceyourheart.com/) Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast/)

You plan the meals and do the grocery shopping for your family. As you stand in line to check out of your favorite store, with your cart brimming with next week’s meals and snacks, are you trying to hide your purchases, so others don’t judge what your chose? Did you ever stop to wonder how you made the decisions about what went in your cart? Did you research each item, finding out about its quality and nutrition count and how it will help your family? More than likely you made many of those choices based on the latest trends and fads, what your friends were buying or the fancy packaging with big, bold words that sound great but may be misleading.Michele Payn :Michele is an international, award-winning author who brings clarity and common sense to the emotional food conversation. Her background in farming and her extensive research give her the information to break down and clarify some of the widespread confusion and misinformation about the food you buy for you family.When you are trying to make changes to be healthier, you are especially vulnerable and the most subject to food bullying. you need factual, science-based information to help you get the best quality and most nutritious itemsFood Bullying is when other people try to influence your food choices without having solid fact-based reasons. Trends, fads, misinformation and well-meaning friends can all have you second guessing or trying to hide what you are eating because you feel guilty about your food choices.When you are making nutritional choices for your family, food should be about celebration not condemnation! It is about getting back to basics, nourishment, family traditions, and fueling your body.Psychologists use Mazlow’s Hierarchy to describe basic human needs. The five-level pyramid is comprised of the following needs from the bottom up: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.Physiological needs and safety are at the base. They are biological requirements for survival, food, water and shelter. If those needs are not met, the others don’t matter. Food choices should be about safety and nourishment. Is your food safe? Yes, the US and Canada have very safe food supplies. There are many checks and balances to insure that. Is the food nourishing. There is only one way to tell and that is to look at the nutrition label.As you move up in the pyramid your basic needs are love, belonging and self-esteem. Bullies prey on your fear of not fitting in. Friends, fads and trends all influence what you buy, with no actual nutritional knowledge. Consumers are manipulated into making food choices by packaging with words that are “Health Halos”. Those are words that look like they mean something important and wonderful but actually have no verifiable information. If you can’t define it and it is not measurable, words such as “natural” and “healthy”, it is B.S. or Bull Speak.Unless you are a registered dietitian or a farmer who actually produces food, you are subject to confusing and completely false information about the quality and nutritive value of many of the foods you eat. You should choose what you eat and feed your family based on factual information not the latest trend, fad or scare tactic.Check out Michele’s website for more in depth information.https://causematters.com/Food Truths from Farm to Table: 25 Surprising Ways to Shop and Eat Without Guilt brings clarity to grocery shopping and addresses food marketing myths.https://causematters.com/foodtruthsbook/Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. looks at the misrepresentation of food and sheds light on bogus nutrition and environmental claims to help people recognize and stand up to food bullies.https://causematters.com/foodbullying/More Resources: www.healthaccountabilitycoach.comwww.facebook.com/houselifestyles

Did you know that only 8% of males wash their hands after using the restroom? And those hands may have picked up that apple you just purchased? Hygiene is important – both on your hands and in your kitchen. More important than concerns around chemicals and pesticides when it comes to food safety. Jennie Hodgen has her doctorate in food science and works as a meat scientist.  She's a mom of four who  loves to talk about bacteria, meat cuts, cleaning produce, and keeping your food safe. “The food you’re getting has gone through quite a bit of rigor from a food safety standpoint.” She helps us remember that food safety done well is invisible in the latest episode of the Food Bullying podcast. Key points Cross-contamination of food and germs on hands and why it's more important than concerns around pesticides and chemicals. Bacteria, viruses and your food. How to wash your produce – and your hands. Remember to clean or throw out your scrubber to avoid the transfer of bacteria from one fruit/vegetable to another. USDA’s recommendation on food safety: clean, separate, cook it properly, refrigerate. Knives and cutting boards used for cutting meat need to be washed before using them again. Why does meat have bacteria? Is it good or bad? Are some cuts more exposed? Use your meat thermometer – not your hands and sanitize. Keep in mind that meat will continue to cook once it is off the heat. Chemicals and pesticides are not a food safety concern. The B.S. of labels such as farm-raised, natural, super food, and whole. Tips to avoid food bullying: eat what you like, always ponder, don’t play the adjective game. Fab quotes “Bacteria and viruses are everywhere in the environment.” “Some food is “closer to nature” and need a little extra scrub, such as pick-your-own.” “Understand that bacteria is naturally found on meat – and why we cook it. As long as you are using a meat thermometer, you don’t need need to worry about your cooked meat.” “It is important to use a meat thermometer.” “Food safety done well is invisible.” “If you consider the billions of pounds of foods we produce in the U.S., you should feel good about the number of recalls. There is tons of testing going on.” “You don’t have to play the adjective game. Just because it has more adjectives on the label than anything else, doesn’t mean it’s healthier.” Links Twitter: @hodgenstein Instagram: @jhodgen @beefpros Have you liked the new Food Bullying Podcast Page on Facebook? Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn

Are you leaving foods out of your diet? You can run the risk of creating health issues if you are leaving out a food group, such as carbohydrates. "Our bodies need a variety of nutrients, which are obtained from variety of foods in our diet" points out Neva Cochran, a registered dietitian nutritionist. When you eliminate most of the foods in your diet, you are not going to be adequately nourished and may not have enough calories. That’s when your body starts breaking down muscle, producing ketones, or other consequences. Today's Food Bullying podcast guest advises us to not label foods good or bad, just try to eat all foods in moderation, prepared in ways that don’t add a lot of extra calories. Key points Cranberries, sustainability, and fruit floating at harvest. Excluding entire food groups leads to people missing out on nutrients Gaining weight back in the yo-yo syndrome and avoiding the quick fix of dieting. Dietary guidelines released every five years, recommended by experts.  My Plate is great way to eat a balanced diet with appropriate portion sizes. How to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Fear-based food marketing and uncontrolled label claims. It can be more efficient in food miles to get foods from far away rather than solely focus on local. Many times it’s not what we’re eating, but more about what we are not, such as produce. Why frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, and often less expensive. They are always in season. Should we be concerned about preservatives or are they a distractor to healthy eating? People are looking for simple solutions to complex problems. Food shaming in the grocery store. How to overcome food bullying: don’t believe everything you hear from your friends or online, turn food package over to look at Nutrition Facts Panel, talk to a Registered Dietitian Nutrition if you have a specific health issue related to food and nutrition. Fab quotes “Physical activity is key to taking off and maintaining weight.” “The combination of eating a balanced diet and physical exercise is critical.” “People are very attracted to quick weight loss, like cutting out entire food groups, such as carbohydrates. It just doesn’t work and isn’t healthy.” “The fact is that you cannot tell a food grown with biotechnology in agriculture from one that isn’t. There is no nutritional difference.” “Our body is very efficient at cleansing out toxins, so people don’t need to worry about cleansing because our bodies do that naturally.” “90% of the people  in the U.S. do not eat enough fruits or vegetables.” “People get concerned about minutia when they should be focused on eating more fruits and vegetables and whole grains, as well as lean meats, low fat dairy and healthy fats.” Links Neva's website: www.NevaCochranRD.com Twitter & Instagram: @nevardld Neva's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NevaRDLD/ Produce for Health Foundation https://fruitsandveggies.org Have you liked the new Food Bullying Podcast Page on Facebook! Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn

Artificial insemination. Vegetarian choices. The Oscars. STDs. Greenhouse gas emissions. Baby calves. Nursing. Starbucks. Nutrient density of food. Personal choices.  If those topics don’t add up to a civil conversation in your mind, listen in for a model on how to have a discussion around food and the environment that's respectful and informative with someone different than you. Yes, you can still laugh together. College student and vegetarian Grace Greene- and Eliz’s daughter – joins the Food Bullying podcast to ask questions Joaquin Phoenix’s comments about dairy cattle and Starbucks new plant-based “strategy”, while sharing her journey as a vegetarian. It’s Michele & Eliz's candid, monthly behind-the-scenes look at how food bullying hurt a variety of people. Key points A vegetarian’s perspective on Joaquin Phoenix’s offensive Oscar remarks Farmer suicide rates are double the national average and have jumped 34% in six years. How do brand and celebrity statements about farming practices contribute? Farmers connection to the natural world and care for animals Artificial insemination is done for a purpose, it’s a medical procedure Reproductive physiology in cattle and humans Why bulls can hurt cattle, people and biosecurity Unhappy cows do not make milk Why do dairy farmers “take babies away from their mamas”? Safety and nutrition are critical for both the cow and calf. The environmental impact of food choices for both vegetarians and carnivores Why Grace became a vegetarian and the connection she was seeking Greenhouse gas emissions and how farmers have significantly reduced the environmental impact for one gallon of milk The unintentional negative consequences of statements from companies and celebrities on farmers Nutrient Density to Climate Impact (NDCI) index and the importance of considering the nutrition in food while looking at environmental impact Fab quotes “Humans are the direct beneficiary of reproductive research done in cattle.” “It’s important to arm ourselves with reliable science to make smart choices.” “Electricity production accounts for 26% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.” “If every American eliminated ALL animal protein, it would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.6%.” “Across the entire world, 70% of the world’s land can’t be used for anything besides grazing ruminants. There is not an option to grow crops on that land.” “We all need to be aware of where our food is coming from and how to be environmentally conscientious.” “The unintended consequences of sensational statements by celebrities and brands turns people away from milk, which hurts dairy farmers. It’s deeply personal and does impact that mental health of farmers.” Links Like the new Food Bullying Podcast Page on Facebook! Twitter: @mpaynspeaker @elizgreene Starbucks, are you contributing to farmer suicides? Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn

How do you have a meaningful conversation with others in today’s overly emotional food arena? In this podcast episode, dietitian Leia Flure explains the steps to maintaining respectful discussion and making personal choices about what you eat. She suggests more critical thinking is needed in food-based decisions by being analytical about your choices and verifying information. “What is the motivation behind what I am sharing and what information I am opening myself up to?” A mom to young children and a millennial, Leia shares her personal experiences with other people as she conveys the message to stay open-minded with what you are believing. She suggests you step outside your comfort zone, listen to the other side, know your own standards, and enjoy food! Key Points What do you do when people disagree with you? Providing unbiased information and having difficult conversations Respectfully countering inaccurate information What are we supposed to believe when it comes to food safety; how do we perceive information from a variety of sources? Self-preservation and the difficulty of admitting when you are wrong. The hypocrisy when it comes to taking risks with food How to overcome bias and admit you are wrong Stepping outside of your comfort zone Risk bias and how the dirty dozen list drives people to avoid produce. Fabulous Quotes “It’s just so difficult to have a productive conversation when both sides are not willing to see the other person’s point of view.” “Sometimes it’s worth staying in the conversation and finding a way to have that conversation that is not questioning a person’s integrity because something different than what you believe, but also knowing when it is okay to just step away.” “It’s okay to have questions. I think the issue is really seeking out information from reliable sources and not necessarily relying on Dr. Google.” “The way that we evaluate risk is kind of skewed, and flawed.” “Do you think our psychology around food is skewed not just because sometimes we can be hypocritical in our choices but because what we want to believe isn't always true?” “What is the motivation behind even what I am sharing and what information I’m opening myself up to?” “We like things that are easy.” “We just don’t like to think about risk and we want to believe that we infallible, but truly we take risks every single by just going outside, and it is very uncomfortable to think about.” “If I can do this one little thing, I can buy the organic strawberries instead of the regular ones in the grocery store, then I feel better about my choices, but it doesn’t mean that is actually doing anything for me.” “Of course, as a dietitian, I’d rather people eat more fruits and vegetables instead of be afraid of them and decrease their intake.” Links Leia's blog: moderationmaven.com fruitsandveggies.com  Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene Food Bullying with Michele Payn

Did you know there is something like 200,000 misleading marketing labels at grocery stores? Our guest today is the author of several books including, Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. and Food Truths: From Farm to Table. In her books, Michele covers all the misleading claims that confuse consumers at the grocery store, explanations behind nutrition labels, and steps on how you can not fall victim to crazy labeling techniques. Be sure to check out Michele's work at the links below. https://causematters.com/books/ https://causematters.com/foodbullyingpodcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know there is something like 200,000 misleading marketing labels at grocery stores? Our guest today is the author of several books including, Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. and Food Truths: From Farm to Table. In her books, Michele covers all the misleading claims that confuse consumers at the grocery store, explanations behind nutrition labels, and steps on how you can not fall victim to crazy labeling techniques. Be sure to check out Michele's work at the links below. Subscribe to the Newsletter. Receive a free guide on how YOU can help farmers! https://causematters.com/books/ https://causematters.com/foodbullyingpodcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you buying organic, non-gmo, hormone and antibiotic free foods because you think they're healthier? In this episode Toni interviews Michele Payn, professional speaker and accomplished author of the book, Food Bullying to teach you the truth behind those claims so you can make more informed food choices.     Follow Toni on Instagram. 

Author Michele Payn and Rachel talk about the guilt surrounding food and how to sort through the BS about food choices. Find Michele on the Food Bullying Podcast and on social @mpaynspeaker.

Michele Payn is a much sought after speaker, author and podcast host.  She has introduced the third book in her trilogy, this one about the phenomenon of others taking issue with someone’s food choices.  The [...]

Today Jason speaks with Michele Payn. Michele is an author, speaker, and advocate for those of us involved in agriculuture. They chat a little bit about her new book "Food Bullying" and how food bullies at the end of the supply chain are affecting producers at the beginning. Jason also speaks to Michele about her recent efforts to raise awareness for mental health within the ag community. Find Michele's books and other resources on-line at https://causematters.com/

Today Jason speaks with Michele Payn. Michele is an author, speaker, and advocate for those of us involved in agriculuture. They chat a little bit about her new book "Food Bullying" and how food bullies at the end of the supply chain are affecting producers at the beginning. Jason also speaks to Michele about her recent efforts to raise awareness for mental health within the ag community. Find Michele's books and other resources on-line at https://causematters.com/

There’s a lot of pressure on farmers to do the best that they can to not only protect our environment, but also have a sustainable business. Most of the time, we are not giving farmers space to thrive, but often dictating what they should and shouldn’t do. Theresia Gillie is a soybean and wheat farmer from Minnesota, a county commissioner, and serves on the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association board and is a past president. She helps listeners understand what it is like to be a farmer, and how food bullying hurts the families growing our food. Key Points: What’s it’s like to be a farmer Challenges that farmers face Tips on how to overcome food bullying The Conversation: (04:12): What is harvesting like for a farmer?  (06:11): The most significant stress faced by farmers  (11:46): How are farmers taking care of the environment?  (14:46): How do farmers select the seed to use?  (17:23): How do farmers feel when we believe and feel like they are not doing the right thing?  (23:35): Tips on how to avoid food bullying Fabulous Quotes: “Be grateful that the food in the grocery store doesn’t cost you half of your living.” “What you’re getting in your grocery store is safe.” “Trust your growers because we’re really good at what we do.” “Variety is really the best and safest way to have to healthy eating.” Links: Theresia’s Facebook Theresia on Twitter Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn

Last year, I attended The Wizard Academy’s Reputation Tool Chest workshop taught by award-winning business journalist, Dean Rotbart. Dean is the host of Monday Morning Radio, a popular business-to-business podcast that in 2016 alone attracted more than a quarter-million listeners. With Dean’s help, I launched RANCHCAST with LEM LEWIS earlier this year, and I’m pleased that Dean continues to work with me to build our RANCHCAST audience and ensure the quality of our episodes. This week Dean and I share hosting duties – combining our two audiences for a very special interview. Our guest is Michele Payn, a nationally recognized influencer in the large, growing, and very successful farm-to-table movement. Michele is CEO of Cause Matters Corp., a consulting firm that advises companies and individuals on how to influence public discourse surrounding agriculture, health, and nutrition topics. This week Michele celebrates the official publication of her newest book: “Farm Truths – From Farm to Table.” While my expertise is in ranching, farming, and rural real estate, Dean is an expert on small business, reputation management, and effective communication. Together we explore with Michele both the business and the nutrition aspects of ranching and farming, and debunk some of the most common food myths. Photo: Michele Payne, Cause Matters Corp. Interview Conducted: March 8, 2017

Food has become a battleground where marketing claims and misinformation are used to bully and shame people about their food choices. What if you could stop stressing about what other people think and make eating decisions based on your own needs and preferences? This episode takes a closer look at the misrepresentation of food and sheds light on fictitious nutrition and environmental claims to help you recognize bullies and feel good about your food choices. Armed with science, compelling stories, and a lifetime on the farm, author and speaker Michele Payn challenges the way you think about food and gives you permission to buy food based on your own social, ethical, environmental and health standards rather than on brand marketing, peer pressure, or social media influence. Her book Food Bullying provides a six-step action plan to overcome bullying around the plate, simplify safe food choices, and even save time at the grocery store. Michele Payn connects the people and the science of food and farming, and brings clarity and common sense to the emotional food conversation.  For more information and resources go to www.SoundBitesRD.com/130

  Breaking out of the fear cycle in making food choices can be difficult. That’s why we turned to clinical dietitian, Danielle Penick, RDN, in this episode. Danielle has been through her own journey from an insecure food shopper that was easily bullied to becoming a comfortably cool food buyer who became a dietitian helping cancer patients. She also gives tips on how to engage in respectful food conversations, rather than food fights. In our conversation, we cover: What training does a dietitian (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) have? Is a dietitian and nutritionist the same thing? Supplements, cleanses, and detoxes: Yay or nay? The locavore dilemma Busting food myths and a framework for providing food tips The Conversation: [5:04] What does a dietitian do? [6:40] What does it take to be a dietitian? [9:20] Is a dietitian and nutritionist the same thing?  [10:31] What are your thoughts about “experts” who call them “nutritionists”? [13:17] What about cleanses and detoxes? [14:49] What foods are toxic to our health? [16:40] What personal standards do you have about food? [17:37] The “local food” dilemma [21:20] What helped you in your own personal journey with food? [29:28] Busting food myths [30:27] 3 quick tips to stop food bullying  Fabulous Guest Quotes “...we do live in one of the safest times in human history in terms of food and agriculture.”  “For some people, I know I couldn’t change their mind, but I can at least plant the seed.” “Very rarely do I see a dietetic internship having much emphasis on agriculture.” “Any dietitian call themselves a nutritionist, but the opposite is not true.”  “Most supplements that are out there are just good marketing. They’re not well regulated.” “Everything in life is toxic at the right dose.”  “...we know that eating more produce is better than not, regardless of the production method.” Links to Check Out Survivor’s Table website  Survivor’s Table on Facebook Danielle Penick on Twitter Email Danielle Build Up Dietitians on Facebook Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn  

  In the ongoing debate about food, it can be easy to forget that many people are waking up (or going to bed) without a meal.  That’s the message Diane Sullivan, anti-hunger advocate has in this episode of Food Bullying podcast. She wants to help others connect the dots between their own food shopping decisions and poverty. This connection will help us become smarter consumers, and gives each of us a vote on the way to a hunger-free world. Key points: The hunger problem: how big is it in America? The SNAP program: who it helps and its critics? Diane’s personal story: why she became an anti-hunger advocate Giving a voice to the voice to the voiceless in food policy How any consumer can make a difference by shopping with their wallet The Conversation: [2:44] What is SNAP? [4:03] How does food bullying impact SNAP?  [7:00] The consequences of food bullying on the poor  [10:37] How can we improve our response to the food needs of the poor?  [13:34] Diana’s story of feeding her family  [16:44] How can we give a greater voice to SNAP recipients?  [24:26] Why shopping for label and status impact the poor   Fabulous Guest Quotes “40 million Americans are now struggling to eat.”  “We have bullying and food shaming around people who don’t shop for organic.” “Low income people are often subject to policies that we don’t necessarily have a say [in]...” “Poverty is trauma and it’s exacerbated by bad policy.” “I am one story but there are tens of millions of people out there like me.” “The more we are educated, the less we are fooled." “Hunger is not a Democrat or Republican issue. It’s not an urban or rural issue.” “It [Hunger] exists in every single county in the country.”   Links to Check Out SNAP Diane Sullivan on Twitter Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. by Michele Payn    

  It’s very easy for us to ignore the fact that the brain controls a high percentage of how we view food.  Our guest today is here to help us understand the neuroscience perspective on brain and food. Dr. Tyler Davis is an associate professor of psychological sciences at Texas Tech University, where he directs the Cap Rock Lab. The Cap Rock lab is something that uses functional in neuro imaging to study cognitive neuroscience in categories, categorization, attitudes, and preference. Isn’t it amazing how our brains make decisions without asking for our permission? For instance, your brain can dislike a certain food without asking for your consent, based on things you have heard or seen. Key points: How our brain works when it comes to food Neuroscience perspective on how brain processes information related to food Brain reaction to GMOs and hormones, sustainability and antibiotics How to overcome food bullying The conversation: 02:44: Tyler Davis’ introduction 03:28: How our brain works 04:21: What part of our brain is used in processing uncertainty? 06:05: Neuro economic approach 13:30: All about GMOs and hormones 28:33: Tips to overcome food bullying Fabulous Quotes  “Make sure that you're not paying for a label unless you really want to.” “Don't think that something is risky just because you don't know enough about it or because you've heard a lot of conflicting information.” “Uncertainty feeds into our perceptions of risk and makes us see the food products potentially as riskier than they actually are.” “Prefrontal cortex is where we make a lot of our decisions.” Links to Check Out: Tyler on twitter Tyler’s email: h.davis@ttu.edu Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn

  In this episode, we approach farming from a different perspective and take a look at the impact of food bullying on mental health. Lesley Kelly, a farmer and mental health advocate, shines some insight into the pressures, decisions, and the unique calling of the farming lifestyle. She also discusses the rewarding, but difficult, role mothers have in trying to choose the right food for their children  In our conversation we cover: The sad story of farmer’s mental health Why farming is more than an occupation How our words & purchases affect farmer What’s up with canola? The GMO question: from a farmer’s perspective What’s up with bleached flour Feeding our children the best we can The Conversation: [3:36] Do More Agriculture Foundation [4:05] Farmers & mental health [9:30] Farming & personal identity [11:05] What is the impact of people criticizing the farming profession? [13:24] The impact of your buying decisions on farmer [13:56] Canola [18:11] GMOs-Yay or Nay? [23:30] Bleached flour Fabulous Guest Quotes “I really don’t see borders being defined when it comes to mental health and agriculture.” "There is immense pressure to make your farm work.” “Agriculture hasn’t really been encouraged to talk about mental health.” “There’s something to be said about being a farmer. It’s such a rewarding career.”  “We can grow more crops now...more than we did 20 years or 10 years ago”   Links to Check Out Do More Agriculture Foundation website Do More Agriculture on Facebook Do More Agriculture on Twitter High Heels & Canola Fields website High Heels & Canola Fields on Facebook High Heels & Canola Fields on Twitter Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn

  If you’re a person who always wanted to know more about the behind-the-scenes work that happens at the farms that produce your food, this episode will open your eyes. In our conversation, we cover: What does “a sustainable farm” look like? Why Ryan decided to farm organically The potential and pitfalls of a farm going organic The “behind the scenes” work and knowledge that goes into running a farm Organic vs. Conventional vs. GMO farming and why all choices are right Food bullying in agriculture Food label fibs e.g. popcorn is not a GMO The Conversation: [3:19] What do you grow on your farm? [4:52] What is a transitional crop? [7:32] Why did you decide to go to organic? [12:32] Is organic the only way to go? [13:37] Are GMO’s wrong?  [16:25] All the technology and science that goes into running a farm [19:32] Dealing with criticism as an organic farmer [25:00] 3 quick tips for overcoming bullying Fabulous Guest Quotes “The hardest thing about organic is insurance...” “I think the industry has made a mistake in using GMOs as the “easy” button.” “Organic takes a lot of labor, a lot of work, and a lot of time...” “One thing the American farmer is really good at is taking a market…”  Links to Check Out Weeks Family Farms website Weeks Family Farm on Facebook Weeks Family Farm on Instagram Weeks Family Farm on Twitter Sustainable Seed Solutions website Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn    

  What food safety should you practice at home? In this episode of Food Bullying, we talk to a meat scientist, Jennie Hodgen. She spills the beans all about meat science and enlightens listeners about some scientific issues that people have some wrong perceptions on. Jennie is a mom, scientist, cattle raiser, and  lifelong learner. When did you last grill some meat at home? Did you use a meat thermometer to tell if it is ready? It’s key to keeping your family safe. Have you heard of the myth that says that grass-fed cattle produce better meat than corn feed cattle? There might be slight nutritional differences, but one is not better than the other. What about GMOs? How many times have you condemned GMO food? Do you have your facts right? Are you worried about the food you buy from the grocery stores? Worry no more. Food in the United States is safe. The test protocols it goes through assure you of its safety. What should be of concern to you is how you handle the food at home.  The Conversation: 00:49 What food safety do you practice at home? 05:33  Are grass fed cattle healthier than corn fed is?   10:23  Did you know that areas with cattle farming have dropped their greenhouse gas emissions by 11% since 1961? 15:19 Everything you should know about GMO food 24:35 Keep away from adjectives. They are just on the packaging. Fabulous quotes: “Don’t pay for adjectives on food packages.” “Stay away from the adjectives or at least don’t let yourself be swayed by the adjectives that are on the package.” “GMO is bred so that you can use less pesticide.” Links: Connect with Jennie Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn

Today on the Food Bullying podcast, Michele & Eliz talk about an interesting topic that many people have different views on, weight loss.  Lisa Baker-King shares her health and wellness journey. She has worked at the intersection of sales, marketing and operations for over 25 years. She's a self-described rule-breaker. Lisa began a fitness journey in 2015 after the publication of her children's book "The Zealous Zebecs from the Midnight Ocean's Zenith." Seeing herself living large on the national TV screen was the kick in the butt she needed to transform her life from inside out and she did. Lisa tells us all about her weight loss journey, how she experienced food bullying, and shares some pointers. Our bodies are different and you don’t have to follow a particular weight loss journey just because it works for someone else. It’s important to go with what works for you and your body. Key points: Lessons from a health & wellness journey Popular myths people that people believe in weight loss & fitness How a tribe can change as a person changes The conversation: 02:38: Lisa’s introduction 04:15: Lisa’s turning point 05:52: The health scare 08:40: The Facebook troll 13:21: Making the hard decisions 22:59: Lisa’s view on GMOs Fabulous quotes: “Don't let the stress about having the right food ruin your health.” “Don't assign an emotional value to the scale or to the food that you're eating.” “Our bodies are all different. We're not cookie cutter versions of the same exact person.” “Sometimes subtle pushback you get when you make a decision to transform. “ “Don’t go for labels, unless they are on sale.” Links to Check Out: Lisa’s email: lisa@yourghostmarketer.com Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn  

Today's Thought Leader is Michele Payn, author of Food Bullying: How to avoid buying BS. The stories you need to know:• There’s a New Produce Warehouse in Los Angeles that aims to Prevent millions of pounds of Food Waste.• Rodale Institute Launches New Organic Research & Training Center in Georgia.Our farmer is Jocelyn Schlichting Hicks, the 2019 Good Steward Recognition Award from the National Corn Growers Association

Our intern, Madison, gives us an update on how we can save the bees but, later, Michele Payn of Cause Matters shares how we can agvocate to consumers.

Michele Payn of Cause Matters Corporation joins me to talk about her new book "Food Truths from Farm to Table: 25 Surprising Ways to Shop and Eat Without Guilt."  For complete show notes and recipes on this episode, visit http://kitchencounterpodcast.com/95 Connect with the show at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kitchencounterpodcast Twitter: @TKCpodcast Email: feedback@kitchencounterpodcast.com Leave a rating and review at: http://kitchencounterpodcast.com/itunes Available on Google Play Music

MICHELE PAYN is known as one of North America's leading experts in connecting farm and food. Her lifelong passion for agriculture stems from childhood and she has been breeding and judging dairy cattle as a registered Holstein breeder since the age of nine. She now resides on a small central Indiana farm, where she enjoys working on the farm with her daughter.She knows agriculture because she lives agriculture. Payn holds degrees in Agricultural Communications and Animal Science from Michigan State University. She is past president of College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association. Career highlights include a Regional Directorship for the National FFA Foundation, where she sold over $5 million in corporate sponsorshipsand led campaigns to develop community support for various Foundation expansions. She has also marketed and sold dairy genetics to more than 25 countries, managed e-business accounts and presented training programs in developing countries. CAUSE MATTERS challenges people to meet at the intersections of farm and food, and head and heart.FOOD TRUTHS: FROM FARM TO TABLE identifies marketing half-truths and guides you through the aisles of the grocery store and help you:Simplify smart food shopping.Reduce your guilt in the grocery store.Find freedom to enjoy your food again.The book contains 25 surprising ways to shop and eat, without guilt. Find out more at www.causematters.com

“To every person who has felt guilty or confused at the grocery store – May this give you the permission to feel good about your family’s food!” - Michele Payn     “Food is at the center of so many traditions. Food is essential to our bodies. Food deserves to be celebrated, enjoyed and shared. The same could be said about the truth in food.” – Michele Payn Michele Payn, CSP, is the author of the newly released Food Truths from Farm to Table, who speaks from the intersection of farm and food to bring clarity and common sense to the grocery store. Already named an Amazon #1 New Release, Payn’s new book brings an unheard voice in the highly emotional food debate and helps readers understand how food is really produced, answers food critics and points out how food marketing and labels are often half-truths or even “less-than-half-truths.” Known as one of North America’s leading farm and food advocates, Payn has an in-depth understanding of both sides of the plate and is passionate about getting back to the truth in food raised the right way, by the right people, for the right reasons. She is an in-demand media resource whose work has appeared in USA Today, Food Insight, Food & Nutrition Magazine, Grist, and others as well as on NPR and CNN. She has earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation, awarded to

Last year, Lem Lewis attended The Wizard Academy’s Reputation Tool Chest workshop taught by our very host Dean Rotbart. The two entrepreneurs hit it off, and earlier this year, with Dean's help, Lem launched his very own podcast – RANCHCAST –  that serves ranchers, farmers, and other rural producers. This week DEan and Lem co-host a joint edition of Monday Morning Radio and RANCHCAST featuring special guest Michele Payn, a nationally recognized influencer in the large, growing, and very successful farm-to-table movement. Michele is CEO of Cause Matters Corp., a consulting firm that advises companies and individuals on how to influence public discourse surrounding agriculture, health, and nutrition topics. This week is the official publication of Michele’s newest book: “Farm Truths – From Farm to Table.” The pairing of Dean and Lem is ideal, especially this week. Lem is a 4th generation Texas Rancher, who knows cattle, crops, wildlife, and rural real estate. Dean, of course, is an award-winning business journalist, small business expert, and reputation coach. Dean and Lem: Just one of thousands of productive partnerships and new friendships made possible by Wizard Academy. Photo: Michele Payn, Cause Matters Posted: March 20, 2017 Monday Morning Run Time: 37 minutes 52 seconds   

Michele Payn and I go back nearly 5 years, when I first met her in a hotel meeting room outside of Chicago for a speaker mastermind session. Immediately I loved her style, energy and passion for all things - especially for food. No, it's not that Michele loves to eat as much as I do (few people do) it's that she is passionate about sharing the truth about food, and in helping people eat the right food.  Think about this: Everyone eats. Yet two-thirds of the U.S. population lives in cities, with many of these individuals never having visited a farm or ranch where their food is produced. Wow! In this conversation, Michele shares some insights from her new book "Food Truths," why this matters to her, and how she balances life as a farmer, a mother, and a speaker who travels a ton!  About Michele Payn Michele Payn personifies passion. Known as one of North America's leading experts in connecting farm and food, she serves as a resource for people around the plate. Michele encourages all of her clients and audiences to find people's hot buttons and speak their language - whether it's growing the conversation between farm gate and food plate, developing strategy, or building an advocacy plan. Widely known as a "change agent," Michele delivers training programs and motivational keynotes to empower organizations to build connected communities. Entrepreneur. Farm girl. Mom. Science enthusiast. Author. Food translator. Innovator.  Connect with Michele Payn at https://causematters.com/ Visit Cause Matters - Michele's website  Get a copy of Food Truths Connect with Michele Payn on Twitter Check out Michele Payn's pictures on Instagram

Check out this episode where you will hear about an entrepreneur's journey, bull semen, and cow beauty pageants. Michele Payn personifies passion. Known as one of North America's leading experts in connecting farm and food, she serves as a resource for people around the plate. Michele encourages all of her clients and audiences to find people's hot buttons and speak their language - whether it's growing the conversation between farm gate and food plate, developing strategy, or building an advocacy plan. Widely known as a "change agent," Michele delivers training programs and motivational keynotes to empower organizations to build connected communities. Entrepreneur: Utilizing her diverse professional experience in the agricultural, sales and not-for-profit sectors, Michele founded Cause Matters Corp., a company designed to build connections around the food plate, in 2001. Cause Matters Corp. focuses on addressing food myths, developing science communication, and connecting farm to food. In each of these core areas, Michele helps organizations clearly identify issues, understand their audience and grow solutions. Michele's goal is to help you communicate "why your cause matters" - whether you're a scientist, dietitian or in agribusiness. Farm girl. Mom. Science enthusiast: She knows agriculture because she lives agriculture. Payn holds degrees in Agricultural Communications and Animal Science from Michigan State University, where she saw science come to life firsthand as a student worker in the animal reproductive physiology laboratory. Michele is past president of College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association and had the impact of her work featured in one of the first Spartan Sagas. Career highlights include a Regional Directorship for the National FFA Foundation, where she sold over $5 million in corporate sponsorships and led campaigns to develop community support for various Foundation expansions. She has also marketed and sold dairy genetics to more than 25 countries, managed e-business accounts and presented training programs in developing countries. Michele still holds her firsthand farm experience as the best contributor to her work. Her lifelong passion for agriculture stems from childhood; she has been breeding and judging dairy cattle as a registered Holstein breeder since the age of nine and now resides on a small central Indiana farm. She enjoys working on the farm with her daughter, making memories with friends, traveling, coaching 4-H & FFA members and cheering on the Michigan State Spartans. Author. Food translator: Michele has been baking since she was a young girl, but became a full-fledged foodie when she lived in Italy for a summer. She wrote the two-sided book "No More Food Food Fights! Growing a Productive Farm & Food Conversation" to encourage farm and food people to reach across the plate to find commonalities. Her new book, "Food Truths from Farm to Table: 25 Ways to Shop & Eat Without Guilt" will be released in early 2017 to bring clarity to grocery shopping and address food marketing myths. Innovator" Michele's strong belief in community-building and overcoming food insecurity stems from experience on four continents, including working in the Ukraine and Egypt, through United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects. She has been selected as a Face of Innovation and is also active in her central Indiana community, volunteering with FFA, 4-H, church and school. Payn continues to hone her skills after helping thousands of people around the world. As a member of the National Speakers Association, Michele is the founder of a professional networking group for generation X and Y speakers. She has earned her Certified Speaking Professional, a designation awarded to CSPless than 10% of professional speakers globally. Michele founded #AgChat and #FoodChat, a weekly moderated discussion on Twitter, in April 2009. Tens of thousands of people from more than 20 countries have participated in this highly visible conversation around food and farm issues. This community nominated Michele as one of Mashable's Top Three AgChat FoundationTwitter User's of the Year in 2009, putting agriculture alongside celebrities. Michele was one of the founding AgChat Foundation's board members in 2010 to grow the story of farmers, ranchers and agvocates in social media. Michele measures success in conversations around the food plate by people who are willing to reach out to help make their cause matter. In celebration of this, Cause Matters Corp. awarded 10 food and ag organizations grants on its 10th anniversary. The company will continue that tradition with 15 Cause Forward grants this year in celebration of 15 years of building farm and food connections...stay tuned.

Michele Payn-Knoper (@MPaynKnoper on twitter) returns to talk  to host Craig Price about food myths. Food is a strange thing. It's so important to our survival but the average person doesn't take the time to know how it gets to the store or know who the people behind the scenes really are. Of course, when a well planned marketing campaign comes out or a new study arrives, everyone has comments, even if they don't quite know the science behind the situation. Michele and Craig discuss if bacon is cancerous, why and when hormones are used, the truth behind antibiotics as well as talking about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and why Great Pyrenees puppies are awesome (to have as pets, not to eat!). With the holidays coming up, we'll dispel some food myths so the only worry you will have is how much pumpkin pie you should eat! You can learn more about Michele and her corporation Cause Matters at http://causematters.com

Michele Payn-Knoper (@mpaynknoper on twitter) sits down and talks advocacy and agriculture. Craig asks her about those online secret videos that pop-up on the news, animal hormones and how much time and care is put into the animals that live on farms nationwide. Michele can be found at http://www.CauseMatters.com