Podcasts about united nations food

Lots of talk these days about ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Along with confusion about what in the heck they are or what they're not, how bad they are for us, and what ought to be done about them. A landmark in the discussion of ultra-processed foods has been the publication of a book entitled Ultra-processed People, Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food. The author of that book, Dr. Chris van Tulleken, joins us today. Dr. van Tulleken is a physician and is professor of Infection and Global Health at University College London. He also has a PhD in molecular virology and is an award-winning broadcaster on the BBC. His book on Ultra-processed People is a bestseller. Interview Summary Chris, sometimes somebody comes along that takes a complicated topic and makes it accessible and understandable and brings it to lots of people. You're a very fine scientist and scholar and academic, but you also have that ability to communicate effectively with lots of people, which I very much admire. So, thanks for doing that, and thank you for joining us. Oh, Kelly, it's such a pleasure. You know, I begin some of my talks now with a clipping from the New York Times. And it's a picture of you and an interview you gave in 1995. So exactly three decades ago. And in this article, you just beautifully communicate everything that 30 years later I'm still saying. So, yeah. I wonder if communication, it's necessary, but insufficient. I think we are needing to think of other means to bring about change. I totally agree. Well, thank you by the way. And I hope I've learned something over those 30 years. Tell us, please, what are ultra-processed foods? People hear the term a lot, but I don't think a lot of people know exactly what it means. The most important thing to know, I think, is that it's not a casual term. It's not like 'junk food' or 'fast food.' It is a formal scientific definition. It's been used in hundreds of research studies. The definition is very long. It's 11 paragraphs long. And I would urge anyone who's really interested in this topic, go to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization website. You can type in NFAO Ultra and you'll get the full 11 paragraph definition. It's an incredibly sophisticated piece of science. But it boils down to if you as a consumer, someone listening to this podcast, want to know if the thing you are eating right now is ultra-processed, look at the ingredients list. If there are ingredients on that list that you do not normally find in a domestic kitchen like an emulsifier, a coloring, a flavoring, a non-nutritive sweetener, then that product will be ultra-processed. And it's a way of describing this huge range of foods that kind of has taken over the American and the British and in fact diets all over the world. How come the food companies put this stuff in the foods? And the reason I ask is in talks I give I'll show an ingredient list from a food that most people would recognize. And ask people if they can guess what the food is from the ingredient list. And almost nobody can. There are 35 things on the ingredient list. Sugar is in there, four different forms. And then there are all kinds of things that are hard to pronounce. There are lots of strange things in there. They get in there through loopholes and government regulation. Why are they there in the first place? So, when I started looking at this I also noticed this long list of fancy sounding ingredients. And even things like peanut butter will have palm oil and emulsifiers. Cream cheese will have xanthum gum and emulsifiers. And you think, well, wouldn't it just be cheaper to make your peanut butter out of peanuts. In fact, every ingredient is in there to make money in one of two ways. Either it drives down the cost of production or storage. If you imagine using a real strawberry in your strawberry ice cream. Strawberries are expensive. They're not always in season. They rot. You've got to have a whole supply chain. Why would you use a strawberry if you could use ethyl methylphenylglycidate and pink dye and it'll taste the same. It'll look great. You could then put in a little chunky bit of modified corn starch that'll be chewy if you get it in the right gel mix. And there you go. You've got strawberries and you haven't had to deal with strawberry farmers or any supply chain. It's just you just buy bags and bottles of white powder and liquids. The other way is to extend the shelf life. Strawberries as I say, or fresh food, real food - food we might call it rots on shelves. It decays very quickly. If you can store something at room temperature in a warehouse for months and months, that saves enormous amounts of money. So, one thing is production, but the other thing is the additives allow us to consume to excess or encourage us to consume ultra-processed food to excess. So, I interviewed a scientist who was a food industry development scientist. And they said, you know, most ultra-processed food would be gray if it wasn't dyed, for example. So, if you want to make cheap food using these pastes and powders, unless you dye it and you flavor it, it will be inedible. But if you dye it and flavor it and add just the right amount of salt, sugar, flavor enhancers, then you can make these very addictive products. So that's the logic of UPF. Its purpose is to make money. And that's part of the definition. Right. So, a consumer might decide that there's, you know, beneficial trade-off for them at the end of the day. That they get things that have long shelf life. The price goes down because of the companies don't have to deal with the strawberry farmers and things like that. But if there's harm coming in waves from these things, then it changes the equation. And you found out some of that on your own. So as an experiment you did with a single person - you, you ate ultra-processed foods for a month. What did you eat and how did it affect your body, your mood, your sleep? What happened when you did this? So, what's really exciting, actually Kelly, is while it was an n=1, you know, one participant experiment, I was actually the pilot participant in a much larger study that we have published in Nature Medicine. One of the most reputable and high impact scientific journals there is. So, I was the first participant in a randomized control trial. I allowed us to gather the data about what we would then measure in a much larger number. Now we'll come back and talk about that study, which I think was really important. It was great to see it published. So, I was a bit skeptical. Partly it was with my research team at UCL, but we were also filming it for a BBC documentary. And I went into this going I'm going to eat a diet of 80% of my calories will come from ultra-processed food for four weeks. And this is a normal diet. A lifelong diet for a British teenager. We know around 20% of people in the UK and the US eat this as their normal food. They get 80% of their calories from ultra-processed products. I thought, well, nothing is going to happen to me, a middle-aged man, doing this for four weeks. But anyway, we did it kind of as a bit of fun. And we thought, well, if nothing happens, we don't have to do a bigger study. We can just publish this as a case report, and we'll leave it out of the documentary. Three big things happened. I gained a massive amount of weight, so six kilos. And I wasn't force feeding myself. I was just eating when I wanted. In American terms, that's about 15 pounds in four weeks. And that's very consistent with the other published trials that have been done on ultra-processed food. There have been two other RCTs (randomized control trials); ours is the third. There is one in Japan, one done at the NIH. So, people gain a lot of weight. I ate massively more calories. So much so that if I'd continued on the diet, I would've almost doubled my body weight in a year. And that may sound absurd, but I have an identical twin brother who did this natural experiment. He went to Harvard for a year. He did his masters there. During his year at Harvard he gained, let's see, 26 kilos, so almost 60 pounds just living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But how did you decide how much of it to eat? Did you eat until you just kind of felt naturally full? I did what most people do most of the time, which is I just ate what I wanted when I felt like it. Which actually for me as a physician, I probably took the breaks off a bit because I don't normally have cocoa pops for breakfast. But I ate cocoa pops and if I felt like two bowls, I'd have two bowls. It turned out what I felt like a lot of mornings was four bowls and that was fine. I was barely full. So, I wasn't force feeding myself. It wasn't 'supersize' me. I was eating to appetite, which is how these experiments run. And then what we've done in the trials. So, I gained weight, then we measured my hormone response to a meal. When you eat, I mean, it's absurd to explain this to YOU. But when you eat, you have fullness hormones that go up and hunger hormones that go down, so you feel full and less hungry. And we measured my response to a standard meal at the beginning and at the end of this four-week diet. What we found is that I had a normal response to eating a big meal at the beginning of the diet. At the end of eating ultra-processed foods, the same meal caused a very blunted rise in the satiety hormones. In the 'fullness' hormones. So, I didn't feel as full. And my hunger hormones remained high. And so, the food is altering our response to all meals, not merely within the meal that we're eating. Then we did some MRI scans and again, I thought this would be a huge waste of time. But we saw at four weeks, and then again eight weeks later, very robust changes in the communication between the habit-forming bits at the back of the brain. So, the automatic behavior bits, the cerebellum. Very conscious I'm talking to YOU about this, Kelly. And the kind of addiction reward bits in the middle. Now these changes were physiological, not structural. They're about the two bits of the brain talking to each other. There's not really a new wire going between them. But we think if this kind of communication is happening a lot, that maybe a new pathway would form. And I think no one, I mean we did this with very expert neuroscientists at our National Center for Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, no one really knows what it means. But the general feeling was these are the kind of changes we might expect if we'd given someone, or a person or an animal, an addictive substance for four weeks. They're consistent with, you know, habit formation and addiction. And the fact that they happened so quickly, and they were so robust - they remained the same eight weeks after I stopped the diet, I think is really worrying from a kid's perspective. So, in a period of four weeks, it re-altered the way your brain works. It affected the way your hunger and satiety were working. And then you ended up with this massive weight. And heaven knows what sort of cardiovascular effects or other things like that might have been going on or had the early signs of that over time could have been really pretty severe, I imagine. I think one of the main effects was that I became very empathetic with my patients. Because we did actually a lot of, sort of, psychological testing as well. And there's an experience where, obviously in clinic, I mainly treat patients with infections. But many of my patients are living with other, sort of, disorders of modern life. They live with excess weight and cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes and metabolic problems and so on. And I felt in four weeks like I'd gone from being in my early 30, early 40s at the time, I felt like I'd just gone to my early 50s or 60s. I ached. I felt terrible. My sleep was bad. And it was like, oh! So many of the problems of modern life: waking up to pee in the middle of the night is because you've eaten so much sodium with your dinner. You've drunk all this water, and then you're trying to get rid of it all night. Then you're constipated. It's a low fiber diet, so you develop piles. Pain in your bum. The sleep deprivation then makes you eat more. And so, you get in this vicious cycle where the problem didn't feel like the food until I stopped and I went cold turkey. I virtually have not touched it since. It cured me of wanting UPF. That was the other amazing bit of the experience that I write about in the book is it eating it and understanding it made me not want it. It was like being told to smoke. You know, you get caught smoking as a kid and your parents are like, hey, now you finish the pack. It was that. It was an aversion experience. So, it gave me a lot of empathy with my patients that many of those kinds of things we regard as being normal aging, those symptoms are often to do with the way we are living our lives. Chris, I've talked to a lot of people about ultra-processed foods. You're the first one who's mentioned pain in the bum as one of the problems, so thank you. When I first became a physician, I trained as a surgeon, and I did a year doing colorectal surgery. So, I have a wealth of experience of where a low fiber diet leaves you. And many people listening to this podcast, I mean, look, we're all going to get piles. Everyone gets these, you know, anal fishes and so on. And bum pain it's funny to talk about it. No, not the... it destroys people's lives, so, you know, anyway. Right. I didn't want to make light of it. No, no. Okay. So, your own experiment would suggest that these foods are really bad actors and having this broad range of highly negative effects. But what does research say about these things beyond your own personal experience, including your own research? So, the food industry has been very skillful at portraying this as a kind of fad issue. As ultra-processed food is this sort of niche thing. Or it's a snobby thing. It's not a real classification. I want to be absolutely clear. UPF, the definition is used by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization to monitor global diet quality, okay? It's a legitimate way of thinking about food. The last time I looked, there are more than 30 meta-analyses - that is reviews of big studies. And the kind of high-quality studies that we use to say cigarettes cause lung cancer. So, we've got this what we call epidemiological evidence, population data. We now have probably more than a hundred of these prospective cohort studies. And they're really powerful tools. They need to be used in conjunction with other evidence, but they now link ultra-processed food to this very wide range of what we euphemistically call negative health outcomes. You know, problems that cause human suffering, mental health problems, anxiety, depression, multiple forms of cancer, inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's and dementia. Of course, weight gain and obesity. And all cause mortality so you die earlier of all causes. And there are others too. So, the epidemiological evidence is strong and that's very plausible. So, we take that epidemiological evidence, as you well know, and we go, well look, association and causation are different things. You know, do matches cause cancer or does cigarettes cause cancer? Because people who buy lots of matches are also getting the lung cancer. And obviously epidemiologists are very sophisticated at teasing all this out. But we look at it in the context then of other evidence. My group published the third randomized control trial where we put a group of people, in a very controlled way, on a diet of either minimally processed food or ultra-processed food and looked at health outcomes. And we found what the other two trials did. We looked at weight gain as a primary outcome. It was a short trial, eight weeks. And we saw people just eat more calories on the ultra-processed food. This is food that is engineered to be consumed to excess. That's its purpose. So maybe to really understand the effect of it, you have to imagine if you are a food development engineer working in product design at a big food company - if you develop a food that's cheap to make and people will just eat loads of it and enjoy it, and then come back for it again and again and again, and eat it every day and almost become addicted to it, you are going to get promoted. That product is going to do well on the shelves. If you invent a food that's not addictive, it's very healthy, it's very satisfying, people eat it and then they're done for the day. And they don't consume it to excess. You are not going to keep your job. So that's a really important way of understanding the development process of the foods. So let me ask a question about industry and intent. Because one could say that the industry engineers these things to have long shelf life and nice physical properties and the right colors and things like this. And these effects on metabolism and appetite and stuff are unpleasant and difficult side effects, but the foods weren't made to produce those things. They weren't made to produce over consumption and then in turn produce those negative consequences. You're saying something different. That you think that they're intentionally designed to promote over consumption. And in some ways, how could the industry do otherwise? I mean, every industry in the world wants people to over consume or consume as much of their product as they can. The food industry is no different. That is exactly right. The food industry behaves like every other corporation. In my view, they commit evil acts sometimes, but they're not institutionally evil. And I have dear friends who work in big food, who work in big pharma. I have friends who work in tobacco. These are not evil people. They're constrained by commercial incentives, right? So, when I say I think the food is engineered, I don't think it. I know it because I've gone and interviewed loads of people in product development at big food companies. I put some of these interviewees in a BBC documentary called Irresistible. So rather than me in the documentary going, oh, ultra-processed food is bad. And everyone going, well, you are, you're a public health bore. I just got industry insiders to say, yes, this is how we make the food. And going back to Howard Moskovitz, in the 1970s, I think he was working for the Campbell Soup Company. And Howard, who was a psychologist by training, outlined the development process. And what he said was then underlined by many other people I've spoken to. You develop two different products. This one's a little bit saltier than the next, and you test them on a bunch of people. People like the saltier ones. So now you keep the saltier one and you develop a third product and this one's got a bit more sugar in it. And if this one does better, well you keep this one and you keep AB testing until you get people buying and eating lots. And one of the crucial things that food companies measure in product development is how fast do people eat and how quickly do they eat. And these kind of development tools were pioneered by the tobacco industry. I mean, Laura Schmidt has done a huge amount of the work on this. She's at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), in California. And we know the tobacco industry bought the food industry and for a while in the '80s and '90s, the biggest food companies in the world were also the biggest tobacco companies in the world. And they used their flavor molecules and their marketing techniques and their distribution systems. You know, they've got a set of convenience tools selling cigarettes all over the country. Well, why don't we sell long shelf-life food marketed in the same way? And one thing that the tobacco industry was extremely good at was figuring out how to get the most rapid delivery of the drug possible into the human body when people smoke. Do you think that some of that same thing is true for food, rapid delivery of sugar, let's say? How close does the drug parallel fit, do you think? So, that's part of the reason the speed of consumption is important. Now, I think Ashley Gearhardt has done some of the most incredible work on this. And what Ashley says is we think of addictive drugs as like it's the molecule that's addictive. It's nicotine, it's caffeine, cocaine, diamorphine, heroin, the amphetamines. What we get addicted to is the molecule. And that Ashley says no. The processing of that molecule is crucially important. If you have slow-release nicotine in a chewing gum, that can actually treat your nicotine addiction. It's not very addictive. Slow-release amphetamine we use to treat children with attention and behavioral problems. Slow-release cocaine is an anesthetic. You use it for dentistry. No one ever gets addicted to dental anesthetics. And the food is the same. The rewarding molecules in the food we think are mainly the fat and the sugar. And food that requires a lot of chewing and is slow eaten slowly, you don't deliver the reward as quickly. And it tends not to be very addictive. Very soft foods or liquid foods with particular fat sugar ratios, if you deliver the nutrients into the gut fast, that seems to be really important for driving excessive consumption. And I think the growing evidence around addiction is very persuasive. I mean, my patients report feeling addicted to the food. And I don't feel it's legitimate to question their experience. Chris, a little interesting story about that concept of food and addiction. So going back several decades I was a professor at Yale, and I was teaching a graduate course. Ashley Gerhardt was a student in that course. And, she was there to study addiction, not in the context of food, but I brought up the issue of, you know, could food be addictive? There's some interesting research on this. It's consistent with what we're hearing from people, and that seems a really interesting topic. And Ashley, I give her credit, took this on as her life's work and now she's like the leading expert in the world on this very important topic. And what's nice for me to recall that story is that how fast the science on this is developed. And now something's coming out on this almost every day. It's some new research on the neuroscience of food and addiction and how the food is hijacking in the brain. And that whole concept of addiction seems really important in this context. And I know you've talked a lot about that yourself. She has reframed, I think, this idea about the way that addictive substances and behaviors really work. I mean it turns everything on its head to go the processing is important. The thing the food companies have always been able to say is, look, you can't say food is addictive. It doesn't contain any addictive molecules. And with Ashley's work you go, no, but the thing is it contains rewarding molecules and actually the spectrum of molecules that we can find rewarding and we can deliver fast is much, much broader than the traditionally addictive substances. For policy, it's vital because part of regulating the tobacco industry was about showing they know they are making addictive products. And I think this is where Ashley's work and Laura Schmidt's work are coming together. With Laura's digging in the tobacco archive, Ashley's doing the science on addiction, and I think these two things are going to come together. And I think it's just going to be a really exciting space to watch. I completely agree. You know when most people think about the word addiction, they basically kind of default to thinking about how much you want something. How much, you know, you desire something. But there are other parts of it that are really relevant here too. I mean one is how do you feel if you don't have it and sort of classic withdrawal. And people talk about, for example, being on high sugar drinks and stopping them and having withdrawal symptoms and things like that. And the other part of it that I think is really interesting here is tolerance. You know whether you need more of the substance over time in order to get the same reward benefit. And that hasn't been studied as much as the other part of addiction. But there's a lot to the picture other than just kind of craving things. And I would say that the thing I like about this is it chimes with my. Personal experience, which is, I have tried alcohol and cigarettes and I should probably end that list there. But I've never had any real desire for more of them. They aren't the things that tickle my brain. Whereas the food is a thing that I continue to struggle with. I would say in some senses, although I no longer like ultra-processed food at some level, I still want it. And I think of myself to some degree, without trivializing anyone's experience, to some degree I think I'm in sort of recovery from it. And it remains that tussle. I mean I don't know what you think about the difference between the kind of wanting and liking of different substances. Some scientists think those two things are quite, quite different. That you can like things you don't want, and you can want things you don't like. Well, that's exactly right. In the context of food and traditional substances of abuse, for many of them, people start consuming because they produce some sort of desired effect. But that pretty quickly goes away, and people then need the substance because if they don't have it, they feel terrible. So, you know, morphine or heroin or something like that always produces positive effects. But that initial part of the equation where you just take it because you like it turns into this needing it and having to have it. And whether that same thing exists with food is an interesting topic. I think the other really important part of the addiction argument in policy terms is that one counterargument by industrial scientists and advocates is by raising awareness around ultra-processed food we are at risk of driving, eating disorders. You know? The phenomenon of orthorexia, food avoidance, anorexia. Because all food is good food. There should be no moral value attached to food and we mustn't drive any food anxiety. And I think there are some really strong voices in the United Kingdom Eating Disorder scientists. People like Agnes Ayton, who are starting to say, look, when food is engineered, using brain scanners and using scientific development techniques to be consumed to excess, is it any wonder that people develop a disordered relationship with the food? And there may be a way of thinking about the rise of eating disorders, which is parallel to the rise of our consumption of ultra-processed food, that eating disorders are a reasonable response to a disordered food environment. And I think that's where I say all that somewhat tentatively. I feel like this is a safe space where you will correct me if I go off piste. But I think it's important to at least explore that question and go, you know, this is food with which it is very hard, I would say, to have a healthy relationship. That's my experience. And I think the early research is bearing that out. Tell us how these foods affect your hunger, how full you feel, your microbiome. That whole sort of interactive set of signals that might put people in harmony with food in a normal environment but gets thrown off when the foods get processed like this. Oh, I love that question. At some level as I'm understanding that question, one way of trying to answer that question is to go, well, what is the normal physiological response to food? Or maybe how do wild animals find, consume, and then interpret metabolically the food that they eat. And it is staggering how little we know about how we learn what food is safe and what food nourishes us. What's very clear is that wild mammals, and in fact all wild animals, are able to maintain near perfect energy balance. Obesity is basically unheard of in the wild. And, perfect nutritional intake, I mean, obviously there are famines in wild animals, but broadly, animals can do this without being literate, without being given packaging, without any nutritional advice at all. So, if you imagine an ungulate, an herbivore on the plains of the Serengeti, it has a huge difficulty. The carnivore turning herbivore into carnivore is fairly easy. They're made of the same stuff. Turning plant material into mammal is really complicated. And somehow the herbivore can do this without gaining weight, whilst maintaining total precision over its selenium intake, its manganese, its cobalt, its iron, all of which are terrible if you have too little and also terrible if you have too much. We understand there's some work done in a few wild animals, goats, and rats about how this works. Clearly, we have an ability to sense the nutrition we want. What we understand much more about is the sort of quantities needed. And so, we've ended up with a system of nutritional advice that says, well, just eat these numbers. And if you can stick to the numbers, 2,500 calories a day, 2300 milligrams of sodium, no more than 5% of your calories from free sugar or 10%, whatever it is, you know, you stick to these numbers, you'll be okay. And also, these many milligrams of cobalt, manganese, selenium, iron, zinc, all the rest of it. And obviously people can't really do that even with the packaging. This is a very long-winded answer. So, there's this system that is exquisitely sensitive at regulating micronutrient and energy intake. And what we understand, what the Academy understands about how ultra-processed food subverts this is, I would say there are sort of three or four big things that ultra-processed does that real food doesn't. It's generally very soft. And it's generally very energy dense. And that is true of even the foods that we think of as being healthy. That's like your supermarket whole grain bread. It's incredibly energy dense. It's incredibly soft. You eat calories very fast, and this research was done in the '90s, you know we've known that that kind of food promotes excessive intake. I guess in simple terms, and you would finesse this, you consume calories before your body has time to go, well, you've eaten enough. You can consume an excess. Then there's the ratios of fat, salt, and sugar and the way you can balance them, and any good cook knows if you can get the acid, fat, salt, sugar ratios right, you can make incredibly delicious food. That's kind of what I would call hyper palatability. And a lot of that work's being done in the states (US) by some incredible people. Then the food may be that because it's low in fiber and low in protein, quite often it's not satiating. And there may be, because it's also low in micronutrients and general nutrition, it may be that, and this is a little bit theoretical, but there's some evidence for this. Part of what drives the excess consumption is you're kind of searching for the nutrients. The nutrients are so dilute that you have to eat loads of it in order to get enough. Do you think, does that, is that how you understand it? It does, it makes perfect sense. In fact, I'm glad you brought up one particular issue because part of the ultra-processing that makes foods difficult for the body to deal with involves what gets put in, but also what gets taken out. And there was a study that got published recently that I think you and I might have discussed earlier on American breakfast cereals. And this study looked at how the formulation of them had changed over a period of about 20 years. And what they found is that the industry had systematically removed the protein and the fiber and then put in more things like sugar. So there, there's both what goes in and what gets taken out of foods that affects the body in this way. You know, what I hear you saying, and what I, you know, believe myself from the science, is the body's pretty capable of handling the food environment if food comes from the natural environment. You know, if you sit down to a meal of baked chicken and some beans and some leafy greens and maybe a little fruit or something, you're not going to overdo it. Over time you'd end up with the right mix of nutrients and things like that and you'd be pretty healthy. But all bets are off when these foods get processed and engineered, so you over consume them. You found that out in the experiment that you did on yourself. And then that's what science shows too. So, it's not like these things are sort of benign. People overeat them and they ought to just push away from the table. There's a lot more going on here in terms of hijacking the brain chemistry. Overriding the body signals. Really thwarting normal biology. Do you think it's important to add that we think of obesity as being the kind of dominant public health problem? That's the thing we all worry about. But the obesity is going hand in hand with stunting, for example. So, height as you reach adulthood in the US, at 19 US adults are something like eight or nine centimeters shorter than their counterparts in Northern Europe, Scandinavia, where people still eat more whole food. And we should come back to that evidence around harms, because I think the really important thing to say around the evidence is it has now reached the threshold for causality. So, we can say a dietary pattern high in ultra-processed food causes all of these negative health outcomes. That doesn't mean that any one product is going to kill you. It just means if this is the way you get your food, it's going to be harmful. And if all the evidence says, I mean, we've known this for decades. If you can cook the kind of meal, you just described at home, which is more or less the way that high income people eat, you are likely to have way better health outcomes across the board. Let me ask you about the title of your book. So, the subtitle of your book is Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food. So, what is it? The ultra-processed definition is something I want to pay credit for. It's really important to pay a bit of credit here. Carlos Montero was the scientist in Brazil who led a team who together came up with this definition. And, I was speaking to Fernanda Rauber who was on that team, and we were trying to discuss some research we were doing. And every time I said food, she'd correct me and go, it is not, it's not food, Chris. It's an industrially produced edible substance. And that was a really helpful thing for me personally, it's something it went into my brain, and I sat down that night. I was actually on the UPF diet, and I sat down to eat some fried chicken wings from a popular chain that many people will know. And was unable to finish them. I think our shared understanding of the purpose of food is surely that its purpose is to nourish us. Whether it's, you know, sold by someone for this purpose, or whether it's made by someone at home. You know it should nourish us spiritually, socially, culturally, and of course physically and mentally. And ultra-processed food nourishes us in no dimension whatsoever. It destroys traditional knowledge, traditional land, food culture. You don't sit down with your family and break, you know, ultra-processed, you know, crisps together. You know, you break bread. To me that's a kind of very obvious distortion of what it's become. So, I don't think it is food. You know, I think it's not too hard of a stretch to see a time when people might consider these things non-food. Because if you think of food, what's edible and whether it's food or not is completely socially constructed. I mean, some parts of the world, people eat cockroaches or ants or other insects. And in other parts of the world that's considered non-food. So just because something's edible doesn't mean that it's food. And I wonder if at some point we might start to think of these things as, oh my God, these are awful. They're really bad for us. The companies are preying on us, and it's just not food. And yeah, totally your book helps push us in that direction. I love your optimism. The consumer facing marketing budget of a big food company is often in excess of $10 billion a year. And depends how you calculate it. I'll give you a quick quiz on this. So, for a while, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was by far the biggest funder of research in the world on childhood obesity. And they were spending $500 million a year to address this problem. Just by which day of the year the food industry has already spent $500 million just advertising just junk food just to children. Okay, so the Robert V. Wood Foundation is spending it and they were spending that annually. Annually, right. So, what's, by what day of the year is the food industry already spent that amount? Just junk food advertising just to kids. I'm going to say by somewhere in early spring. No. January 4th. I mean, it's hysterical, but it's also horrifying. So, this is the genius of ultra-processed food, of the definition and the science, is that it creates this category which is discretionary. And so at least in theory, of course, for many people in the US it's not discretionary at all. It's the only stuff they can afford. But this is why the food industry hate it so much is because it offers the possibility of going, we can redefine food. And there is all this real food over there. And there is this UPF stuff that isn't food over here. But industry's very sophisticated, you know. I mean, they push back very hard against me in many different ways and forms. And they're very good at going, well, you're a snob. How dare you say that families with low incomes, that they're not eating food. Are you calling them dupes? Are you calling them stupid? You know, they're very, very sophisticated at positioning. Isn't it nice how concerned they are about the wellbeing of people without means? I mean they have created a pricing structure and a food subsidy environment and a tax environment where essentially people with low incomes in your country, in my country, are forced to eat food that harms them. So, one of the tells I think is if you're hearing someone criticize ultra-processed food, and you'll read them in the New York Times. And often their conflicts of interest won't be reported. They may be quite hidden. The clue is, are they demanding to seriously improve the food environment in a very clear way, or are they only criticizing the evidence around ultra-processed food? And if they're only criticizing that evidence? I'll bet you a pound to a pinch of salt they'll be food-industry funded. Let's talk about that. Let's talk about that a little more. So, there's a clear pattern of scientists who take money from industry finding things that favor industry. Otherwise, industry wouldn't pay that money. They're not stupid in the way they invest. And, you and I have talked about this before, but we did a study some years ago where we looked at industry and non-industry funded study on the health effects of consuming sugar sweetened beverages. And it's like the ocean parted. It's one of my favorites. And it was something like 98 or 99% of the independently funded studies found that sugar sweetened beverages do cause harm. And 98 or 99% of the industry funded studies funded by Snapple and Coke and a whole bunch of other companies found that they did not cause harm. It was that stark, was it? It was. And so you and I pay attention to the little print in these scientific studies about who's funded them and who might have conflicts of interest. And maybe you and I and other people who follow science closely might be able to dismiss those conflicted studies. But they have a big impact out there in the world, don't they? I had a meeting in London with someone recently, that they themselves were conflicted and they said, look, if a health study's funded by a big sugary drink company, if it's good science, that's fine. We should publish it and we should take it at face value. And in the discussion with them, I kind of accepted that, we were talking about other things. And afterwards I was like, no. If a study on human health is funded by a sugary drink corporation, in my opinion, we could just tear that up. None of that should be published. No journals should publish those studies and scientists should not really call themselves scientists who are doing it. It is better thought of as marketing and food industry-funded scientists who study human health, in my opinion, are better thought of as really an extension of the marketing division of the companies. You know, it's interesting when you talk to scientists, and you ask them do people who take money from industry is their work influenced by that money? They'll say yes. Yeah, but if you say, but if you take money from industry, will your work be influenced? They'll always say no. Oh yeah. There's this tremendous arrogance, blind spot, whatever it is that. I can remain untarnished. I can remain objective, and I can help change the industry from within. In the meantime, I'm having enough money to buy a house in the mountains, you know, from what they're paying me, and it's really pretty striking. Well, the money is a huge issue. You know, science, modern science it's not a very lucrative career compared to if someone like you went and worked in industry, you would add a zero to the end of your salary, possibly more. And the same is true of me. I think one of the things that adds real heft to the independent science is that the scientists are taking a pay cut to do it. So how do children figure in? Do you think children are being groomed by the industry to eat these foods? A senator, I think in Chile, got in hot water for comparing big food companies to kind of sex offenders. He made, in my view, a fairly legitimate comparison. I mean, the companies are knowingly selling harmful products that have addictive properties using the language of addiction to children who even if they could read warning labels, the warning labels aren't on the packs. So, I mean, we have breakfast cereals called Crave. We have slogans like, once you stop, once you pop, you can't stop. Bet you can't just eat one. Yeah, I think it is predatory and children are the most vulnerable group in our society. And you can't just blame the parents. Once kids get to 10, they have a little bit of money. They get their pocket money, they're walking to school, they walk past stores. You know, you have to rely on them making decisions. And at the moment, they're in a very poor environment to make good decisions. Perhaps the most important question of all what can be done. So, I'm speaking to you at a kind of funny moment because I've been feeling that a lot of my research and advocacy, broadcasting... you know, I've made documentaries, podcasts, I've written a book, I've published these papers. I've been in most of the major newspapers and during the time I've been doing this, you know, a little under 10 years I've been really focused on food. Much less time than you. Everything has got worse. Everything I've done has really failed totally. And I think this is a discussion about power, about unregulated corporate power. And the one glimmer of hope is this complaint that's been filed in Pennsylvania by a big US law firm. It's a very detailed complaint and some lawyers on behalf of a young person called Bryce Martinez are suing the food industry for causing kidney problems and type two diabetes. And I think that in the end is what's going to be needed. Strategic litigation. That's the only thing that worked with tobacco. All of the science, it eventually was useful, but the science on its own and the advocacy and the campaigning and all of it did no good until the lawyers said we would like billions and billions of dollars in compensation please. You know, this is an exciting moment, but there were a great many failed lawsuits for tobacco before the master settlement agreement in the '90s really sort of changed the game. You know, I agree with you. Are you, are you optimistic? I mean, what do you think? I am, and for exactly the same reason you are. You know, the poor people that worked on public health and tobacco labored for decades without anything happening long, long after the health consequences of cigarette smoking were well known. And we've done the same thing. I mean, those us who have been working in the field for all these years have seen precious little in the ways of policy advances. Now tobacco has undergone a complete transformation with high taxes on cigarettes, and marketing restrictions, and non-smoking in public places, laws, and things like that, that really have completely driven down the consumption of cigarettes, which has been a great public health victory. But what made those policies possible was the litigation that occurred by the state attorneys general, less so the private litigating attorneys. But the state attorneys general in the US that had discovery documents released. People began to understand more fully the duplicity of the tobacco companies. That gave cover for the politicians to start passing the policies that ultimately made the big difference. I think that same history is playing out here. The state attorneys general, as we both know, are starting to get interested in this. I say hurray to that. There is the private lawsuit that you mentioned, and there's some others in the mix as well. I think those things will bring a lot of propel the release of internal documents that will show people what the industry has been doing and how much of this they've known all along. And then all of a sudden some of these policy things like taxes, for example, on sugared beverages, might come in and really make a difference. That's my hope. But it makes me optimistic. Well, I'm really pleased to hear that because I think in your position it would be possible. You know, I'm still, two decades behind where I might be in my pessimism. One of the kind of engines of this problem to me is these conflicts of interest where people who say, I'm a physician, I'm a scientist, I believe all this. And they're quietly paid by the food industry. This was the major way the tobacco industry had a kind of social license. They were respectable. And I do hope the lawsuits, one of their functions is it becomes a little bit embarrassing to say my research institute is funded [by a company that keeps making headlines every day because more documents are coming out in court, and they're being sued by more and more people. So, I hope that this will diminish the conflict, particularly between scientists and physicians in the food industry. Because that to me, those are my biggest opponents. The food industry is really nice. They throw money at me. But it's the conflicted scientists that are really hard to argue with because they appear so respectable. Bio Dr. Chris van Tulleken is a physician and a professor of Infection and Global Health at University College London. He trained at Oxford and earned his PhD in molecular virology from University College London. His research focuses on how corporations affect human health especially in the context of child nutrition and he works with UNICEF and The World Health Organization on this area. He is the author of a book entitled Ultraprocessed People: Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food. As one of the BBC's leading broadcasters for children and adults his work has won two BAFTAs. He lives in London with his wife and two children.

In this episode, Global Food Talk explores how cooperation across sectors and borders can provide solutions to one of our biggest global challenges: ensuring food security in a sustainable way.You will hear insights from Kaveh Zahedi of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, who shares why the global food system must be addressed as part of a wider climate and biodiversity agenda, and how international cooperation is essential for impact.The conversation then turns to Denmark, where cooperative business models are helping drive real change. Peter Giortz-Carlsen from DLG Group and Louise Helmer from VikingGenetics share how farmer-owned companies are working with governments, consumers and partners to scale sustainability without compromising productivity.Drawing on concrete examples, from regenerative farming with Carlsberg to cross-border data sharing for cattle genetics, they show how trust-based collaboration and long-term thinking can create a more secure and resilient food future.

We're off this week for the Memorial Day Holiday in the US so we present here one of our most popular episodes, a classic IF from August 13, 2021 with the incomparable marine biologist from Australia, Dr. Vanessa Pirotta. Take a deep breath and enjoy this deep dive! ---- WHALES spend their entire lives inside a medium, water, in which they can't actually breathe. So throughout the day, and the night, they have to swim to the surface to take a breath of that sweet, sweet ocean air… or they die! We humans, and other land lubber mammals like us, are spoiled, just inhale, anytime you want, and… problem solved. But — What The IF humans had to breathe by dunking our head in water? The amazing Dr. Vanessa Pirotta joins us from Sydney, Australia to take us into the wet and wild thought experiment, so we can learn real science! Imagine living the life of the whale, turned on it's head. What world would we have built if our bodies worked this way? It's like what if we emerged from the oceans, as we believe life did, but never adapted to breathing outside the water like we used to. Humans with gills? Are we wearing helmets on our head that are filled with water? Do we fill our *buildings* with water? Water the IF! — Dr. Pirotta is a wildlife scientist and a gifted science communicator. Her zoological background has taken her around the world for wildlife research. Vanessa is also a passionate and experienced science communicator who loves making science accessible. Her keen interests cover topics of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, also known as STEAM. Vanessa has represented Australia internationally as the national winner of a world-renowned science communication competition known as FameLab, placing second in the world. Vanessa's efforts to communicate science has also seen her become a TEDx speaker, speak at the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and recognized as one of the top 100 Women of Influence judged by the Australian Financial Review. Learn more about Vanessa! Homepage: https://www.vanessapirotta.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanessaPirotta Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvanessapirotta/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrVanessaPirotta YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfIe3r09XA8BviNbVMtag2Q --- Like the show? Share your love for the IF by dropping a review on whatever podcast app you're enjoying, including Apple Podcasts! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com and never miss an episode! Keep On IFFin', Philip & Matt

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, 800 million people are going to bed hungry every night, but 2 billion people in the world are malnourished. Farmers across the globe produce enough food to feed 10 billion people, yet there are only 7.6 billion of us. We know there is enough food to go around, but filling tummies is only the start – we also need a varied diet. CrowdScience visits Nairobi during GGIAR Science Week, a hub for agricultural scientists. They are meeting to discuss the changes needed to get the right crops into the soil and the right food on the plates of those who need it. Presenters Anand Jagatia and Alex Lathbridge are joined by a live audience and a panel of experts Lindiwe Sibanda, Sieglinde Snapp and Alex Awiti. Together they explore questions from our listeners in Kenya and around the world: whether we can restore natural habitats whilst promoting food security; why human waste isn't used more commonly as a fertiliser; and what impact empowering women in agriculture will have on our ability to feed the world. Recorded at CGIAR Science Week at the UN headquarters in Nairobi. Image: Drone view of tractor ploughing a field Image Credit: Justin Paget via Getty Images Presenters: Anand Jagatia & Alex Lathbridge Producer: Harrison Lewis Editors: Martin Smith & Cathy Edwards Production Co-ordinators: Ishmael Soriano & Josie Hardy Studio Managers: Gayl Gordon, Andrew Garratt & Sarah Hockley

Around the world, plastics are finding their way into farm fields—coated over the ground in fertilizer, wrapped around seeds, stretched as tarps to lock in moisture and as plastic waste from other industries. It's a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where a plague of plastic bags, locally known as buveera, is woven into the fabric of daily life. They show up in layers of excavated dirt roads and clog waterways. But now, they can be found in remote areas of farmland, too. Some of the debris includes the thick plastic bags used for planting coffee seeds in nurseries. Climate change makes agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, even more unavoidable for some farmers. Meanwhile, research continues to show that itty-bitty microplastics alter ecosystems and end up in human bodies. Scientists, farmers and consumers all worry about how that's affecting human health, and many seek solutions. But industry experts say it's difficult to know where plastic ends up or get rid of it completely, even with the best intentions of reuse and recycling programs. According to a 2021 report on plastics in agriculture by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, soil is one of the main receptors of agricultural plastics. Some studies have estimated that soils are more polluted by microplastics than the oceans. “Microplastic is a very big challenge. We experience so many plastics and that is brought up by the reason of having so many plastic factories or industries of bottling companies for water, for juice, and then for energy drinks, so they process so many plastics,” said Nicholas Kayondo, who is a crop scientist and a farmer in the outskirts of the Ugandan Capital Kampala. Some farmers say agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, is becoming even more necessary as climate change fuels extreme weather. But for those tending the fields that microplastics end up in, there's a growing sense of frustration. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Welcome back to the Plant Free MD podcast with Dr. Anthony Chaffee! In this exciting return engagement, we're thrilled to reconnect with Natalie and Tara, the dynamic duo behind the Discover Ag podcast. This time, we delve deeper into their crucial work combating the misconceptions and outright falsehoods surrounding livestock agriculture, and explore the innovative ways they're amplifying the importance of animal-based agriculture in America and across the globe. Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen, co-hosts of the impactful Discover Ag docu-series and podcast, have been powerful voices for agriculture online for over a decade. Together, they've cultivated a thriving community exceeding 220,000, graced stages worldwide, and empowered countless individuals to reconnect with the vital agricultural industry and the people who nourish us. Natalie Kovarik, rooted in the Nebraska Sandhills, continues to share her authentic ranching and family life, showcasing the beauty of the western lifestyle and building trust in agriculture. Alongside her husband and their three sons, she manages Kovarik Cattle Co., a growing cow-calf operation. Natalie's dedication to sharing her story has fostered an online community of over 120,000, led to an apparel line supporting agricultural foundations, and prompted speaking engagements across the sector. She also co-founded Elevate Ag, an online resource empowering producers to effectively utilize social media. Tara Vander Dussen, a New Mexico native, fifth-generation dairy farmer, environmental scientist, and mother of two, balances her career as an environmental consultant with her passionate advocacy. While her husband, Daniel, manages their family dairy farm, Tara's influence extends to national and global stages, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Committee on World Food Security and the Forbes AgTech Summit. Alongside co-hosting Discover Ag, she co-founded Elevate Ag, equipping farmers and ranchers with the tools to share their stories and grow their businesses. Join us as we explore the latest developments in their mission to champion animal-based agriculture!"   ✅ Dr Chaffee's website: www.thecarnivorelife.com ✅Join my PATREON for early releases, bonus content, and weekly Zoom meetings! https://www.patreon.com/AnthonyChaffeeMD ✅Sign up for our 30-day carnivore challenge and group here! https://www.howtocarnivore.com/ ✅Stockman Steaks, Australia Discount link for home delivered frozen grass-fed and grass finished pasture raised meat locally sourced here in Australia! Use discount code "CHAFFEE" for free gift with qualifying orders! http://www.stockmansteaks.com.au/chaffee ✅ 60-minute consultation with Dr Chaffee https://calendly.com/anthonychaffeemd/60-minute-consultation   Sponsors and Affiliates: ✅ Brand Ambassador for Stone and Spear tallow and soaps referral link https://www.stoneandspeartallow.com/?ref=gx0gql8b Discount Code "CHAFFEE" for 10% off ✅ Carnivore t-shirts from the Plant Free MD  www.plantfreetees.com ✅THE CARNIVORE BAR: Discount Code "Anthony" for 10% off all orders!   https://the-carnivore-bar.myshopify.com/?sca_ref=1743809.v3IrTuyDIi ✅Schwank Grill (Natural Gas or Propane) https://glnk.io/503n/anthonychaffeemd $150 OFF with Discount Code: ANTHONYMD ✅X3 bar system with discount code "DRCHAFFEE" https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-100676052-13511487 ✅Shop Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/anthonychaffeemd?ref=ac_inf_hm_vp   And please like and subscribe to my podcast here and Apple/Google podcasts, as well as my YouTube Channel to get updates on all new content, and please consider giving a 5-star rating as it really helps!   This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. Music Credit: Music by: bensound.com License code: MPTEUCI8DAXJOKPZ Music: bensound.com License code: FJQPPMCJLHEOYGQB Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music License code: KQAKMWSXIH3MJ4WX Music I use: https://www.bensound.com License code: 58NN4QOSKWJ7ASX9 

Tatiana Antonelli-Abella is joined by Feras Ziadat, who is currently a Land and Water Officer with a specific focus on land resource management and planning at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. Mr. Ziadat played a pivotal role in coordinating the FAO flagship report titled The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture, SOLO, and he also updating the FAO Guide on integrated land use planning. In this episode, he talks about fostering participatory and integrated land use planning, combating land degradation and desertification, and the dangers of sand and dust storms.  Prior to this role, Mr. Ziadat held the position of Senior Scientist at ICARDA and served as an Associate Professor at the University of Jordan. He has also served as the chair of the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms. This episode is part of Our Land, Our Future, a special mini-series of Forward Talks by Goumbook focused on land restoration and combating desertification. This special series is brought to you in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank. Find out more at: https://www.sab.com/esg/.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 2-Day Corn Rally2:55 The Funds4:22 Russia Wheat Update7:25 Mexico to Negotiate8:50 World Food Prices

Join host Norbert Wilson and co-host Kerilyn Schewel in the latest episode of the Leading Voices in Food podcast as they dive deep into the world of small-scale fisheries with two distinguished guests: Nicole Franz from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and John Virdin from Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability. Discover the significant role small-scale fisheries play in food security, economic development, and community livelihoods. Learn about the unique challenges these fisheries face, and how community-led climate adaptation alongside top-down national policies can help build resilience. This episode also highlights collaborative efforts between academia and organizations like FAO, painting a comprehensive picture of the state and future of small-scale fisheries. Interview Summary Kerilyn - So, Nicole, let's begin with you. Why is your work at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization focused on small-scale fisheries and fishing communities? And could you share with us how they are different from fisheries more broadly? What's unique about them and their role in food production? Nicole - Yes. Let me start with the latter question. And I think the first thing is to clarify actually what are small-scale fisheries, no? Because sometimes if you think about small-scale fisheries, what most people will have in mind is probably that of a man in a small boat fishing. But in reality, it's a sector that is much more diverse. There are, for example, women in Indonesia that are collecting clams by foot. Foot fishers. Or we have examples from small-scale fisheries that are fishing boats in Norway, which are comparably small, but if you compare them, for example, with how small-scale fishing looks in a place like Mozambique, it's a very different scale. But all of that, however, is comprised in what we understand as small-scale fisheries. It is also important to understand that when we talk about small-scale fisheries in FAO, we don't only limit it to what is happening in the water, the harvesting part, but we also include what happens once the fish is out of the water. So, once it's processed, then, and when it's traded. So, so it's a whole supply chain that is connected to that small-scale fisheries production that we understand as being small-scale fisheries. And with Duke University, with John who is present here, and other colleagues and other colleagues from World Fish, we did a global study where we tried to estimate the global contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development. And what we found was that at least 40 percent of the global catch is actually coming from inland and marine small-scale fisheries. And that's, that's enormous. That's a huge, huge amount. More important almost is that, that 90 percent of all the people that are employed in capture fisheries are in small-scale fisheries. And that is the human dimension of it. And that's why the community dimension is so important for the work. Because it is that big amount of people, 61 million people, that are employed in the value chains. And in addition to that, we estimated that there are about 53 million people that are actually engaging in small-scale fisheries for subsistence. So, if we consider those people that are employed in small-scale fisheries, plus those that are engaging for subsistence, and all their household members, we're actually talking about close to 500 million people that depend at least partially on small-scale fisheries for their livelihoods. We also looked at the economic dimensions of small-scale fisheries, and we found that the value from the first sale of small-scale fishery products amounts to 77 billion. So, these numbers are important. They show the importance of small-scale fisheries in terms of their production, but also in terms of the livelihood [00:05:00] dimension, in terms of the economic value that they generate. And, last but not least, we also looked at the nutritional value from small-scale fisheries. And we estimated that the catch from small-scale fisheries would be able to supply almost 1 billion women globally with 50 percent of the recommended omega 3 fatty acid intake. So, I think with all of these numbers, hopefully, I can convey why the focus on small-scale fish is, in the context of food security and poverty eradication in particular, is of fundamental importance. Kerilyn - Thanks, Nicole. That's really helpful to get a kind of global picture. If I could follow up to ask, what regions of the world are small-scale fisheries more common, or do economies rely on them? And in what regions do you see them disappearing? Are they common in countries like the US, for example? Well, they're certainly more common in what is often considered as a Global South. In Asia in particular, we encountered the largest total numbers, absolute numbers, in terms of people involved in terms of production. But also in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean. In the Pacific, obviously, they play a crucial role. They are more and more disappearing in the US, for example, in Europe. We see that it is a livelihood that is no longer very common. And one of the features we see there that it's an aging sector, it's a shrinking sector, for a number of reasons. But they still define the characteristic of certain areas where they really are part of the identity and of the local culture, even in the U.S. or in many, many places in Europe. Norbert - Nicole, this is really fascinating. Thank you for sharing this broad overview of what's happening and who are small-scale fishers. What are some of the common challenges that these small-scale fishers and fisheries face? And what is FAO's response to those challenges? Nicole - Well, where to start? There are so many challenges. I think one fundamental challenge that is common across all regions is securing access to fishing grounds. But not only to fishing grounds, but also to the coastal areas where operations, where they land the boats, where they, where the process of fish, where the fishing villages and communities are located. In many areas around the world, we see expansion of tourism, expansion of urban areas and coastal areas. The increase of other industries that are competing for the space now, and that are often stronger economically more visible than small-scale fisheries. So, the competition over space in those areas is quite an issue. But there are also many challenges that are more outside of the fishing activity directly. For example, often small-scale fishing communities lack access to services. We had basic services such as education or health services, social protection. And in many cases, women are particularly disadvantaged in relation to access to these services. For example, women that are involved in harvesting or in processing of fish in small-scale fisheries, they often do not know where to leave their children while they are at work because there's no childcare facility in many of these villages. And there are 45 million women that are engaged in small-scale fisheries around the world. Another set of challenges relates to the value chains and the markets. Often there's limited infrastructure to connect to markets. The processing and storage facilities are not adequate to bring the product to the market in a state that allows it to then fetch good prices and to benefit from the value chain. Often small-scale fishers and fish workers are also not well organized. So, they become more subject to power imbalances along the value chain where they have to be price takers. Now they have to accept what is offered. That also relates often to a lack of transparency in relation to market information. And of course, then we have another set of challenges that are coming from climate change that are becoming more and more important. And from other types of disasters also. One thing that brings together all these challenges, or makes them worse, is often the lack of representative structures and also institutional structures that allow for participation in relevant decision making or management processes. So that small-scale fishers and fish workers don't even have an opportunity to flag their needs or to propose solutions. So, FAO has facilitated a process to develop Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food security and Poverty Eradication. Quite a mouthful of a name. In short, we call them small-scale fisheries guidelines. In which all the major challenges in a way are compiled in one document together with guidance on how to address them. And these guidelines are the result of a participatory development process. So, they are really informed by the involvement of fishing communities from around the world, but also other stakeholders. And they have been agreed on and have been endorsed by the almost 200 members of the FAO. We are now working with countries, with the small-scale fishing communities around the world, with other partners, including Duke University, to help implement these small-scale fisheries guidelines. Norbert - Oh, this is really fascinating and it's important work. I'm intrigued with the participatory process. How are small-scale fisher organizations involved in this? Are you working with different organizations? Or is this more individuals who are just interested in this issue coming to the fore? This is through organizations at all levels. Be it at the national level where we are, for example, facilitating the formation of new women organizations in a number of African countries. Be it at the regional level, in particular in Africa, there are existing structures in the context of the African union, which has established so called non state actor platforms for fisheries and aquaculture, which we are supporting in order to bring their voice into the processes and to facilitate peer learning. And then there's a number of global social movements and producer organizations for small-scale fisheries that we are working with and using them as a facilitator to involve as many as possible. And gather as much insight that is coming from the membership of those organizations to then bring into global, regional, national processes from our side. Norbert - This is really important to hear how different forms of governance and at different levels are playing a part in developing these guidelines. Thank you for sharing that, Nicole. I'd like to turn to you, John. You have more than 20 years of experience in studying and advising government policies to regulate human use of the oceans. With a particular focus on marine conservation practices. How has your thinking about marine conservation changed over the last 20 years? John - Yeah, it's changed a bit. As you mentioned, my interest in work has been on ocean conservation and how it can alleviate poverty. A lot of times that has meant managing fisheries to address poverty. And I think in the past, that meant that I was really focused on what governments could do to increase the efficiency of fisheries. The economic efficiency. How do we increase incomes, how do you increase revenues for communities? All very important, but for all the reasons that Nicole mentioned, I spend a lot more time now thinking about the process rather than the outcomes, and thinking about what institutions are in place, or can be created, to help empower small-scale fishing communities to have much more of a voice in the decisions that affect them. In how the resources are used. How the space is used. And Nicole outlined really well a lot of the challenges that are facing communities from increased industrialization of ocean use to the squeeze from climate change and the effect on resources. And even the fact that climate change may be driving people to the oceans. I mean, as farms and agricultures maybe fail or face challenges, oceans are often open access, and can even be a sink for people to make a livelihood. And so, yet more pressures coming from outside these fisheries. How can fishers have a greater voice in making the decisions that impact them and safeguarding their livelihoods? Norbert - Thank you for that. I'm interested in understanding how do these fisher folks, who are trying to organize and are organizing, how does that interact with sort of larger markets? I mean, I would imagine a number of these folks are catching fish and other seafood that goes into global markets. What's the interaction or challenges that may happen there? John - As Nicole mentioned, because small-scale fisheries are so diverse you have markets in many places. These may be located near an urban center where you can have easy access. You can get fresh fish in a cooler and put it on a plane and off it goes to an export market. We found that, what may be surprised us, is a significant number of small-scale fishers are exporting in some cases. So, then that can be challenging because you might get higher prices, which is a good thing. But it might drive, for example, more fishing effort. It might drive higher levels of exploitation. It might change traditional practices, traditional rules for fisheries. It might really change how fishers organize in a given place. So, the access to export markets, even say an island setting, has kind of scrambled past fisheries management in some places and can be an outside force. Kerilyn - John and Nicole, I want to ask you both a question now about painting a picture of these communities that you're working with. You both mentioned how diverse small-scale fisheries can be. I was wondering if you could just share what one community in particular looks like that you've worked with? What are the challenges that a particular community faces, or alternatively, where do you see things actually working well? So Nicole, could I ask you to respond first? Nicole - I'm working more with global processes and the global level. So, through that, I have the privilege of working with representatives from many, many communities. So maybe what I can share is the feedback that I'm getting through that, in terms of the change that we can observe, and that is affecting fishing communities around the world. I think one thing that is being brought up as a concern by many is what I mentioned before. It's a process of aging in fishing communities and often a lack of capacity to retain young people in the sector. And that has different reasons. Now there are all of these challenges that small-scale fisheries have to face and that are difficult to overcome. So, that often drives people, in particular young men, to leave the communities. Or within the communities, to look for other alternative livelihoods now and not to take on the skills of fishermen or getting engaged in small-scale fisheries more broadly. So, in some cases, yes, it's not only other activities within the community, but really leaving the community and leaving in some cases also the country. What we see there is that sometimes people that have the skills, maybe still as a fisher, they have tried to fish. So, they have a knowledge of fishing. They emigrate out into other countries. And in some cases they are then hired into industrial fisheries where they work on industrial boats that go out fishing for longer periods of time. But where they at times end up in situations that can be called slave labor, basically, that are subject to serious violations of human rights. And that is in a way generated by this vulnerability to the poverty that is still there in those communities. The lack of being able to make a living, a decent work in the fishing community. So, that is something that we have seen is happening. We have also seen that in some cases, there's an involvement of fishers into say more illegal activities, be it in drug trafficking, be it also into the trafficking of people. I'm thinking even about the Mediterranean. I'm working out of Italy, Rome. We have a lot of immigration from North African countries, for example, coming through that route. And oftentimes it happens that the transport of migrants is actually carried out by fishers and their boats because they have the skill to navigate the sea. And they make a better living by transporting illegal migrants than going fishing. So, those are some of the challenges we hear. And the other one is there in relation to what is now a concept that is getting more and more traction. It's often known as the blue economy, which is, in a way, looking at the ocean as the last frontier for economic development. And that includes on the one hand, the expansion of previously existing industries, such as tourism. But also the expansion of newer sectors such as alternative energy production. Think wind parks now in coastal areas. So, what happens here is that in many cases, this adds again, additional pressure on the available maritime space. In the water and on the land. The expansion of marine aquaculture is another example. So, that also is something that we hear is becoming an issue for small-scale fishing communities to defend the space that they need to maintain their lifestyle. Kerilyn - John, is there anything you'd like to add on this question of how fisheries are changing? John - Very, very briefly. Taking the example in West Africa where I've spent some time over the years, you certainly have some communities there where it actually doesn't seem as if the fisheries are changing as much in the sense it's quite static and stagnant. And this could be caused by a lot of the reasons that Nicole mentioned, but the community, the economy, the fisheries aren't growing. People, young people may be leaving for a number of reasons, but it doesn't have to be that way either. I mean, there are positive examples. I was in Liberia last week, and there, from the numbers that the government has, small-scale fishing communities are growing. The number of fishers are growing. They've actually made a conscious effort to protect a certain area of the ocean just for small-scale fisheries. And to prohibit trawling and to give the communities more space to grow and operate in the 20 years since the conflict ended there. So, again, it doesn't have to be sort of stagnant or grinding on in some of these communities as they cope with competition for resources, for example, competition for space from others. Where they were given that space, in some cases in Liberia, they've grown. That may have its own challenges but. Kerilyn - Interesting. In the back of my mind, when thinking about these communities and aging and migration of younger generations away from these livelihoods, you know, as someone who studies the relationship between migration and development, I think it's a common trend where, you know, as countries develop, young people leave traditional economic activities. They get more educated, they move to cities, they move abroad. To what degree is this somehow just part of these countries' development? Should we expect young people to be leaving them? And to what degree might we think differently about development in a way that would enable more young people to stay? And I think, John, you mentioned a really interesting point about how protecting the space For these small-scale fisheries to operate is one thing that seems to have kept people engaged in this livelihood. I'd be curious if there's other things that come up for you. Other ways of thinking about enhancing the capability to stay in small-scale fishing livelihoods. John - Sure, and I'd be curious what Nicole's seeing from her perspective. I think, to some extent, it's a different question if small-scale fisheries are economically viable. And so, what I think Nicole and I are referring to in many cases is where for a lot of these external pressures upon them, they may not be as viable as they once were. And that has its own push on people, whereas where fishers are empowered, they have more of a voice in what happens to the fisheries and controlling those spaces and resources, and it can be more economically viable in these fisheries. That presents a different set of choices for young people then. So that's where we've really focused is: okay, what is the process by which small-scale fishing communities have their voices heard more, have much more of a say and much more power in the use of the fisheries, the use of the coastal areas, the things that affect those fisheries and their livelihoods? And then we can see what those choices might look like. But Nicole, I'm not sure if that's consistent with what you've seen in a number of places. Nicole - Yes, and maybe to also rebalance a bleak picture I painted before. Like John said, there are obviously good examples. I think an important condition is probably a linkage to markets. Non-economic viability in many ways does play a role. And there are examples of how that can happen in different ways. For example, in Morocco, the country has made quite a significant investment to build a whole series of ports for small-scale fisheries. Specifically, along the entire coastline of Morocco where they are providing a port that is not just a landing site for small-scale fisheries, but it provides like a system of integrated services. There's an auction hall. So, the fish comes in, it's immediately kind of weighted. They get the information, the label for what they have brought in, then it goes into an auction that has set rules and everybody is tied to. But in that same area, for example, there's also a bank or there is an office that helps with the access to social protection services, for example. So, it's a whole integrated service center, and that really makes a difference to help make the sector more efficient. But at the same time, also really keep the tradition. So, it's not only economic efficiency, but by having all these different centers, it allows to maintain many people employed and to also maintain the characteristics of each of those different lending sites. That's one example. I was in Korea last year and there, they were doing something similar. They are reviving some of their traditional fishing villages where they are also investing in those fishing communities and providing them with funding to set up, for example, restaurants that are run directly by those involved in the fishery. Those are particular places that are close to cities. In my case, I was in Busan. So, it's very closely connected to the consumers now that come out there. They are focusing on certain products in these villages that they are famous for traditionally. They have little shops and they're starting e-commerce for some of the products. So, the way they package, and the label has become much, much wider than before. So again, that has revived a bit those communities. In Italy, it's a country that's famous for its food, you know. And they are in the region that's called the Amalfi coast. There's a tiny village and it's famous for the production of a value-added product made from tiny sardines that are fished by the small-scale fisheries boats. And they are processed in a very particular way. And there is like a label of geographic origin of this product, and it can only come from that village. And it has a high price and has it's like a high-end product, so to say. And in a way these are also approaches that provide dignity to this profession. And a sense of pride which is really important and should not be underestimated in also increasing the willingness, for example, of young people to be part of that and maintain the viability of the sector. John – I'd like to just add, I think that's a really important point on the dignity and pride and the importance of these fisheries in so many places and cultures. I mean, I'll never forget talking to a minister of finance in one country and starting to try to make the economic case for supporting small-scale fisheries. He cut me off in about 30 seconds and started talking about growing up fishing in the village and going back home for vacations, and just the importance to the entire community of fishing to him and just how much it was a part of the fabric of the culture. Kerilyn - I love that. That does seem so important and wonderful to hear those very specific examples that do give some hope. It's not just a bleak future. Norbert - You know, it's great to hear how government policy is helping shape and reshape these fisheries in a way that allow for economic viability and also these are opportunities to connect communities to these traditions. And so, I find that really fascinating. I want to kind of push a little bit beyond that and bring back the idea of how to deal with climate that was mentioned earlier. And also change our focus from government policy to sort of what's happening within these small-scale fisheries and fishery organizations. So Nicole, a lot of your work focuses on building more inclusive policy processes and stakeholder engagement. And so, from your perspective, how does community-led climate adaptation, rather than top down adaptation agendas, lead to different outcomes? Nicole - Well, I think one way that seems quite obvious, how community-led adaptation can lead to different outcomes is simply that in that case, the traditional and the indigenous knowledge that is within those communities will be considered much more strongly. And this is something that can be really critical to crafting solutions for that very site-specific context. Because the impact of the climate change can be very different in every region and every locality not due to that specific environment that it's encountering there. And holding the knowledge and being able to observe the changes and then adapt to them is something that certainly a community-based approach has an advantage over something that would be a coming from a more centralized top down, a little bit more one-size-fits-all approach. And this can then imply little things like, for example, if the water temperature changes, we see a change in the fish behavior. Now we see how certain stocks start to move to different environments and others are coming in. So, the communities obviously need to adapt to that. And they do that automatically. Now, if it changes, they adapt their gear, they adapt to the new species that is there. So, in many cases, there are solutions that are already happening, and adaptations that are already happening that may not carry that label, that name. But if you look at it, it is really what is happening, no? Or you can see in some cases, that for example, there are initiatives that are coming also spontaneously from the communities to replant mangrove forests, where you can observe that there is a rising seawater level that is threatening the communities and where they have their houses, where they have their daily lives. Now, you can see that through NGOs and often there is support projects for that. But you can also see it happening more spontaneously when communities observe that change. So, the top-down approaches often they lack that more nuanced, site-specific considerations in their approaches and the consideration of that specific knowledge. On the other hand, it needs to be said though, that the top-down approaches can also play an important role. For example, countries develop their national adaptation plans. And those plans are usually, you know, developed at a higher level, at the central level. And often fisheries and aquaculture are not necessarily included in those plans. So that is something where the top-down level can play a very important role and really make a difference for small-scale fisheries by ensuring that fisheries and aquaculture are included in a sector. So, I guess that in the end, as always, it's not black and white. No, it's something that we need to take into account both of it and have any climate change adaptation approach to small-scale fisheries being grounded in both. And have a way to bridge the top down and the bottom-up approaches. Norbert - I really like this idea of bridging between the top down and the bottom-up approaches, understanding the local knowledge that's there. I would imagine that's also knowledge that when used to make decisions makes it easier for people to stick with those decisions, because it's a part of their voice. It's who they are. And then the other side, it's critical to make sure that those plans are a part of a larger national move, because if the government is not involved, if those higher-level decision makers are not involved, they can easily overlook the needs of those communities. I really appreciate hearing that. I think sometimes we hear this tension. It needs to be one or the other. And you're making a really compelling point about how it has to be integrated. John, I'm really intrigued to see from your perspective. How do you see this top down versus bottom-up approach working in the work you've done? John - I'll do what I typically do is echo and agree with Nicole, but just to give an example that I love. I teach this one in my classes. There's an old paper by Bob Johannes, a marine ecologist. And the standard practice in managing fisheries as government scientists is you count the fish, you then set limits for them, often from the top down. And his point was in the case of Indonesia, if you look at the reef fisheries that go through most of the communities, one tool to assess the fish stocks is to do a visual census. You swim transects along the reefs and you count the fish. So, he did a back of the envelope estimate and he said, well, if you're going to do that through all the reefs throughout Indonesia, it would probably be finished in about 400 years. And that would give you one snapshot. So, he's saying you can't do this. You have to rely on the local knowledge in these communities. I don't want to romanticize traditional knowledge too much, but I just can't imagine how policies would effectively support adaptation in these communities without building upon this traditional ecological knowledge. Kerilyn - John, since coming to Duke from the World Bank, you've regularly collaborated with non-academic partners like the FAO as well as the UN environmental program. Can you tell us more about how your partnership with the FAO and your work with Nicole more specifically began? John - Sure. I think more than anything, I got really lucky. But when I first came to Duke, I started working with a colleague, Professor Xavier Basurto at the Marine Lab, who I think is one of the world's leading scholars on how communities come together to manage common resources like fish stocks. We organized a workshop at Duke on small-scale fisheries. We got talking to Nicole, invited her and some of her colleagues at FAO to that workshop, together with others, to think about a way forward for small-scale fisheries for philanthropy. And I think from those conversations started to see the need to build a global evidence base on how important these fisheries are in society. And Nicole could probably say it better, but from there, she and colleagues said, you know, maybe you all could work with us. We're planning to do this study to build this evidence base and maybe we could collaborate. And I think we're very fortunate that Duke gives the space for that kind of engaged research and allows us to do it. I don't think we knew how long it would be when we started, Nicole. But over five years and 800 researchers later, we - Javier, Nicole, myself, and so many others - concluded with this global study that we hope does have a little bit clearer picture on the role of these fisheries in society. Kerilyn - Nicole, from your side, what does an academic partner bring to the table? What's your motivation for partnering with someone like John or Duke University more specifically. Well, I think as FAO, we like to call ourselves a knowledge organization, but we're not an academic institution. We don't conduct research ourselves, no? So, we need to partner around that. We work with the policy makers though. So, one of our roles, in a way, is to build that. To broker and improve the science policy interface. So, this is why collaboration with academia research for us is very important. And what we experienced in this particular collaboration with Duke University to produce this study called Illuminating Hidden Harvest, the Contributions of Small-scale Fisheries to Sustainable Development was really that first we realized we have a shared vision, shared objectives. And I think that's fundamental. Now, you need to make sure that you have the same values, how you approach these things. And in this case, it aligned very well that we really wanted to take in a way, a human-centered and multidimensional approach to look at small-scale fisheries. And then it was also very important to understand what every partner brings to the table, no? The different strengths that we have. And then based on that, define the roles and what everybody's doing in a project. And the added value for us was certainly the capacity from the Duke University side to help develop the method that we develop for the country case studies that we conducted in 58 countries. And not only to develop that method, but then we had a postdoc at Duke University for this project, who was actually then engaging with all of the people. People in these 58 countries. And, and she was. coaching them in that methodology, actually in three languages, which was quite amazing. It was very, very thorough. We could not have done that. And we had a lot of other students from Duke University that helped us once we had the data gathered. To then screen that data, harmonize that data, clean that data, obviously under the leadership of John, Xavier and other colleagues, no? So that was really something that was adding a lot of value and actually also helped us to get to know a lot of the students from Duke. And some of those then ended up also becoming consultants working with us more broadly on small-scale fisheries. So that was certainly great, great value for FAO as collaboration. BIOS Nicole Franz, Equitable Livelihoods Team Leader, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. Nicole is a development economist with 18 years of experience in intergovernmental organizations. She holds a Master in International Cooperation and Project Design from University La Sapienza, Rome and a Master in Economic and Cultural Cooperation and Human Rights in the Mediterranean Region. From 2003 to 2008 she was a consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). In 2009-10 she was Fishery Planning Analyst at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, focusing on fisheries certification. Since 2011 she works for the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division where she coordinates the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) with a focus on inclusive policy processes and stakeholder empowerment. Since 2021 she leads the Equitable Livelihoods team.  John Virdin is director of the Oceans Program at the Duke University Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability. He has a total of over twenty years' experience in studying and advising government policies to regulate human use of the oceans, particularly marine conservation policies to reduce poverty throughout the tropics. His focus has been largely on managing fisheries for food and livelihoods, expanding to broader ocean-based economic development policies, coastal adaptation and more recently reducing ocean plastic pollution. He directs the Oceans Program at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, aiming to connect Duke University's science and ideas to help policymakers solve ocean sustainability problems. He has collaborated in this effort with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Environment Program, as well as regional organizations such as the Abidjan Convention secretariat, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission of West Africa and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement for tuna fisheries management in the Western Pacific. He co-created and teaches an introductory course for undergraduate students to understand the role of ocean policy in helping solve many of society's most pressing development challenges on land. His work has been published in books, edited volumes and a number of professional journals, including Nature Ecology and Evolution, Ecosystem Services, Environment International, Fish and Fisheries and Marine Policy, as well as contributing to China Dialogue, The Conversation, the Economist Intelligence Unit, and The Hill.    

World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year worldwide on the 16th of October to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization We've partnered with the Do More Foundation, whose aim is to spearhead a campaign known as DoMoreFriday. Partnership Manager at the Do More Foundation, Iris Naidoo, joined Darren, Sky, and Carmen Webpage

On this episode of China Field Notes, Scott Kennedy speaks with Yuan Haiying, one of the pioneers of the government affairs profession in China. Yuan explains the origins of the industry, how it has changed and evolved throughout his career, how the field help Chinese and foreign multinational companies navigate current geopolitical challenges, and the profession's future. Yuan then provides his outlook on the recently concluded Third Plenum economic conference and other opportunities and challenges in China's economy today. Yuan Haiying founded Yuan Associates in February 2004, and since then he and the firm have become major players in China's growing government affairs industry. Yuan has thirty years of experience in the Chinese Government, including senior diplomatic postings in Washington D.C., as China's Agriculture Attaché, and in Rome, as the Alternate Representative to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. He has been involved in negotiations on numerous bilateral and multilateral agreements in the areas of trade, investment, agriculture, forestry, fishery and environmental protection. For his efforts, he received an Outstanding Contribution Certificate from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Outstanding Contribution Awards from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In China, Yuan was the Director of the Ministry of Forestry's Department of International Cooperation. After retiring from public service, Yuan worked as a Senior Vice President at Edelman Public Relations and as a Vice President at APCO Worldwide. Yuan chaired the Government Affairs Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce and the China Quality Brands Protection Committee (QBPC) of the Chinese Government Cooperation Committee.

Swine is the number one meat consumed globally according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Steps to Get To Your Table Feeding Assistance Is the use of Farrowing Boxes Good or Bad? The use of farrowing crate has long been a topic of discussion, however the research that has been completed on various... Read More → The post From the Show Ring to Your Kitchen Table: Swine appeared first on Podcasts for Aggies - AGCJ366.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (11/29/2023): 3:05pm- Earlier this week, the sports blog Deadspin wrongfully accused a young Kansas City Chiefs fan of wearing blackface during the Chiefs-Raiders game on Sunday and of mocking Native American culture—angling the photo to only show half of the child's face and failing to note that the face paint was black and red, the team's colors. The social media platform X added a Community Notes correction to Deadspin's original, inaccurate, post. Even Elon Musk felt compelled to set the record straight, praising Community Notes for “exposing deception.” Today it was revealed that Holden Armenta, the child unjustly targeted by Deadspin, is Native American. You can read more here: https://www.dailywire.com/news/mother-of-young-chiefs-fan-accused-of-racism-says-he-is-native-american 3:30pm- The Daily Wire announced the release of its next movie, “Lady Ballers,” which will be streaming on their website December 1st. The Daily Wire co-founder, and star of the film, Jeremy Boreing explained that theaters won't touch the film because it pokes fun at biological males competing in women's sports. 3:40pm- Johnny Oleksinski writes that “Hollywood is finally being punished for its creativity rut”—noting that although 15 movies released in 2023 had budgets over $200 million, only one went on to earn a profit. You can read the full article here: https://nypost.com/2023/11/28/entertainment/hollywood-is-finally-being-punished-for-its-creativity-rut/ 3:50pm- Jamie Frevele of Mediate writes, “Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, spoke at The New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday and confirmed to the crowd that he'd been in talks with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Not only that, he was also trying to get other business leaders on board to support her in 2024.” You can read more here: https://www.mediaite.com/election-2024/jamie-dimon-reveals-hes-been-talking-with-nikki-haley-and-is-trying-to-rally-business-leaders-around-her-candidacy/ 4:05pm- Paul Thacker—Investigative Journalist & former Fellow at the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University—joins The Rich Zeoli to discuss his latest report, “Congress Must Hold the CDC Accountable for Cozy Ties to Pharma.” Thacker writes, “why won't congressional investigators force the CDC Director to explain why Pfizer and Moderna's PR firm is embedded at the agency's vaccine center?” You can find this report, and all of Thacker's work, at his Substack— “The Disinformation Chronicle”: https://disinformationchronicle.substack.com/p/congress-must-hold-the-cdc-accountable 4:25pm- While announcing the creation of the Council on Supply Chain Resilience, President Joe Biden blamed increased prices on “price gouging.” On Meet the Press this weekend, panelist Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post said that “Bidenomics has become a negative word…because it's not working.” 4:30pm- Abigail Anthony of National Review writes: “Sieged Security, which describes itself as a group of ‘gay furry hackers,' recently infiltrated a leading U.S. nuclear-research facility and obtained sensitive personal data. The group claimed responsibility for the attack in statements on public forums. ‘Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow,' the group wrote.” You can read Anthony's full article here: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/gay-furry-hackers-breach-u-s-nuclear-research-facility/ 4:45pm- Jason Snead—Executive Director of the Honest Elections Project—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his new book, “The Case Against Ranked-Choice Voting.” You can learn more about the Honest Elections Project here: https://www.honestelections.org. And you can find Snead's book here: https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/case-ranked-choice-voting/. 5:00pm- According to a report from Emily Joshua of The Daily Mail, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) is “expected to call on Western countries, including the U.S., to drastically reduce meat consumption to combat climate change” during its climate change conference in Dubai starting later this week. In a clip that has gone viral on social media, a panel at the World Economic Forum discusses the possibility of creating a breed of mosquitoes whose bite would be engineered to make humans intolerant to meat—ultimately decreasing the consumption of meat and reducing global warming, theoretically. You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12800019/meat-consumption-climate-change-global-emissions.html 5:20pm- The Washington Post published a particularly disturbing piece indicating that there is a rise in sexual fetishes that revolve around political polarization. If you are feeling brave, and have a strong stomach, you can find the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2023/11/28/sexual-fetish-trump-political-kink/ 5:55pm- Rich Zeoli hosts The Mark Levin Show!

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 3: According to a report from Emily Joshua of The Daily Mail, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) is “expected to call on Western countries, including the U.S., to drastically reduce meat consumption to combat climate change” during its climate change conference in Dubai starting later this week. In a clip that has gone viral on social media, a panel at the World Economic Forum discusses the possibility of creating a breed of mosquitoes whose bite would be engineered to make humans intolerant to meat—ultimately decreasing the consumption of meat and reducing global warming, theoretically. You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12800019/meat-consumption-climate-change-global-emissions.html The Washington Post published a particularly disturbing piece indicating that there is a rise in sexual fetishes that revolve around political polarization. If you are feeling brave, and have a strong stomach, you can find the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2023/11/28/sexual-fetish-trump-political-kink/ Rich Zeoli hosts The Mark Levin Show!

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: While speaking with Abby Phillips on CNN, Congressman Dean Phillips (D-MN) said he would consider using U.S. Special Forces to free American hostages being held by Hamas. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) seemingly agreed with Phillips' suggestion—and went one step further calling for the Biden Administration to retaliate massively against Iran after its proxies launched numerous attacks against U.S. personnel in the region. Could the United States see increased military involvement in the Middle East? According to a report from The Washington Post, “[i]n late 2015, cranes at a seaport in Jacksonville, Fla., carefully hoisted U.S. military helicopters worth up to $40 million each onto a massive cargo ship set to deliver the equipment to the Egyptian government. Egypt's Defense Ministry had turned to an unusual figure to help arrange transport of the prized hardware: Wael Hana, an Egyptian American businessman who had previously run a trucking business, a gas station and a truck stop along a gritty, industrial strip in northern New Jersey… Eight years later, Hana's ties to the Egyptian government are under a bright spotlight. After a years-long investigation, U.S. authorities charged him in September with paying bribes to Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and his wife, Nadine Menendez, in exchange for actions that benefited Egypt, including Menendez's promise to help keep military aid flowing to the North African nation. Hana, 40, lavished the couple with gold bars, checks and household furnishings between 2018 and 2022, prosecutors allege, while helping to introduce the senator to Egyptian military and intelligence officers and serving as a go-between for their communications.” You can read the full report from Shawn Boburg, Claire Parker, Terrence McCoy, and Marina Dias here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/11/27/bob-menendez-wael-hana-egypt/ Annoyed by the sound of crunching chips during Zoom conference calls? Doritos has developed software to silence the crunch! Yes, this story is somehow real. You can read more here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/11/27/doritos-silent-gaming-crunch-cancellation/ According to a report from Emily Joshua of The Daily Mail, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) is “expected to call on Western countries, including the U.S., to drastically reduce meat consumption to combat climate change” during its climate change conference in Dubai starting later this week. You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12800019/meat-consumption-climate-change-global-emissions.html

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (11/28/2023): 3:05pm- The Associated Press writes that there has been a concerning “surge in respiratory illnesses across China that has drawn the attention of the World Health Organization.” China's health ministry has claimed the uptick “is caused by the flu and other known pathogens and not by a novel virus.” You can read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/26/china-respiratory-illnesses-cause-flu-pathogens-00128637 3:20pm- According to a report from Emily Joshua of The Daily Mail, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) is “expected to call on Western countries, including the U.S., to drastically reduce meat consumption to combat climate change” during its climate change conference in Dubai starting later this week. You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12800019/meat-consumption-climate-change-global-emissions.html 3:40pm- Chico Harlan, of The Washington Post, documents that although the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) later this week, they are simultaneously “ramping up its oil production capacity like never before.” You can read the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/11/21/uae-dubai-cop28-oil-solar/ 3:50pm- The sports blog Deadspin wrongfully accused a young Kansas City Chiefs fan of wearing blackface during the Chiefs-Raiders game on Sunday—angling the photo to only show half of the child's face and failing note that the face paint was black and red, the team's colors. The social media platform X added a Community Notes correction to Deadspin's original, inaccurate, post. Even Elon Musk felt compelled to set the record straight, praising Community Notes for “exposing deception.” 4:05pm- During an unhinged rant at the 2023 Gotham Awards, Robert DeNiro bizarrely used his acceptance speech to slam Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. 4:10pm- In an interview with Norah O'Donnell on CBS Evening News, retiring Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) said he would be happy to support any Republican candidate for president in 2024 aside from Donald Trump or Vivek Ramaswamy. 4:20pm- On Sunday, Kristen Welker and the Meet the Press panel featuring Symone Sanders and Brendan Buck suggested that Ron DeSantis should end his campaign for president in order to clear a path for Nikki Haley. 4:30pm- In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a disgruntled woman on board a flight from Florida to Philadelphia can be seen urinating in the aisle! While discussing this horrifying story, Matt reveals he flew first class last week…Rich is outraged. 4:45pm- A sandwich monopoly? Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is alleging that Rock Capital's purchase of Subway amounts to a monopoly which will lead to higher sandwich prices—the private equity firm already owns sandwich shops Jimmy John's and Schlotzky's. The Federal Trade Commission is now investigating the $10 billion acquisition. As Timothy P. Carney notes, how could this acquisition be considered a monopoly: “Consider that Chick-fil-A enjoyed $16 billion in sales in 2021, which is equal to Subway-plus-Arby's-plus Jimmy John's” and that “non-sandwiches, of course, compete with sandwiches,” concluding that there is no way to honestly determine Rock Capital has a monopoly like Sen. Warren suggests. You can read more here: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/elizabeth-warren-needs-to-define-sandwich 5:05pm- During a television interview on Tuesday, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas seemingly advocated on behalf of amnesty for millions of immigrants who have entered the United States unlawfully. Fox Business reporter Madison Alworth details that U.S. taxpayers are paying more than $450 billion annually providing housing and other necessities for illegal migrants. 5:20pm- Is former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo now considering a run for New York City Mayor? 5:40pm- Many media outlets have leveled brutal attacks against Javier Milei, the president-elect of Argentina, citing his libertarian philosophy towards governance as “dangerous.” Is halting the growth of government via fiscal reform actually dangerous? 6:05pm- While speaking with Abby Phillips on CNN, Congressman Dean Phillips (D-MN) said he would consider using U.S. Special Forces to free American hostages being held by Hamas. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) seemingly agreed with Phillips' suggestion—and went one step further calling for the Biden Administration to retaliate massively against Iran after its proxies launched numerous attacks against U.S. personnel in the region. Could the United States see increased military involvement in the Middle East? 6:15pm- According to a report from The Washington Post, “[i]n late 2015, cranes at a seaport in Jacksonville, Fla., carefully hoisted U.S. military helicopters worth up to $40 million each onto a massive cargo ship set to deliver the equipment to the Egyptian government. Egypt's Defense Ministry had turned to an unusual figure to help arrange transport of the prized hardware: Wael Hana, an Egyptian American businessman who had previously run a trucking business, a gas station and a truck stop along a gritty, industrial strip in northern New Jersey… Eight years later, Hana's ties to the Egyptian government are under a bright spotlight. After a years-long investigation, U.S. authorities charged him in September with paying bribes to Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and his wife, Nadine Menendez, in exchange for actions that benefited Egypt, including Menendez's promise to help keep military aid flowing to the North African nation. Hana, 40, lavished the couple with gold bars, checks and household furnishings between 2018 and 2022, prosecutors allege, while helping to introduce the senator to Egyptian military and intelligence officers and serving as a go-between for their communications.” You can read the full report from Shawn Boburg, Claire Parker, Terrence McCoy, and Marina Dias here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/11/27/bob-menendez-wael-hana-egypt/ 6:30pm- Annoyed by the sound of crunching chips during Zoom conference calls? Doritos has developed software to silence the crunch! Yes, this story is somehow real. You can read more here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/11/27/doritos-silent-gaming-crunch-cancellation/ 6:50pm- According to a report from Emily Joshua of The Daily Mail, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) is “expected to call on Western countries, including the U.S., to drastically reduce meat consumption to combat climate change” during its climate change conference in Dubai starting later this week. You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12800019/meat-consumption-climate-change-global-emissions.html

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: The Associated Press writes that there has been a concerning “surge in respiratory illnesses across China that has drawn the attention of the World Health Organization.” China's health ministry has claimed the uptick “is caused by the flu and other known pathogens and not by a novel virus.” You can read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/26/china-respiratory-illnesses-cause-flu-pathogens-00128637 According to a report from Emily Joshua of The Daily Mail, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) is “expected to call on Western countries, including the U.S., to drastically reduce meat consumption to combat climate change” during its climate change conference in Dubai starting later this week. You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12800019/meat-consumption-climate-change-global-emissions.html Chico Harlan, of The Washington Post, documents that although the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) later this week, they are simultaneously “ramping up its oil production capacity like never before.” You can read the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/11/21/uae-dubai-cop28-oil-solar/ The sports blog Deadspin wrongfully accused a young Kansas City Chiefs fan of wearing blackface during the Chiefs-Raiders game on Sunday—angling the photo to only show half of the child's face and failing note that the face paint was black and red, the team's colors. The social media platform X added a Community Notes correction to Deadspin's original, inaccurate, post. Even Elon Musk felt compelled to set the record straight, praising Community Notes for “exposing deception.”

Did you know that we have more than enough food to feed everyone on the planet and then some?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Michael Fakhri, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. Fakhri is a  professor at the University of Oregon,  School of Law where he teaches courses on human rights, food law, development, and commercial law. He is also the director of the Food Resiliency Project in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center.  Fakhri discusses the political roots of hunger and famine, the multiple benefits of agroecology, the ethics of patenting of seeds, violence in the food system, and the relationship between the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the pesticide industry.  Related website:  https://law.uoregon.edu/directory/faculty-staff/all/mfakhri Violence in the food system: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/flyer-violenceFoodSystems-PRINT.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1U128rbc6v2p27a-B6BAgGrEbtLev7IgRiQEaVhJmyjP0gqmwnEDgMnvgSeeds report: https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2022/03/seeds-central-peoples-food-systems-cultures-and-human-rights 

World Food Day which is on Monday the 16th of October. It commemorates the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. Bob Govender, Industry Affairs Executive for Mediclinic Southern Africa joins Darren, Sky & Carmen for a chat. Webpage

Featuring Dr. Evelyn Nimmo In this episode of Handpicked: Stories from the Field, we sit down with Dr. Evelyn Nimmo, a Research Associate with the LCSFS and the President of the Center for the Development and Education of Traditional Erva-mate Systems (CEDErva) in Paraná, Brazil. Dr. Nimmo shares the ongoing process of applying for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) designation for the traditional agroforestry practices of growing erva-mate in Brazil. She shares the community-focused process, and how this designation might positively affect the practice on the ground.   Contributors  Co-Producers & Hosts: Laine Young & Amanda Di Battista  Producer: Charlie Spring Sound Design & Editing: Narayan Subramoniam    Guests Dr. Evelyn Nimmo   Support & FundingWilfrid Laurier University The Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems Balsillie School for International Affairs   Music Credits Keenan Reimer-Watts   Resources  Moving Beyond Acknowledgments- LSPIRG Whose Land Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems UNESCO Chair on Food, Biodiversity & Sustainability  CEDErva: Center for the Development and Education of Traditional Erva Mate Systems GIAHS: Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems Voicing Change: Co-Creating Knowledge and Capacity for Sustainable Food Systems   Connect with Us:  Email: Handpickedpodcast@WLU.ca Twitter/X: @Handpickedpodc Facebook: Handpicked Podcast   Glossary of Terms Season 3, Episode 5 – “Resilient Communities for the Future”: A GIAHS Designation for Agroforestry in Brazil"    Featuring: Dr. Evelyn Nimmo    Glossary of Terms     Agroecology  “Agroecology is a holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems. It seeks to optimize the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while also addressing the need for socially equitable food systems within which people can exercise choice over what they eat and how and where it is produced.”    https://www.fao.org/agroecology/overview/en/    Agrobiodiversity  “Agrobiodiversity is the result of the interaction between the environment, genetic resources and management systems and practices used by culturally diverse peoples, and therefore land and water resources are used for production in different ways. Thus, agrobiodiversity encompasses the variety and variability of animals, plants and micro-organisms that are necessary for sustaining key functions of the agro-ecosystem, including its structure and processes for, and in support of, food production and food security (FAO, 1999a). Local knowledge and culture can therefore be considered as integral parts of agrobiodiversity, because it is the human activity of agriculture that shapes and conserves this biodiversity.”    https://www.fao.org/3/y5609e/y5609e01.htm#:~:text=%5BBox%202%5D%20A%20DEFINITION%20OF,%2C%20livestock%2C%20forestry%20and%20fisheries.    Agroforestry  “Agroforestry is a collective name for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land-management units as agricultural crops and/or animals, in some form of spatial arrangement or temporal sequence. In agroforestry systems there are both ecological and economical interactions between the different components. Agroforestry can also be defined as a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management system that, through the integration of trees on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production for increased social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all levels. In particular, agroforestry is crucial to smallholder farmers and other rural people because it can enhance their food supply, income and health. Agroforestry systems are multifunctional systems that can provide a wide range of economic, sociocultural, and environmental benefits.”  https://www.fao.org/forestry/agroforestry/80338/en/    Araucária  “The Araucaria moist forests ecoregion spans the mountainous areas of Southern Atlantic Brazil and extends into northeastern Argentina. It is a coniferous forest ecoregion of the Atlantic Forest biome”   https://lacgeo.com/araucaria-moist-forests   “The Araucária Forest once covered 40% of the territory of Paraná... following centuries of unrestrained timber extraction and misguided political decisions, the forest only has an unbelievable 3% of its original area”   https://www.restaurabrasil.org.br/en/our-projects/araucaria-forest/     Community of Practice  “A community of practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or an interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals. Communities of practice often focus on sharing best practices and creating new knowledge to advance a domain of professional practice. Interaction on an ongoing basis is an important part of this. Many communities of practice rely on face-to-face meetings as well as web-based collaborative environments to communicate, connect and conduct community activities.”    https://www.communityofpractice.ca/background/what-is-a-community-of-practice/    Conscientization   “The process of developing a critical awareness of one's social reality through reflection and action.  Action is fundamental because it is the process of changing the reality.  Paulo Freire says that we all acquire social myths which have a dominant tendency, and so learning is a critical process which depends upon uncovering real problems and actual needs.”    https://freire.org/concepts-used-by-paulo-freire     Dynamic Conservation Plan  “Dynamic conservation strategies which are designed to create, retain or enhance habitat in temporary and adaptable ways, can reinforce the value of protected areas and help species persist in a changing world. Developing and deploying dynamic conservation strategies is especially important for migratory species, marine systems and for adaptive management of climate change-driven species redistributions. Dynamic conservation strategies will become increasingly important for biodiversity conservation, especially as a means of facilitating adaptation to climate change and its concomitant variability and extremes, such as extended drought.”    https://www.scienceforconservation.org/science-in-action/dynamic-conservation-story#:~:text=Adaptable%20solutions%20are%20needed.,persist%20in%20a%20changing%20world.    Erva Mate/ Chimarrão (Portuguese) / Yerba mate (Spanish)    “Erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a tree that grows naturally in the Araucaria Forest, which is part of the Atlantic Forest biome, an ecosystem that is at risk of extinction. Within the region known as the Rio de la Plata Basin, where important Brazilian rivers flow, such as the Paraná, Iguaçu, Uruguay and Paraguay Rivers, erva-mate is linked to the traditions of the original inhabitants of southern Brazil. A key element in the Araucaria Forest, erva mate is cultivated and harvested to provide nutritious and delicious teas and infusions that are part of indigenous and settler food ways and cultures.”    https://www.cederva.org/en/sistemas-de-producao    Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)    “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) are agroecosystems inhabited by communities that live in an intricate relationship with their territory. These evolving sites are resilient systems characterized by remarkable agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge, invaluable cultures and landscapes, sustainably managed by farmers, herders, fisherfolk, and forest people in ways that contribute to their livelihoods and food security. Through the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has designated over 60 sites around the world.”    https://www.fao.org/giahs/en/    Industrial Agriculture System  Large scale, intensive agriculture or animal production systems that rely on chemical fertilizers, and practices that lack diversity, such as monocropping and genetic modification. These systems are built to maximize production and profit, often at the expense of biodiversity and the health and wellbeing of animals.      Discussion Questions     Season 3, Episode 5 – “Resilient Communities for the Future”: A GIAHS Designation for Agroforestry in Brazil"   Featuring: Dr. Evelyn Nimmo    Discussion Questions      1.     How might the GIAHS designation (and project activities like creating digital narratives) help convince young people to stay in their communities and farm using traditional systems? Why is this a goal for the project?    2.     Dr. Nimmo talks about the “human elements” of the erva mate system, why are those just as important as the biophysical elements? What might this mean for our understanding of ‘conservation'?    3.     A goal of the project is to help traditional farmers recover autonomy and recognition, to challenge the invisibilization of the farmer in the supply chain of erva mate. Can you apply this idea of invisibilization to your own experience of accessing food? Do you know of concepts, social movements or business approaches that attempt to increase democracy in food systems? What is the role of consumers in all of this?    4.     How does the work of CEDErva, and the erva mate growers, challenge common perceptions of what is meant by “modern” and “innovative” when it comes to food systems?     5.     What role does farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing, and recognition of the role of Indigenous knowledge, play in a process of reconciliation in settler-colonial contexts like Brazil (and other places)?     

ON THIS INSTALLMENT…DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT … We cover why weird men appear when a group of people exceeds 100, Bill Gates giving PM Kishida an SDG Award, and the Japanese Self Defense Forces plans to use AI and fight climate change. Plus some good ol' bug eating.Follow Matt: Twitter / Facebook Page / InstagramOfficial Website: matthewpmbigelow.comSHOW NOTES 110NEW PRODUCTKeep your hands free with this backpack umbrella standSOCIETY 5.0JR Kyushu to test multilingual 'AI attendant' from OctoberJapan police to stamp out online criminal activity with help of AIPrime Minister Fumio Kishida Receives the 2023 Global Goalkeeper AwardFujitsu launches new technologies to protect conversational AI from hallucinations and adversarial attacksAutomation lending helping hand to lessen the workloadJapanNagoya ordinance prohibits walking on escalatorsWARUkraine looks to Shinkansen to build rails to Western allieshttps://www.mod.go.jp/en/publ/w_paper/wp2023/DOJ2023_Digest_EN.pdf Japan names 33 airports, ports to be upgraded for defense useCommencement of negotiations on the Japan-Germany Acquisition and Cross-Servicing AgreementEAT THE BUGSTitle: Insect Consumption on the Rise: Pursuing Sustainability and Food Culture (Published on September 20th) chugainippohDate: September 22, 2023, 09:54 AMAs the trend of consuming dishes made from insects gains momentum, 88.7% of those who have tried insect-based cuisine responded positively, stating that it was "delicious." Furthermore, around 60% anticipate the widespread adoption of insect consumption in Japan in the future. These findings stem from a tasting survey conducted last year by the Tokyo University of Agriculture's Bio-Robotics Laboratory, which focuses on edible insects in the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In light of global food crises and concerns, insects are gaining attention as the next-generation food resource, with practical applications advancing in Japan as well. However, while there are benefits, such as minimal environmental impact, there are also challenges and lingering aversions, making it uncertain whether insect-based cuisine will be embraced on a broad scale, akin to traditional Japanese cuisine.The aforementioned tasting survey featured dishes like deep-fried crickets and cookies containing cricket powder, known as "Land Shrimp Salamino." According to reports, various insect-based foods made from creatures such as cicadas, grasshoppers, and bees are already available in the market. Some restaurants even offer dishes like crepes made with aquatic insect caddisfly meat or noodles infused with crickets.However, it is undeniable that there are still people who might refuse to eat these dishes, possibly due to reservations about the appearance of the ingredients. It's worth considering that the university's survey may have been biased, being conducted only among students, and in fact, 10% of the surveyed students did not try the insect-based dishes. As an experiment, some individuals sampled commercially available cricket-infused chocolate and rice crackers. While the rice crackers had a flavor reminiscent of shrimp chips, it wasn't something that most people found appealing, and there wasn't a significant allure to choose them. In other surveys, nearly 90% of respondents expressed a reluctance to try insect-based foods.The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization issued a report in 2013 recommending the consumption of insects, and in Europe, commercialization is advancing. According to the organization's data, producing 1 kilogram of protein from cows requires 10 kilograms of feed, while chickens need 2.5 kilograms. In contrast, crickets can produce the same amount of protein with just 1.7 kilograms of feed. There are benefits to insect farming, including the ability to produce on a small scale and emitting fewer greenhouse gases compared to livestock farming. Given the backdrop of climate change and food shortages caused by population growth, there are hopes that insects could play a role in addressing these challenges.In Japan, there has been a long-standing tradition of consuming insects such as locusts. The act of consuming living creatures as part of the "food" is a cornerstone of cultural significance. However, the expansion of "food tech," including genetic modification, driven by economic efficiency and profit motives, as well as the high-tech and industrialization of agriculture and fisheries under the banner of "food security," poses a significant threat to traditional food cultures rooted in a connection with nature and the livelihoods of those who practice them.For instance, genetically edited white crickets have been created solely for their appearance, and if these were used as raw materials for mass-produced food items, it could lead to discomfort and concerns. From a sustainability perspective, religious communities may also consider insect consumption. Nonetheless, the key to evolving food culture ultimately lies in the development of methods that genuinely prioritize environmental and natural considerations, ensuring safety and making people want to consume such foods.

Angela is joined by Tara Vander Dussen and Natalie Kovarik, for a very special episode in which they discuss various aspects of farming and food production, focusing on dairy farming, beef, and poultry. They address common concerns and misconceptions surrounding dairy products, such as the inflammatory effects of dairy and the presence of hormones, and the differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef, the labelling confusion in the poultry industry, and the impact of different farming practices on the environment, emphasising the importance of food choice and transparency, encouraging listeners to make informed decisions based on their own preferences and values. KEY TAKEAWAYS There is ongoing research suggesting that milk does not cause inflammation, but the effects may vary depending on factors such as added sugars. Hormones naturally occur in dairy products, but the concern is more about added hormones. In the United States, RBST is no longer used in milk production. Homogenisation is a process that breaks up the cream in milk to create a consistent texture. Non-homogenised milk may require shaking before consumption or may have cream that rises to the top. Grass-fed, grass-finished beef may have higher omega-3 content compared to grain-finished beef. However, the omega-3 content in milk is generally low, regardless of the type of cow or diet. Food labelling can be confusing, and it is often more helpful to directly source food from local farmers to ask questions and gain transparency about the farming practices. BEST MOMENTS "There is a lot of new research that is really positive in milk, not causing inflammation, depending on, you know, are you adding, you know, sugar to it as a chocolate milk, all these different things that you can or cannot do." "I think if you have the means and access to supporting local and buying direct from the farmer, I think that's kind of the point, right? Cause then you can ask all those questions." "I think sometimes we get so in the weeds about the conversations of, you know, like you said, Omega threes versus Omega sixes. And, um, and we kind of lose sight of the big picture, which is, you know, meat is one of the most, um, milk to, you know, whole, whole animal proteins are one of the best things we can put in our body." "So there's a lot, I think when it comes to the environment part, that isn't necessarily true about, um, practices. And then also I think we're really, really losing sight of, um, what are, what actually happened to our bodies." VALUABLE RESOURCES Join The High Performance Health Community Take My Biohacking Quiz and Get A Free Personalised Report - www.yourtotalhealthcheck.comBecome an Insider of The Female Biohacker Collective and have Angela as Your Health Coach in Your Pocket - www.femalebiohacker.comFree Fasting Guide - www.angelafosterperformance.com/fastingPodcast Shownotes - www.angelafosterperformance.com/podcasts To take advantage of our Biostack special offer go to https://biostacklabs.com/pages/angela To express your interest in the Biosyncing program go to angelafoster.me/biosyncing   Elevate AG - https://taravanderdussen.com/blog/elevateag ABOUT THE GUESTS Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen are the co-hosts of the Discover Ag docu-series as well as the popular podcast Discover Ag. Collectively they have been advocating for agriculture online on various social media platforms for over 10 years. Together they have fostered a community of over 240k, spoken on stages across the nation and globe, and empowered a community to reconnect to the agriculture industry and the hands that feed us.   Natalie: From the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, Natalie shares her ranching and familying story online to showcase the beauty behind the western lifestyle as well as foster a community who supports and trusts in Agriculture as much as she does. She and her husband (and their 3 boys) own and operate Kovarik Cattle Co, a cow calf operation with a growing registered herd where she spends a majority of her days collecting meaningful moments on the ranch bouncing around in a dusty old tractor or out in pasture on horseback. She has created an online community of over 115K, created an apparel line that gave back to ag foundations, spoken on ag stages, hosted business retreats for the ag community and co-founded Elevate Ag an online course for producers to learn to effectively use social media to share their story.   Tara: Tara is a New Mexico native, 5th generation dairy farmer, an environmental scientist, and mom of two girls. Daniel, her husband, manages all day-to-day on his family dairy farm while Tara has her own career as an environmental consultant, speaker, online agriculture advocate and podcaster. Tara has had the opportunity to speak at national and global conferences about dairy sustainability including at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Committee on World Food Security and the Forbes AgTech Summit. As well as being the co-host of Discover Ag Tara is also the co-founder of Elevate Ag, an online course to provide farmers and ranchers with the ABOUT THE HOST Angela Foster is an award winning Nutritionist, Health & Performance Coach, Speaker and Host of the High Performance Health podcast. A former Corporate lawyer turned industry leader in biohacking and health optimisation for women, Angela has been featured in various media including Huff Post, Runners world, The Health Optimisation Summit, BrainTap, The Women's Biohacking Conference, Livestrong & Natural Health Magazine. Angela is the creator of BioSyncing®️ a blueprint for ambitious entrepreneurial women to biohack their health so they can 10X how they show up in their business and their family without burning out. Angela's BioSyncing®️ Blueprint is currently closed. Click here to get on the waitlist. She is also the founder of The Female Biohacker Collective - the health coaching membership in your pocket - with monthly live masterclasses, coaching calls and biohacking toolkits. To find out more and become a member, click here. The High Performance Health Podcast is a top rated global podcast. Each week, Angela brings you a new insight, biohack or high performance habit to help you unlock optimal health, longevity and higher performance. Hit the follow button to make sure you get notified each time Angela releases a new episode. CONTACT DETAILS Instagram Facebook LinkedInThis show was brought to you by Progressive Media

Farmed salmon has been touted as a solution to food scarcity as the world turns to eating more seafood. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that seafood production must increase 29.3% by 2030 to meet demand. Our guest today is Simen Sætre, who coauthored The New Fish: The Truth about Farmed Salmon and the Consequences We Can No Longer Ignore with journalist Kjetil Ostli. The book examines the salmon farming industry in Norway in the 1960s. It is a history of the business and a chronicle of the many unanticipated consequences of fish farming, including the use of chemicals in fish feed that harm aquatic and human health, a pandemic of sea lice infections in farmed and wild fish, and the competition between salmon farms and human food supplies, particularly in Africa. The intense pollution and inhumanity associated with large-scale cattle, pork, and poultry operations, known as CAFOs, are being translated to increase the production in salmon farming. Simen discusses how humans have started down the path to creating CAFOs in the sea. Still, he remains hopeful that wild salmon can be restored. You can find The New Fish: The Truth about Farmed Salmon and the Consequences We Can No Longer Ignore at Amazon, Powell's Books, and local booksellers.

[This show is produced in Somali only; English caption of the show context is down below] Toddobaadkan #TubtaNabadda, waxaan kaga hadlaynaa saadaasha hawada ee xilli roobaadka Deyrta ee nagusoo aaddan, saamaynta ay ku yeelan karto bulshooyinka Soomaaliyeed ee ku dhaqan webiyada agtooda, iyo siyaabaha lagu yareyn karo waxyeellada roobabka mahiigaanka ah ee la saadaaliyay. Barnaamijka waxa an ku wareysanay Paolo Paron oo ah La-taliyaha Sare ee arrimaha Biyaha iyo Dhulka ee Hay'adda Qaramada Midoobay u qaabilsan Cunnada iyo Beeraha ee FAO iyo Khadar Sheekh Maxamed, Agaasimaha Waaxda Maareynta Halisaha Masiibooyinka iyo Bixinta digniinaha hore ee Hay'adda Maareynta Masiibooyinka Soomaaliyeed. Waxa ay sharxayaan tallaabooyinka lagama maarmaanka ah ee looga hortagayo burburka ka dhasha fatahaadaha xilliga Deyrta ee nagusoo wajahan. Barnaamijka waxaa noo soo jeedinaya Cali Guutaale iyo Fatxi Maxamed. Wac raadiyaha aad jeceshahay inta uu barnaamijku socdo maanta: Radio Mogadishu (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Baidoa (1.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1.20 p.m., 7.30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1.15 p.m., 8.15 p.m.) Radio Galgaduud (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2.30 p.m., 7.00 p.m.) Waamo Radio (8.00 p.m.) Isnaay Radio (7.00 p.m.) Sanguuni Radio (8.00 p.m. Axad) Beerlula Radio (8.30 p.m. Axad) Arlaadi Radio (8.00 p.m. Axad) Radio Daar-Dheer (8.30 p.m. Talaado) Radio Jowhar (2.00 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Codka Caasimadda (2.00 p.m, 7.30 p.m) Waxaad sidoo kale ka helikartaa Podcast qaybtaan iyo qaybaha kaleba: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../tubta-nabaada.../id1373615264 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Tubta-Nabaada-Path-to-Peace-p1120872/ -------- Si aad wax badan uga ogaato wararka iyo warbixinada Howlgalka Kaalmaynta QM ee Soomaaliya, booqo: Website: https://unsom.unmissions.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNSomalia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNSOMALIA Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unsom/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/unsom-somalia/... Vimeo: https://www.vimeo.com/unsom ----- ----- This week on #TubtaNabadda, we discuss weather forecasts for the incoming Deyr season, its possible impact on riverine communities in Somalia, and ways to minimise the impact of predicted heavy rains. The programme features Paolo Paron, Senior Water and Land Advisor for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Khadar Sheikh Mohamed, Director of the Department of Disaster Risk Management and Early Warning Systems of the Somali Disaster Management Agency. The speakers explain the necessary measures to avert devastation from possible floods of the incoming Deyr season. The programme is presented in Somali by Ali Gutale and Fathi Mohamed. Call in your favourite radio station during the show today:

Welcome to the Plant Free MD podcast with Dr Anthony Chaffee. In this episode, I interview Natalie and Tara or the Discover Ag podcast on the misunderstandings and outright falsehoods portrayed about livestock agriculture. Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen are the co-hosts of the Discover Ag docu-series as well as the popular podcast Discover Ag. Collectively they have been advocating for agriculture online on various social media platforms for over 10 years. Together they have fostered a community of over 220k, spoken on stages across the nation and globe, and empowered a community too reconnect to the agriculture industry and the hands that feed us. NATALIE KOAVRIK: From the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, Natalie shares her ranching and familying story online to showcase the beauty behind the western lifestyle as well as foster a community who supports and trusts in Agricultural as much as she does. She and her husband (and their 3 boys) own and operate Kovarik Cattle Co, a cow calf operation with a growing registered herd where she spends a majority of her days collecting meaningful moments on the ranch bouncing around in a dusty old tractor or out in pasture on horseback. Natalie has created an online community of over 120K, created an apparel line that gave back to ag foundations, spoken on ag stages, hosted business retreats for the ag community and co founded Elevate Ag an online course for producers to learn to effectively use social media to share their story. Tara Vander Dussen: Tara is a New Mexico native, 5th generation dairy farmer, an environmental scientist, and mom of two girls. Daniel, her husband, manages all day-to-day on his family dairy farm while Tara has her own career as an environmental consultant, speaker, online agriculture advocate and podcaster. Tara has had the opportunity to speak at national and global conferences about dairy sustainability including at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Committee on World Food Security and the Forbes AgTech Summit. As well as being the co-host of Discover Ag Tara is also the co-founder of Elevate Ag, an online course to provide farmers and ranchers with the tools they need to successfully share their ag story and grow their businesses.   Contact and Follow Dr Chaffee: ✅PATREON for early releases, bonus content, and weekly Zoom meetings https://www.patreon.com/AnthonyChaffeeMD ✅Sign up for our 30-day carnivore challenge and group here! https://www.howtocarnivore.com/ ✅INSTAGRAM: @anthonychaffeemd www.instagram.com/anthonychaffeemd/ ✅TWITTER: @Anthony_Chaffee ✅TIKTOK: @AnthonyChaffeeMD ✅Apple Podcast: The Plant Free MD https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-plant-free-md-podcast/id1614546790 ✅Spotify: The Plant Free MD https://open.spotify.com/show/0WQtoPLuPMWWm3ZT3DYXzp?si=PPc2rXZzQXuzjIRK__SEZQ ✅To Sign up for a personal consultation with me, you can use my Calendly link below to schedule an appointment: ✅60 minute consultation https://calendly.com/anthonychaffeemd/60-minute-consultation ✅For collaborations, please email me at the below address. Please understand that I cannot give advice over email, but only in a consultation setting: AnthonyChaffee@gmail.com For more of my interviews and discussions, as well as other resources, go to my Linktree at: ✅ https://linktr.ee/DrChaffeeMD OR my website at: ✅ www.TheCarnivoreLife.com   ✅ Carnivore t-shirts from the Plant Free MD www.plantfreetees.com ✅THE CARNIVORE BAR: Discount Code "Anthony" for 10% off all orders!   https://the-carnivore-bar.myshopify.com/?sca_ref=1743809.v3IrTuyDIi ✅Barbell Foods Biltong and Meat Sticks Use code AC10 for 10% of all orders! www.barbellfoods.com.au ✅Schwank Grill (Natural Gas or Propane) https://glnk.io/503n/anthonychaffeemd $150 OFF with Discount Code: ANTHONYMD ✅Butcher Crowd Meat Deliveries https://home.butchercrowd.com.au/?via=anthony Code CARNIVORE20 for $20 off your first purchase ✅ iRestore Laser Hair Therapy: $400 off with discount code AnthonyChaffee https://glnk.io/wyrl/anthonychaffee ✅X3 bar system with discount code "DRCHAFFEE" https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-100676052-13511487 ✅Spearhead tallow and soaps referral link https://www.spearheadsoaps.com/?ref=gx0gql8b Discount Code "CHAFFEE" for 10% off ✅Cerule Stem cells https://DrChaffee.cerule.com ✅CARNIVORE CRISPS: Discount Code "DRCHAFFEEMD" for 10% off all orders! www.carnivorecrisps.com ✅Shop Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/anthonychaffeemd?ref=ac_inf_hm_vp   And please like and subscribe to my podcast here and Apple/Google podcasts, as well as my YouTube Channel to get updates on all new content, and please consider giving a 5-star rating as it really helps!   This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. #Carnivore #carnivorediet #ranching

Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen are the co-hosts of the Discover Ag docu-series as well as the popular podcast Discover Ag. Collectively they have been advocating for agriculture online on various social media platforms for over 10 years. Together they have fostered a community of over 220k, spoken on stages across the nation and globe, and empowered a community to reconnect to the agriculture industry and the hands that feed us.    From the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, Natalie shares her ranching and familying story online to showcase the beauty behind the western lifestyle as well as foster a community that supports and trusts in Agricultural as much as she does. She and her husband (and their 3 boys) own and operate Kovarik Cattle Co, a cow-calf operation with a growing registered herd where she spends the majority of her days collecting meaningful moments on the ranch bouncing around in a dusty old tractor or out in pasture on horseback. She has created an online community of over 130K, created an apparel line that gave back to ag foundations, spoken on ag stages, hosted business retreats for the ag community and co-founded Elevate Ag an online course for producers to learn to effectively use social media to share their story. Tara is a New Mexico native, 5th generation dairy farmer, an environmental scientist, and mom of two girls. Daniel, her husband, manages all day-to-day on his family dairy farm while Tara has her own career as an environmental consultant, speaker, online agriculture advocate, and podcaster. Tara has had the opportunity to speak at national and global conferences about dairy sustainability including at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Committee on World Food Security and the Forbes AgTech Summit. As well as being the co-host of Discover Ag Tara is also the co-founder of Elevate Ag, an online course to provide farmers and ranchers with the tools they need to successfully share their ag story and grow their businesses. Timestamps: 00:00 Trailer 00:52 Introductions 04:05 Natalie's experience leaving pharmacy 06:08 Criticisms about water use for cattle 09:01 Sustainability in ranch life 16:16 Soil regeneration 18:24 Specific breeds of cattle for specific goals 23:35 Weaning cycle for cattle 24:52 Vaccines for cattle 32:33 Animal treatment in ranching 37:41 Future of raising cattle 39:26 Online response with social media 42:48 Raw milk 46:22 Possible weak points in supply 51:28 Sustainably increasing herd size 55:53 Negativity from public See open positions at Revero: https://jobs.lever.co/Revero/ Join Carnivore Diet for a free 30 day trial: https://carnivore.diet/join/ Carnivore Shirts: https://merch.carnivore.diet Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://carnivore.diet/subscribe/ . ‪#revero #shawnbaker #Carnivorediet #MeatHeals #HealthCreation   #humanfood #AnimalBased #ZeroCarb #DietCoach  #FatAdapted #Carnivore #sugarfree  ‪

Christopher Waldrop, M.P.H., is a Senior Health Scientist in the Division of Public Health Informatics and Analytics at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA's CFSAN). In this role, he leads cross-agency workgroups to advance FDA priorities on nutrition, food safety, and biotechnology issues. He also helps identify and assess emerging consumer research and educational needs, advises CFSAN leadership on potential and emerging issues, and assists in prioritizing activities in FDA's food program. Mr. Waldrop holds a degree in advertising from Texas Tech University and an M.P.H. degree from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Vanessa Coffman is the Director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness. She comes to Stop Foodborne Illness with a diverse background in food safety and sustainability, with a focus on environmental exposures across the food system. She received her Ph.D. in Environmental Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a M.S. degree in Global Public Health and the Environment from the University of California, Berkeley. She has conducted research for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Sierra Leone examining farming opportunities in a post-war setting, on occupational and residential exposures from large pork production operations in rural North Carolina, examining the association between nitrate in drinking water (largely from food animal operations) and fetal health outcomes using Danish population-based health registers, and previously worked at Stop Foodborne Illness as a policy analyst. She has testified in front of U.S. government officials, has authored peer-reviewed papers, and helped draft federal regulations. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Mr. Waldrop and Dr. Coffman [2:46] about: FDA and Stop Foodborne Illness' ongoing collaboration on a webinar series promoting food safety culture within industry Effective strategies for communicating to corporate leadership the importance of food safety to their business Ways in which organizations have successfully engaged employees and assessed their awareness about food safety The future of food safety culture assessment from a regulatory standpoint, as well as the importance of assessing culture within an organization, building upon a conversation that took place during the FDA/Stop Foodborne Illness Webinar #7 held at the 2023 Food Safety Summit  FDA's priorities for food safety culture in the near future, as well as plans for future FDA/Stop Foodborne Illness webinars and efforts to promote food safety culture. Resources Register for FDA/Stop Foodborne Illness Webinar #8, "Facing Food Safety Challenges Through Culture & Adaptability” Watch the FSM Webinar: "FDA's Food Safety Culture—Advancing Culture Throughout the Supply Chain" Watch the FDA/Stop Foodborne Illness Webinar #7, “Live from the Food Safety Summit: Measure What You Treasure” Read “A Food Safety Paradox: The Mechanistics of Selling Food Safety” by Larry Keener, CFS, PA Sponsored byMichigan State University Online Food Safety We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Join Dr. Kiltz and special guests Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen for a fresh perspective on professional farming, agriculture, the environmental impact of vegetarian and carnivore diets and much more!  Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen are the co-hosts of the popular podcast Discover Ag as well as co founders of the online course and community Elevate Ag. Collectively they have been advocating for agriculture online on various social media platforms for over 10 years. They have fostered a community of over 220k, spoken on stages across the nation and globe, and empowered a community to reconnect to the agriculture industry and the hands that feed us.   Natalie shares her ranching and farming story online to show the beauty behind the Western lifestyle and to foster a community that supports and trusts in Agriculture. She and her husband (and their 3 boys) own and operate Kovarik Cattle Co, a cow calf operation with a growing registered herd where she spends a majority of her days collecting meaningful moments on the ranch bouncing around in a dusty old tractor or out in pasture on horseback. She has created an online community of over 115K, created an apparel line that gave back to ag foundations, spoken on ag stages, and hosted business retreats for the ag community.  Tara is a 5th generation dairy farmer, an environmental scientist, and mom of two girls. Tara works as an environmental consultant, speaker, online agriculture advocate and podcaster. Tara has had the opportunity to speak at national and global conferences about dairy sustainability including at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Committee on World Food Security and the Forbes AgTech Summit.     In this episode you will discover:   Organic v.s. inorganic foods  Cattle's impact on the environment  What if we all went vegan?  Land erosion  Cattle and hormones, antibiotics, and more!  Connect with Natalie and Tara:  Discover Ag Instagram  Discover Ag Podcast  All Natalie's Links  All Tara's Links    Connect more with Dr. Kiltz:  Website  Kiltz Mighty Tribe - Free membership and 30-Day Course   Doctor Kiltz Nutritional Solutions  Instagram  Tiktok  Facebook  Amazon   

Welcome to another episode of the Food Service Growth Show- How To Reduce Food Waste In Your Restaurants.In this episode, our guest is Franco Prontera, the country manager of Too Good To Go. The food and beverage industry is a significant contributor to food waste. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third of all food produced in the world is wasted, and the hospitality sector accounts for 14.5% of that waste. In a world where one in nine people are malnourished, this level of waste is unacceptable.The impact of food waste on us cannot be overstated. Not only is it a moral issue, but it also has significant economic and environmental consequences. The economic impact is particularly significant for restaurants, where food waste can account for up to 10% of their costs.So in this episode, we will explore✅ How to manage food waste✅ What is the impact of food waste on our environment✅ What are the innovations to fight food waste ✅ How technology can help you fight food waste Franco Prontera shares his experience working for Too Good To Go, an app that connects restaurants with consumers looking to purchase surplus food at a discounted price. The app has been incredibly successful in Europe, where it has over 25 million users and has saved over 55 million meals from being wasted.He also shares his insights into the innovations that are being developed to combat food waste. He explains how Too Good To Go's innovative app has helped restaurants to reduce their waste by selling surplus food to customers. Other innovations include the use of food waste as a raw material for new products, such as bioplastics and fertilizers.Carl Jacobs and Franco Prontera discuss the ROI of preventing food waste. They explain that reducing food waste can have a positive impact on a restaurant's bottom line. For example, by reducing food waste, restaurants can save on food costs, improve their reputation, and attract more customers. They also discuss how preventing food waste can help businesses to become more sustainable, which is becoming increasingly important to consumers.Franco also explains how Too Good To Go's app has been a game-changer for restaurants looking to reduce their waste. He discusses the importance of data and analytics in helping restaurants identify where they can make improvements to reduce their waste. Listen to the full episode to know more about the innovations that are being developed to combat food waste, as well as the economic and environmental benefits of reducing food waste. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel to stay updated on our latest content.Learn how our restaurant management solutions help your restaurant business keep costs under control. ✅ Subscribe and stay updated with new episodes:

Scientists, environmental activists, and government officials warn that the Bahamas' conch population is decreasing because of overfishing. The conch is a kind of marine creature with a shell. It is important to Bahamians' diet and economy. Tereha Davis's family has fished for conch around the Bahamas for five generations. Davis, who is 49 years old, remembers when she could walk into the water and pick up the marine snails from the seabed. But in recent years, Davis and conch fishers like her have had to go farther from shore to find conch. Sometimes it is as far as 48 kilometers. “When I was a child, we never had to go that far to get conch,” said Davis, speaking at a Freeport market where she sold her catch. “Without conch, what are we supposed to do?”科学家、环保活动家和政府官员警告说，由于过度捕捞，巴哈马的海螺数量正在减少。海螺是一种有壳的海洋生物。它对巴哈马人的饮食和经济很重要。特蕾哈·戴维斯 (Tereha Davis) 的家人世代在巴哈马群岛捕捞海螺已有五代人的历史。 49 岁的戴维斯还记得她什么时候可以走进水里，从海底捡起海螺。但近年来，戴维斯和像她这样的海螺渔民不得不到离岸更远的地方寻找海螺。有时远达48公里。 “当我还是个孩子的时候，我们从来不需要走那么远的路才能买到海螺，”戴维斯在自由港的一个市场上说，她在那里出售她捕获的海螺。 “没有海螺，我们怎么办？”The conch is widely recognized as the national dish of the Bahamas. Queen conch is the most important food species and can live for 30 years. Conch can be very costly in the U.S. and other places. But it is so common in the Bahamas that it can often be found in meals costing less than $10. That is less than the price of many meats on the island. One study from 2021 said nearly two-fifths of the population in rural parts of the Bahamas eats conch weekly. The country of about 400,000 is home to 9,000 conch fishers - around two percent of the population. A study published in Fisheries Management and Ecology said this number appears to be holding steady even as conches decrease in number. The meat of the conch is worth millions of dollars per year, and it also helps increase tourism to the islands.海螺被广泛认为是巴哈马的国菜。皇后海螺是最重要的食用品种，寿命可达 30 年。海螺在美国和其他地方可能非常昂贵。但它在巴哈马非常普遍，经常可以在不到 10 美元的餐食中找到它。这低于岛上许多肉类的价格。 2021 年的一项研究表明，巴哈马农村地区近五分之二的人口每周都吃海螺。这个拥有约 400,000 人口的国家拥有 9,000 名海螺渔民，约占总人口的 2%。发表在渔业管理和生态学上的一项研究表明，即使海螺数量减少，这个数字似乎也保持稳定。海螺的肉每年价值数百万美元，也有助于增加岛上的旅游业。Divers usually catch the conch by hand. They often use simple equipment such as a mask, snorkel and flippers. Sometimes divers can take home as many as 1,000 conches in a single trip. Many divers fish for other species too, such as snapper, but they identify themselves as conch fishers first. And for many, fishing is both a family tradition and a path to middle class life on the islands, where the cost of living is higher than in the U.S.潜水员通常用手捕捉海螺。他们通常使用简单的设备，例如面罩、通气管和脚蹼。有时，潜水员一次可以带回多达 1,000 个海螺。许多潜水员也捕捞其他物种，例如鲷鱼，但他们首先认定自己是海螺渔民。对于许多人来说，捕鱼既是一种家庭传统，也是通往岛上中产阶级生活的途径，那里的生活成本高于美国。Conch is one example of the threat overfishing presents to traditional foods around the world. Similar problems are seen in Senegal, where overfishing has taken away white grouper. The fish has long been the basis for the national dish of thieboudienne. Overfishing has also caused problems in the Philippines, where small fish supplies such as sardines that are used in kinilaw, a raw dish, have decreased. Overfishing has hurt once numerous species. That means some culturally important foods are disappearing.海螺是过度捕捞对世界各地传统食品造成威胁的例子之一。塞内加尔也出现了类似的问题，过度捕捞已经夺走了白石斑鱼。长期以来，这种鱼一直是 Thieboudienne 国菜的基础。过度捕捞也在菲律宾造成了问题，那里的小鱼供应减少了，例如用于生菜 kinilaw 的沙丁鱼。过度捕捞曾经伤害过无数物种。这意味着一些具有重要文化意义的食物正在消失。The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has stated that more than a third of the world's fish stocks are overfished. The FAO added that the rate of unsustainable fishing is rising. The loss of such foods risks the availability of protein and iron in people's diets in poor countries, said Richard Wilk, of Indiana University's Department of Anthropology. Wilk said nations that fail to control overfishing risk repeating the mistakes of countries such as Japan. The Japanese herring fishery collapsed in the middle of the 20th century. Wilks said the collapse cost jobs, reduced availability of a traditional wedding food, and left the country dependent on foreign supplies.联合国粮食及农业组织 (FAO) 表示，世界上超过三分之一的鱼类资源被过度捕捞。粮农组织补充说，不可持续的捕鱼率正在上升。印第安纳大学人类学系的理查德威尔克说，这些食物的流失会危及贫穷国家人们饮食中蛋白质和铁的可用性。威尔克说，未能控制过度捕捞的国家有可能重蹈日本等国家的覆辙。日本的鲱鱼渔业在 20 世纪中叶崩溃。威尔克斯说，倒塌导致工作岗位减少，传统婚礼食品的供应减少，并使该国依赖外国供应。

Dr. Joe Colletti, retired Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University, joins Jennifer today in the first part of two to discuss research programs with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

[This show is produced in Somali only; English caption of the show context is down below] Todobaadkan #TubtaNabadda, waxaan kaga hadlaynaa sugnaanta biyaha. Qaybta hore ee barnaamijka, Paolo Paron oo ah Lataliye Sare oo Hay'adda Cuntada Iyo Beeraha QM (FAO) u qaabilsan Dhulka iyo Biyaha, ayaa ka hadlaya tallaabooyinka ay tahay in la qaado si loo ilaaliyo kheyraadka biyaha. Wuxuu sidoo kale ka hadlayaa qaababka cusub ee loo mari karo maaraynta biyaha. Waxaa sidoo kale barnaamijka marti noogu ah Badra Yusuf oo ah Khabiir dhanka biyaha kana tirsan Hay'adda Raagsan. Waxay ka hadlaysaa xalalka suuragalka ah ee ku aadan waxkaqabashada mashaqada dhanka biyaha ee ay Soomaaliya wajahayso iyo siyaasadaha la qabsiga mudada dheer ee loo baahan yahay si biyaha loogu adeegsado qaab waari kara. Barnaamijka waxaa idiin soo jeedinaya Ali Gutale iyo Fathi Mohamed. Nala wadaag aragtidaada ku aadan sida gurigiina iyo bulshadiinu biyaha u kaydsadaan. Radio Mogadishu (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Kulmiye (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Baidoa (1.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) SBC Radio (1.20 p.m., 7.30 p.m.) Radio Garowe (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Cadaado (1.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Risala (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Dalsan (2.30 p.m., 8.30 p.m.) Radio Hiranweyn (1.15 p.m., 8.15 p.m.) Radio Galgaduud (2.30 p.m., 9.00 p.m.) Radio Kismaayo (2.30 p.m., 7.00 p.m.) Waamo Radio (8.00 p.m.) Isnaay Radio (7.00 p.m.) Sanguuni Radio (8.00 p.m. Axad) Beerlula Radio (8.30 p.m. Axad) Arlaadi Radio (8.00 p.m. Axad) Radio Daar-Dheer (8.30 p.m. Talaado) Waxaad sidoo kale ka helikartaa Podcast qaybtaan iyo qaybaha kaleba: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../tubta-nabaada.../id1373615264 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tubta-nabaada-path-to-peace TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Podcasts/Tubta-Nabaada-Path-to-Peace-p1120872/ ---------------------- Si aad wax badan uga ogaato wararka iyo warbixinada Howlgalka Kaalmaynta QM ee Soomaaliya, booqo: Website: https://unsom.unmissions.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNSomalia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNSOMALIA Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unsom/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/unsom-somalia/... Vimeo: https://www.vimeo.com/unsom ----------------------- ----------------------- This week on #TubtaNabadda we discuss water security in Somalia. In the first part of the programme, Paolo Paron, the Senior Land and Water Advisor at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), talks about the mitigation measures to preserve precious water resources. Mr. Paron also explains new approaches to water resources management. The second guest, Badra Yusuf, the Water Expert with a non-governmental organisation, Raagsan, outlines potential solutions to Somalia's water crisis and the long-term adaptation policies required for sustainable water use in the country. The programme is presented in the Somali language by Ali Gutale and Fathi Mohamed. Share your experience of how you save water in your household and community.

POLICY SEMINAR Food Loss and Waste in Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chains Co-organized by IFPRI, Embassy of Denmark, and World Resources Institute MAR 14, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EDT According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about one-third of all food produced around the globe is lost or wasted. This is particularly egregious in a world where one in nine persons is food insecure, and widespread food affordability concerns in low- and middle-income countries have resulted from COVID-related value chain disruptions and the global impact of the war in Ukraine. This annual event will take stock of efforts around the world to tackle food loss and waste through initiatives like Champions 12.3, a coalition of leaders from governments, businesses, international organizations, research institutions, farmer groups, and civil society dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilizing action, and accelerating progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 by 2030. The seminar will also take a closer look at fruits and vegetables, which are among the healthiest but most wasted foods. Given their perishable nature, great care, attention, and cooperation along all parts of fruit and vegetable value chains are required to reduce food loss and waste. Welcome Rob Vos, Director, Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI, and Lead, CGIAR Initiative on Rethinking Food Markets Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark Keynote Address Maximo Torero, Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Panel Discussion Rob Vos, Director, Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI, and Lead, CGIAR Initiative on Rethinking Food Markets Muhammad Yakubu Bubayaro, Founder/CEO, Bunkasa Agritech Shannon Sajdak, Senior Sustainability Manager, Apeel Signe Frese, Director, CSR and Quality, Coop Denmark Closing Remarks Liz Goodwin, Senior Fellow and Director, Food Loss and Waste, World Resources Institute (WRI) Moderator Luciana Delgado, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI More about this seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/food-loss-and-waste-fruit-and-vegetable-supply-chains Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Refiloe is joined by Resident Chef and Food Anthropologist, Dr Anna Trapido exploring the fascination of millet following United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's big party in Rome and declaring 2023 the International Year of Millets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health, wellness, and food security in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and economic environment are paramount concerns globally, as they are in New York City's minoritized communities. At The City College of New York, where efforts to combat food insecurity are underway year-round, World Food Day is an annual fall observance dedicated to raising awareness, raising funds, and mobilizing campus and community partners. In keeping with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's 2022 World Food Day theme, "Leave No One Behind," City College President Vincent Boudreau presents "Prioritizing Wellness in Our Community," a special episode of From City to the World. It captures the panel discussion with community organization leaders that Boudreau moderated this month at CCNY World Food Day. Host: CCNY President Vincent Boudreau Guests: Jaclinn Tanney, president of The Migrant Kitchen Initiative; Richard Cox, managing director of Market in the Heights Farmers' Market and CSA at CCNY; Angelo Lampousis, Ph.D., interim executive director of CCNY's Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative Recorded: Oct. 13, 2022

Ep114 OverviewIn Episode 114 of The Big Cruise Podcast, we celebrate the life and maritime service of the Late Queen Elizabeth II, answering Listener Questions about her and the ships she had named/christened. Cruise News return with great cruise news from around the world and finally Keith joins us to review his recent cruise from New York to Southampton onboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2.Support the showSupport the Show:Listen, Like, Subscribe & Review on your favourite podcast directory.Share the podcast with someone you think will enjoy the showBuy Me A Coffee – This podcast is only possible thanks to our supporters, simply buying a coffee keeps us on air. It is just like shouting your mate a coffee, and we consider our listeners close mates. https://bit.ly/2T2FYGXSustainable Fashion – choose a TBCP design or design your own… all using organic cotton, green energy and zero plastic https://bit.ly/32G7RdhListener QuestionsLuke – Did the late QEII ever sail on Cunard?Barrie – How many ships did the late Queen of England christen?Margie – What is the difference between the Queen and Queen Consort?Cruise Review - QM2Review of QM2 by Keith from USACruise Line: Cunard LineShip: Queen Mary 2Passengers: 2691Crew: 1173Itinerary: New York to SouthamptonShip Info: Queen Mary 2  CunardCruise NewsP&O Welcomes Third Ship to Australia. The entire P&O Cruises Australia fleet of three magnificent ships has returned home to resume cruising in Australia with the arrival in Sydney today of Pacific Adventure, which later in the day is set to become one of the tallest ships to sail under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.Pacific Adventure sailed through the Heads this morning on her way initially to the Overseas Passenger Terminal. Celebrations surrounding Pacific Adventure's arrival were scaled back as a mark of respect following the death of Her Majesty The Queen.A special marine engineering project has given Pacific Adventure the ‘head room' necessary for the ship to sail under the bridge to the White Bay Cruise Terminal.An important homecoming for the 109,000-tonne 2600-guest Pacific Adventure as it will be based year-round in Sydney to take cruise fans on itineraries to Australian destinations and to the South Pacific where cruising is vital to island economies.Pacific Adventure's first commercial cruise will depart from Sydney on October 22 on a three-night comedy cruise.Pacific Adventure's arrival means that P&O, as Australia's home-grown cruise line, can expand its presence sailing from a number of Australian ports and from Auckland in New Zealand.Of the three P&O ships now home, Pacific Encounter is based in Brisbane for year-round cruising, Pacific Adventure is based in Sydney. Pacific Explorer will do cruise seasons from Adelaide, Melbourne, Fremantle and Cairns. Explorer will do an extended Auckland cruise season from June to November next year.Carnival Gets Keys to the Newest Fun Ship as Ship Transitions from Costa FleetTransitioning from sister line Costa, Carnival Luminosa has officially joined the Carnival Cruise Line fleet today as the newest Fun Ship which will debut from Brisbane, Australia, Nov. 6, 2022.In Palermo, Italy, this morning, Costa Captain Nicolantonio Palombella handed over the ship to Carnival Captain Adriano Binacchi, with additional leadership team members from both lines in attendance. Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald captured the moment in a video which can be viewed here.Arriving to Australia in just two months, Carnival Luminosa will sail a variety of seasonal itineraries from Brisbane from Nov. 6, 2022 to April 13, 2023, offering something for everyone, before repositioning for seasonal service from Seattle to Alaska next May, including some exotic, first-time-for-Carnival destinations.Carnival Luminosa is a sister ship to the four other Spirit-class ships and will accommodate up to 2,826 guests and 1,050 Carnival crew members. Carnival Luminosa will be home to many of the activities and experiences from other Carnival ships that guests have come to know and love as well as some new spaces.Featuring guest favourites from entertainment, youth, and spa, to casino, bars and dining, offerings will include Playlist Productions, The Punchliner Comedy Club, Limelight Lounge, Piano Bar 88, Alchemy Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Chef's Table, Bonsai Sushi Express, Seaday Brunch, Serenity Adult-Only Retreat, and Cloud 9 Spa, among others.Green Eggs and Ham breakfast return to Carnival Fleet For the first time since the line's pause in guest operations, Carnival Cruise Line will officially bring back its Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in The Hat and Friends across its fleet on sailings beginning Oct. 1. The breakfast is part of the many exciting experiences in Carnival's Seuss at Sea program, the line's exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.Guests are encouraged to pack their imagination, as well as their appetites, as the whole family embarks on a breakfast that's part meal and part journey into the deliciously whimsical world of Dr. Seuss.Bringing Dr. Seuss' famed children's books to life, the breakfast features special appearances and meet and greet photo opportunities with favourite Dr. Seuss characters, helping create unforgettable memories no matter the age.From Green Eggs and Ham – of course – to brightly coloured fruit, gravity-defying fluffy pancake stacks, funky french toast, “Moose Juice” and “Goose Juice,” and much more, the fantastical feast features unique menu items, as well as classic breakfast offerings, accompanied by décor with bright colours and patterns. The breakfast is offered once per cruise.In addition to the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast, the Seuss at Sea fleetwide program features fun youth, family, dining and entertainment activities inspired by the amazing world and words of Dr. Seuss, such as the Seuss-a-Palooza Story Time (beginning Nov. 1), Dr. Seuss Bookville, a family reading venue on select ships, character interactions, Dr. Seuss toys and games, and popular movies shown on board.Cunard British Film Festival Down Under Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Cunard British Film Festival presented by Palace, will once again delight audiences with a superb line-up including many of the biggest and best films from the region.This year's festival will showcase the talents of Britain's finest filmmakers and actors including Stephen Frears, Sally Hawkins, Colin Farrell, Bill Nighy and more.Opening the festival on 19 October (18 October in Adelaide) is the premiere of the highly anticipated MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, a whimsical tale based on the popular novel. Starring the fabulous Lesley Melville as the titular Mrs. Harris, it follows her adventures as she embarks on a journey through Parisian high fashion.James Bond fans will be delighted with a special program showcasing six decades of iconic style and adventure. Highlights include DR.NO (60th anniversary), ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969), starring Australia's Bond George Lazenby, SKYFALL (2012) on its 10-year anniversary and 1967's YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE.Inspired by the true story of the discovery of King Richard III's remains beneath a Leicester car park, THE LOST KING is a comedy-drama from Stephen Frears. Starring Sally Hawkins as a woman who forced academics and scholars to rethink everything they knew about one the most controversial kings in British history, and co-writer Steve Coogan as her husband.The Cunard British Film Festival presented by Palace screens in the following locations:Sydney: 19 Oct – 16 Nov, Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Chauvel Cinema, Palace CentralCanberra: 19 Oct – 16 Nov, Palace Electric CinemasMelbourne: 19 Oct – 16 Nov, The Astor Theatre, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas and Pentridge CinemasBrisbane: 19 Oct – 16 Nov, Palace Barracks and Palace James StreetAdelaide: 18 Oct – 16 Nov, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect CinemasPerth: 19 Oct – 16 Nov, Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Leederville and WindsorByron Bay: 19 Oct – 16 Nov, Palace Byron BayHolland America Becomes First and Only Cruise Line Certified Sustainable for Alaska SeafoodHolland America Line has been awarded Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification — making it the first and only cruise line to achieve this distinguished credential by serving only fresh, certified sustainable and traceable wild Alaska seafood. RFM certified all six of the cruise line's ships that sail to Alaska following an independent audit.RFM is a third-party certification program for wild-capture fisheries and is aligned with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the most comprehensive set of international standards and best practices for wild fisheries. The RFM ecolabel includes the seafood product's origin and tells consumers where their food comes from every step of the way — starting with the Alaska fishers and processors and continuing to the cruise line's receipt of product and to the guest's plate.Usage of the RFM logo signifies solid commitment to a distinctive Chain of Custody program that assures buyers and guests their seafood is legally harvested, obtained from responsibly managed certified sustainable fisheries, and can be traced back to its origin.Serving Alaska seafood on Holland America Line ships has long been part of the brand's immersive culinary experiences. On any Alaska cruise, the line serves more than 2,000 pounds of Alaska Salmon, 1,000 pounds of Alaska cod, 800 pounds of Alaska halibut, 500 pounds of Alaska rockfish and more.Holland America Line Reports Positive Results of Cruise Industry's First Long-Term Biofuel Test on Board Volendam at Port of RotterdamHolland America Line completed the cruise industry's first multiweek test of biofuels on board Volendam at Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The 20-day test was conducted in partnership with GoodFuels, a leading producer and supplier of sustainable biofuels for the transportation industry, and Wärtsilä, a global leader in power and propulsion technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine market.The assessment was completed September 7. In the first five days of the test the ship used a mix of 30% biofuel and 70% marine gas oil (MGO) in one of its main auxiliary engines. For the final 15 days of testing, the ship used 100% biofuel. According to GoodFuels, there was a 78% decrease in lifecycle CO2 emissions during the final 15 days of trial compared to marine gas oil emissions.Dutch-flagged Volendam was selected for the test since it was located at the Port of Rotterdam, one of the global ports where GoodFuels operates the infrastructure necessary to provide biofuel waterside fueling services. There is no significant difference for the ship's team members in handling regular fuel oil versus biofuel. The use of a “drop-in” biofuel such as the one tested on Volendam requires no shipboard refitting or special equipment.What Are Biofuels?The advanced biofuel is derived from feedstocks that are certified as 100% waste or residue, with no land-use issues and no competition with food production or deforestation.Holland America Line's 2024 Grand Australia and New Zealand Voyage Returns After a DecadeHolland America Line is continuing to bolster its longer voyages departing from a North America homeport, and the 2024 Grand Australia and New Zealand Voyage is the newest addition. The 94-day journey that's been more than 10 years in the making departs Jan. 3, 2024, aboard Volendam, sailing roundtrip from San Diego, California.2024 Grand Australia and New Zealand Voyage Highlights94 days. Departs Jan. 3, 2024, sailing roundtrip from San Diego aboard Volendam.43 ports of call, including 17 around the Australian continent.4 overnight calls: Fremantle (Perth) and Sydney, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Papeete, Tahiti.2 evening departures: Honolulu, Hawaii, and Brisbane, Australia.Two full days of scenic cruising in the famed Great Barrier Reef, exploring the Ribbon Reef and Far North regions.16 calls at a collection of stunning South Pacific islands.A call at Komodo Island, with the opportunity to see the iconic Komodo Dragon prowling the landscape.Scenic cruising in the Torres Strait and Milford Sound.Two shorter segments are available: 58 days from San Diego to Sydney and 36 days from Sydney to San Diego.Celebrity Cruises announces new partnership with Four Pillars GinGlobally renowned for raising the bar on innovative food and beverage-focused experiences at sea, Celebrity Cruises is excited to announce a new partnership with Australia's leading craft distillery, Four Pillars Gin, serving up a range of exclusive experiences for guests on board Celebrity Eclipse this 2022-23 season.Celebrity Cruises will be the first cruise line to offer custom curated Four Pillars cocktails at sea, with four craft gin cocktails available throughout the entire 2022-23 season at ten bars onboard Celebrity Eclipse. Guests will be able to gaze out at the glistening Pacific Ocean, while sipping their favourite gin cocktails with botanicals from the very regions they're visiting. The gins include Four Pillars' award-winning Rare Dry, Fresh Yuzu, Bloody Shiraz and Navy Strength.Offering the ultimate destination-inspired holiday, travellers on the five-night sailing to Tasmania, departing Sydney on 10 March 2023, will be hosted by Four Pillars Senior Brand Ambassador, Wes Baimbridge, marking Celebrity Cruises' first ever gin-focused sailing. Pairing two award-winning trailblazers in the food and drinks space, culinary-curious travellers will have the opportunity to refine their palate with exclusive gin tasting and food pairing experiences.Showcasing the finest of each destination guests will visit, highlights of the Celebrity Eclipse five-night gin-centric itinerary includes:Sail Away Party with Four Pillars, featuring a complimentary gin cocktail to celebrate the start of the sailing, plus more surprises.Intimate Q&As with Wes Baimbridge, Four Pillars Senior Brand Ambassador, to discover the story behind the brand and crafting of Four Pillars' award-winning gins.Series of exclusive events throughout the sailing including gin tasting sessions to learn the essentials of food and gin pairing; gin and oyster flights; exclusive gin appreciation and pairing dinner; and hands-on cocktail masterclasses.Princess Cruises Unveils Bespoke Next Generation Ship – Sun Princess®Princess Cruises revealed a stunning new and bespoke ship platform that will be the brand's largest ship ever accommodating over 4,000 guests.  The new Sun Princess will boast stunning views, expansive venues, innovative entertainment venues, multi-story dining rooms and next level stateroom accommodations while remaining true to the smooth clean lines and design aesthetics inspired by the Seawitch icon and popularised in the original “Love Boat” TV series and returning the venerable “Sun Princess” name back into operation.Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard and scheduled to debut in early 2024, the 175,500-ton vessel is the largest Princess ship ever constructed and embraces Italian heritage by featuring a next-level, brand-iconic Piazza and The Dome, a cutting-edge entertainment space inspired by the terraces of Santorini. Sun Princess will also feature the exclusive Princess Medallion that will extend Princess's leadership position in delivering exceptional personalized experiences at unmatched scale.  Princess is unique in the ability to deliver incredible cruise ship amenities typical of the largest ships in the world while delivering personalized service found on the industry's smallest ships.The inaugural season for Sun Princess begins in early 2024 with Mediterranean itineraries. The ship's first three voyages will go on sale at 8.00AM AEST Friday, September 16 for Elite guests, and midnight for the general public.This is the third ship to be honored with the Sun Princess name, adding to the legacy of the first ship sailing from 1974 to 1988 and the second ship sailing from 1995 to 2020. At that time, she had the largest number of balcony cabins, and the cruise line's first 24-hour cafe.Azamara Unveils New Europe 2024 Itineraries for its Four-Ship FleetAzamara – the upmarket cruise line and leader in Destination Immersion® experiences – is pleased to unveil 84 Europe itineraries across its four-ship fleet for 2024. Of the 84 new itineraries, 53 are Country Intensive voyages with over 50% of port calls being a late night or overnight, allowing guests ample time to dive deeper into the local culture and hidden gems of an individual country. On September 9, the cruise line will also launch a brand-new video series, ‘Lens of a Local,' allowing guests to get an exclusive look into the immersive excursions that can be experienced from a local's perspective on an Azamara voyage.Azamara is also expanding the company's longtime exclusive partnership with leading provider of international golf tours, PerryGolf, to offer the most worldwide golf sailings yet, with over 15 departures available to book in 2024. Highlights include:Azamara Quest's 12-Night British Isles Intensive Golf Voyage & The 152nd Open at Royal Troon: Beginning in Dublin, Ireland and concluding in Edinburgh, Scotland, this itinerary is beautifully balanced with famous city experiences like Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow and Dundee plus exceptional golf at world renowned and highly revered venues around the British Isles such as Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, Royal Dornoch, Royal County Down & Royal Portrush. Guests will also have the opportunity to attend the final two days of The 152nd Open at Royal Troon with PerryGolf.Azamara Pursuit's 12-Night South Africa Intensive Voyage: This Country Intensive voyage allows guests to see more of South Africa's vibrant ports, exotic safaris, golden beaches, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Guests have the option to play five rounds of golf at East London Golf Club, one of South Africa's favorite championship venues for decades; Pearl Valley, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course set in the famous Franschhoek Wine region; and more.Azamara Journey's 16-Night New Zealand & Australia Voyage: Travelers will discover natural wonders, Indigenous cultures, and extraordinary wildlife on this journey from New Zealand to Australia, sailing through the spectacular Milford Sound. PerryGolf offers six rounds of golf at some of the most renowned courses in the region, including the #1 course in New Zealand, Cape Kidnappers, as well as the second oldest course in New Zealand, Christchurch Golf Club.Azamara Quest's 9-Night Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil Voyage: Beginning in beautiful Buenos Aires and concluding with an overnight in spirited Rio De Janeiro, this sailing includes a round of golf at the Olympic Golf Course in Rio, site of golf's 2016 return to the Olympic Games. Travelers can also add on a post-voyage land program to visit the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls from both the Argentine and Brazilian sides.Saga Ocean Cruises lines up stellar 2022/2023 celebrity entertainmentSaga Ocean Cruises lines up stellar 2022/2023 celebrity entertainment with Jools Holland, Alfie Boe, Phil Vickery and Kevin WoodfordSaga guests are in for an entertainment treat thanks to the celebrity line-up the cruise operator has confirmed for late 2022 and throughout 2023.The famous composer, pianist, bandleader and broadcaster, Jools Holland, returns to the Saga stage on six cruises between February and September 2023. Guests will be wowed with performances in the 444-seater Playhouse Theatre of some of Jools' popular sets including Barrel House, Take Me, Peace in the Valley and How sweet it is.The 2023 cruises Jools and his band will perform on are:Colours of the Canaries departing February 2Arctic Norway and the Northern Lights departing February 18Venice and the Treasures of the Adriatic departing April 9Contrasts of Scandinavia departing May 21Islands of the Western Mediterranean departing August 20Ancient Cities of the Eastern Mediterranean departing September 4And music fans can also now experience the incredible singing talents of Alfie Boe. As a young boy, Lancashire-born Alfie dreamed of a career as a singer and has since then conquered the world's most prestigious opera stages, led the cast of Les Miserables for nearly a year, and stolen the show at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. He has also sold-out three UK Tours (including the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall) and appeals to hundreds of thousands of fans, having achieved Platinum album sales in the UK, and four top ten album placings.Alfie will perform on the Morocco and the Islands of the Atlantic cruise departing on November 15, 2022 on Spirit of Discovery.And the chef, presenter and cookery book author, Phil Vickery, will be joining the Cape Verde and the Canaries cruise departing November 19, 2022 to deliver a live cooking demonstration and Q&A session to guests. Vickery is often best known as part of the This Morning family and is firmly regarded as one of Britain's favourite chefs.Keeping with the cuisine theme, chef and presenter Kevin Woodford, will be performing a ‘Can't Cook, Won't Cook' masterclass and ‘A Question of Food' Q&A session with guests on the Flavours of the Western Mediterranean cruise departing on October 31, 2022.Look ahead to a festive break with Fred. Olsen Cruise LineBalmoral's eight-night L2232 ‘European Christmas Markets' cruise, departing from Portsmouth on 2nd December 2022. Itinerary: Portsmouth, England – Zeebrugge, Belgium – Gothenburg, Sweden – Copenhagen, Denmark – Cruising Kiel Canal, Germany – Hamburg, Germany – Portsmouth, EnglandBorealis' nine-night S2231 ‘River Cities and German Christmas Markets' cruise, departing from Liverpool on 5th December 2022. Itinerary: Liverpool, England – Cruising North Sea Canal, Netherlands – Amsterdam, Netherlands (overnight stay) – Cruising River Elbe, Germany – Hamburg, Germany (overnight stay) – Liverpool, EnglandBalmoral's 12-night L2233 ‘Festive Spain and Portugal' cruise, departing from Portsmouth on 10th December 2022. Itinerary: Portsmouth, England – Lisbon, Portugal – Cádiz, Spain – Funchal, Madeira (overnight stay) – Vigo, Spain – La Coruña, Spain – Portsmouth, EnglandBorealis' eight-night S2232 ‘Festive Spanish City Break' cruise, departing from Liverpool on 14th December 2022. Itinerary: Liverpool, England – Gijon, Spain – Getxo (Bilbao), Spain – Vigo, Spain – La Coruña, Spain – Liverpool, EnglandVida Portugal! Avalon Waterways unveils plans to make its debut on the Douro with a new Suite ShipAvalon Waterways has announced that it will make its Douro debut with a new itinerary and Suite Ship – the Avalon Alegria – in 2024. Embarking on its first-ever sailings in Portugal, Avalon Waterways is poised to offer a new view of the Old World.Hillside vineyards and historic villages await guests as they sail through Portugal's postcard-perfect views on Avalon's all-new, eight-day cruise that begins and ends in Porto and is filled with Avalon's signature, included ‘Classic,' ‘Discovery' and ‘Active' excursion choices. Featuring everything from ancient Amarante – in the picturesque Minho region, known for its golden church that dates back to 1530 – to the sandstone architecture in Salamanca Spain; rock art to riding bikes from Porto to the sea, this new cruise promises countless ways to soak up the splendour – from medieval castles to cinematic scenery and all the vinho, baked bread, olives and cheese a traveller could desire.Day-by-day sneak peek:Day 1: Welcome to Porto with an optional food tour, embarkation and overnight in the city.Day 2: Excursion choices include stepping back in time in Guimarães' historic city centre or cruising along the coast, on bike, from Porto Ribeira to the sea. The ship overnights in Porto Antigo.Day 3: Today's choice of excursions includes a visit to one of the Douro Valley's oldest farms, with food tasting near Peso da Régua and an overnight in Pinhão.Day 4: Experience a guided tour of Freixo de Numão, a charming village nestled between the nearby mountains, complete with regional wine-tasting or rock art in Vila Nova de Foz Côa. Tonight, Avalon Alegria docks in Barca d'Alva.Day 5: Choose from classic sightseeing in Freixo de Espada à Cinta or a visit to Salamanca in Spain. Learn to bake traditional Portuguese pastries (florinhas) during a hands-on optional excursion.Day 6: Paint a typical azulejos tile guided by a professional painter during a relaxing morning sail.  Spend the afternoon in Amarante and fado the evening away. Guests overnight in Porto with plenty of free time to peruse the city. Cruisers are always choosers with Avalon.Day 7: UNESCO the day away exploring Porto – with optional excursions ranging from a canal cruise to celebratory Portuguese traditions – before spending one more night in the city.Day 8: The cruise comes to an end in Porto.Living up to its name (which, in Portuguese, means happiness), the Avalon Alegria – like the rest of the company's fleet of Suite Ships – will feature signature, award-winning Panorama Suites on two full decks. Each Suite provides guests 200-square-feet of living space, Open-Air Balconies and beds facing the views for which Avalon river cruising is famous. In addition, the Alegria, will provide guests with a pool on the Sky Deck to bask in the sun and soak-in the beauty of Portugal while sailing from a new, poolside point-of-view.This new Suite Ship, built exclusively to sail the Douro, will have a total of 14 Deluxe Staterooms and 37 Panorama Suites, accommodating just 102 guests and 33 crew members.And last…. The Biggest Cruise news for Australia & New Zealand…. For the first time, Disney Cruise Line is bringing the magic of a Disney to families and fans in Australia and New Zealand during brand-new “Disney Magic at Sea” cruises beginning late October 2023. The ship is the destination on these limited-time voyages, which have been specially created to immerse local guests in their favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars stories through enchanting entertainment and enhanced experiences throughout each cruise.The Disney Wonder will embark on these “Disney Magic at Sea” cruises through February 2024, ranging from two to six nights and departing from four home ports: Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia; and Auckland, New Zealand.During the repositioning voyages between Honolulu and Sydney in October 2023 and February 2024, the Disney Wonder will offer the fleet's first-ever South Pacific itineraries. These brand-new cruises will give guests from around the world the chance to experience exotic destinations like Fiji and Samoa. Bookings open to the public on Oct. 6, 2022AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND CRUISES 2023 – 2024 Cruises from SydneySail Dates: 28/10/23, 01/11/23, 24/12/23, 28/12/23, 03/01/24, 05/01/24, 08/01/24, 12/01/24,14/01/24, 20/01/24, 23/01/24, 12/02/24Prices starting from (for 2 nights on 12/01/24, per person based on double occupancy):Inside Stateroom: US$720Oceanview Stateroom: US$789Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah: US$918Concierge Stateroom with Verandah: US$1741Cruises from Melbourne Sail dates: 03/11/23, 05/11/23, 09/11/23, 12/11/23, 16/11/23, 26/01/24, 30/01/24, 02/02/24,05/2/24, 09/02/24Prices starting from (for 2 nights on 03/11/23, per person based on double occupancy):Inside Stateroom: US$546Oceanview Stateroom: US$593Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah: US$689Concierge Stateroom with Verandah: US$1281Cruises from BrisbaneSail Dates: 08/12/23, 11/12/23, 15/12/23, 20/12/23, 22/12/23Prices starting from (for 2 nights on 20/12/23, per person based on double occupancy):Inside Stateroom: US$755Oceanview Stateroom: US$821Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah: US$951Concierge Stateroom with Verandah: US$1760Cruises from AucklandSail Dates: 21/11/23, 25/11/23, 28/11/23, 01/12/23, 04/12/23Prices starting from (for 3 nights on 28/11/23, per person based on double occupancy):Inside Stateroom: US$760Oceanview Stateroom: US$818Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah: US$929Concierge Stateroom with Verandah: US$1705Prices based on stateroom category, sail date and party size. Prices include applicable taxes/GST, port expenses and fees. Sail dates and staterooms are subject to availability. Visit disneycruiseline.com/AUNZ beginning September 26, 2022 to check current pricing, availability and itineraries. Prices shown above are not guaranteed, are subject to change without notice, and do not include optional gratuities ($29-46.50 USD per person). Prices shown above are for the following categories: Concierge Family Stateroom with Verandah (03A), Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Navigator's Verandah (07A), Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom (09D), and Standard Inside Stateroom (11B).Image Credit: Disney Wonder, Disney Cruise LineImage Credit: Sun Princess, Princess CruisesAnd more... Join the show:If you have a cruise tip, burning question or want to record a cruise review get in touch with us via the website https://thebigcruisepodcast.com/join-the-show/ Guests: Chris Frame: https://bit.ly/3a4aBCg   Chris's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisFrameOfficialPeter Kollar: https://www.cruising.org.au/Home Listen & Subscribe: Amazon Podcasts: https://amzn.to/3w40cDcApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2XvD7tF Audible: https://adbl.co/3nDvuNgCastbox: https://bit.ly/2xkGBEI Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/2RuY04u I heart Radio:  https://ihr.fm/3mVIEUASpotify: https://spoti.fi/3caCwl8 Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2JWE8Tz Pocket casts: https://bit.ly/2JY4J2M Tune in: https://bit.ly/2V0Jrrs Podcast Addict: https://bit.ly/2BF6LnE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sadhguru is a world-renowned yogi who is currently turning the world's attention to the quality of our soil. And it's the final week to enter Miss Tourism Giuseppe Catellaneta tells us more. Netty Thines talks about the Luxilux app to discover the city, and Sasha Kehoe gives us a round-up of the week's news. Sadhguru Sadhguru, 64, is a busy man. A man who only needs a first name. Perhaps you know of him due to his lifetime's work as a yogi and spiritual leader. Or you may have become more recently acquainted with his beneficent face as he travelled across 27 countries on his motorcycle: 30,000km in 100 days; raising awareness of his Save Soil campaign, generating the world's largest people's movement. In this interview he talks of the urgent action required in order to feed our soil, otherwise we in turn cannot be fed. Sadhguru has been talking to policy makers and farmers for over 30 years about the state of the soil, and says that no one took action. "30 years of soil degeneration - a good pillow to sleep on." Save Soil is a global response to this crisis. Across the world soil is dying. 52% of agricultural soil is already degraded. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation says we may have only 60 years of agriculture left if soil degradation continues, inevitably resulting in a global food crisis. Sadhguru's educational track did not follow what we, today, might consider to be the 'intellectual' path. And yet he always observed, listened and remains curious. His travels and ability to work with people all over the world means his observations are global. On education he says: "The biggest mistake we have made in the process of creating human societies is the way we have structured education. We have made people misunderstand that memory is intelligence." Sadhguru founded the Isha Foundation in 1994, which is a yoga and spiritual non-profit organisation. He is also the guide and inspiration for the Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet established by Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Center. Discover Luxembourg with Luxilux Netty Thines, a communication's expert and co-founder of Mediation, has recently launched Luxilux, a city app to discover Luxembourg's heritage with trails and tresure hunts, challenges and cultural highlights. There's even vouchers for free drinks and restaurant reductions. Today you can explore Luxembourg city and Esch Sur Alzette with, with Schifflange coming very soon. https://www.luxilux.lu/en/ Miss Tourism Luxembourg There's still one week to go to enter Miss Tourism Luxembourg: calling all females, 18-35 years old, 1.65 metres tall or above. You can apply online or by emailing miss@misstourismeluxembourg.lu Giuseppe Castellaneta tells us more. Get in touch I love to hear your feedback. You can get in touch on social media and please do subscribe, rate and review my podcast on Apple, and Spotify

Nearly 670 million people worldwide will be undernourished in 2030 according to The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, which published its annual assessment of global food security this week. The Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine are making things worse. We catch up with a Dutch man who farms in Ukraine. He's just begun this year's harvest but says they're running out of storage space for the grain and thinks yields will be affected by lack of fertiliser and seed. He warns that in some parts of the region, there may not be a harvest at all next year if the conflict continues. Leaving the European Union means the subsidy system for farmers is now a devolved decision. The Welsh Government has just announced more details of their new scheme. Farmers in Wales will have to cover at least 10% of their land with trees in order to qualify for public funding in future. Ministers insist they don't want to see widespread land use change, away from farming. All week on Farming Today we've been talking about rural tourism which brings in £4.5 billion to the UK economy every year, according to Visit England. We look at a herd of heritage animals in Northumberland. The Chillingham Wild Cattle Association is opening a new visitor centre to tell the story of the beasts which have never been farmed and used to be hunted. We look at the problems and solutions of too many tourists on Skye and visit a Devon farmer who opened a campsite under lockdown and says it's made a big difference to the farm business.

Hello Interactors,This episode kicks off the summer season on the environment and our interactions with it and through it. I’m starting with food. Food is a big topic that impacts us all, albeit in uneven ways. It got me wondering about the global food system and how it’s controlled. Who are the winners and who are the losers? And why is there competition for nourishment in first place?As interactors, you’re special individuals self-selected to be a part of an evolutionary journey. You’re also members of an attentive community so I welcome your participation.Please leave your comments below or email me directly.Now let’s go…АТАКА БОЛЬШОГО МАКА (ATAKA BOL'SHOGO MAKA)Верните Биг Мак! Срочно верните Биг Мак. Мы требуем этого прямо сейчас. Прямо сейчас. Прямо здесь. Биг Мак!(Vernite Big Mak! Srochno vernite Big Mak. Moy trebuyem etogo pryamo seychas. Pryamo seychas. Pryamo zdes'. Big Mak!)“Bring back the Big Mac! Bring back the Big Mac. We demand it right now. Right now. Right here. Big Mac!” Holding a handwritten sign that read “Bring back the Big Mac” a protestor in Moscow took advantage of a press conference a couple weeks ago at the reopening of McDonalds under a new name. Albeit a bit tongue in cheek, he was demanding the return of one popular product not on the menu. The Big Mac name and special sauce are both copyright protected. But the new owner of the new McDonald’s, Alexander Govor – who was a Siberian McDonald’s franchise owner before buying the entire Russian chain – promised he’d find a suitable replacement for the Big Mac. As for a new name, I vote for Большая говядина (Bol'shaya Govyadina), Big Beef. Or given the new owners last name how about just Bol’shaya Gov – Big Gov.Govor claims he paid below market price for the world’s most recognized fast-food chain and he’s already slashed prices. McDonald’s priced the double cheeseburger at 160 rubles ($2.95) but it’s now 129 rubles ($2.38). The fish burger was 190 rubles ($3.50) and is now 169 rubles ($3.11). The composition of the burgers stays the same as does the equipment, but they did add pancakes, omelets, and scrambled eggs to the morning menu. However, the golden arches are gone, and the name has changed to Vkusno & tochka's (Delicious and that’s it or Delicious, full stop).After 32 years, that’s it for McDonald’s in Russia but it’s promised to remain delicious. Back in 1990 the American based company had to import all the ingredients to fulfill the promise of a true McDonald’s. It made for an expensive introduction of the American icon. French fries were a problem. The Russian potatoes were too small, so McDonalds had to import seeds to grow larger russet potatoes locally. Apples for the McDonald’s ‘apple pie’ had to come from Bulgaria. After three decades McDonald’s managed to source just about everything locally and ultimately employed 62,000 Russians throughout their operations. But those McDonald’s branded red, yellow, and blue uniforms have been replaced with just red ones. Judging from the lines and enthusiasm at the grand opening, I suspect the new MickeyD’s will continue to be popular…and delicious, full stop.McDonald’s was popular in Russia from the day it opened in 1990. The Berlin wall had come down, perestroika was nearing its peak, glasnost embraced a blend of socialism and traditional liberal economics that allowed more U.S. companies to enter the former Soviet Union. It was the age of exceedingly fast globalization. A year after McDonald’s showed up Microsoft offered a Russian version of DOS. Just as I was starting at Microsoft in 1992, localized versions of software were flying on floppy disks around the world. By 1996 localized versions of Windows and Office 95 were on a computer on every desk a new McDonald’s was being built every three days. 1996 was the first year McDonald’s made more revenue from outside the United States than within.And McDonald’s wasn’t just pushing their McMunchies on unsuspecting countries. Many were clamoring for their own MickyD’s. James Cantalupo, president of McDonald's International at time, said, “'I feel these countries want McDonald's as a symbol of something -- an economic maturity and that they are open to foreign investments. I don't think there is a country out there we haven't gotten inquiries from. I have a parade of ambassadors and trade representatives in here regularly to tell us about their country and why McDonald's would be good for the country.'”There were some who believed the proliferation of McDonald’s symbolized the spread of freedom and democracy. Thomas Friedman of the New York Times offered in 1996 a “Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention -- which stipulates that when a country reaches a certain level of economic development, when it has a middle class big enough to support a McDonald's, it becomes a McDonald's country, and people in McDonald's countries don't like to fight wars; they like to wait in line for burgers.” There goes that theory. Though, Russians are still waiting in line for a burger…just not from McDonald’s.I’m reminded of the “freedom fries” scandal from 2003. That’s when the Republican senator from Ohio, Bob Ney, changed the name of ‘French Fries’ to ‘Freedom Fries’ in three Congressional cafeterias. It was in response to French opposition to the American invasion of Iraq. The name was changed back in 2006 after Ney was forced to retire. He was implicated in a scandal involving a group of lobbyists that swindled $85,000,000 from Native American tribes. Ney was bribed by one of the guilty lobbyists. On the satirical Saturday Night Live news show Weekend Update, Tina Fey quipped, “‘In a related story, in France, American cheese is now referred to as 'idiot cheese.'"SEEDS OF GREEDOf course, McDonald’s wasn’t the only multinational food company spreading fast food around the world. I, for one, was grateful to come across a Burger King on the Champs-Élysées in Paris back in 1984. It was my first trip to Europe and my 18-year-old palette wasn’t quite tuned to fine French cuisine. Truth be told, my 56-year-old palette isn’t either. I find French food to be highly overrated. I remember my 18-year-old self thinking that “Le Whopper” and Pepsi with ice, amidst pumping French disco, was both surreal and comforting.Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Taco Bell are found in all corners of the world today. Except Mexico. Despite many gallant attempts, Taco Bell can’t seem to crack the Mexican market. I suspect Mexicans find their interpretation of the taco insulting…and gross. But it’s not just fast food. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Kellog’s, Kraft, and Mars are all American companies that make a plethora of processed and packaged products marketed as food. There are other multinational companies outside of the U.S. doing the same. Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo is where Thomas English muffins, Orowheat, and Sara Lee treats come from. They also own Colonial bread: a white bread that originated in colonized America by a Scandinavian immigrant and is now run out of colonized Mexico by the grandson of a Spanish immigrant who could pass as just another white billionaire CEO.And who hasn’t heard of Switzerland’s Nestlé products? They are so big there’s a wiki page just to list their products. Chips Ahoy cookie anyone? What about the Anglo-Dutch company Unilever?  They bring us Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, Dove Bars, and Hellman’s mayonnaise. Have you ever had Nutella? That comes from the Italian company Ferrero. That single company consumes one quarter of the world’s supply of hazelnuts. Increasingly those nuts are coming from my neighboring state, Oregon. I love Oregon hazelnuts, so save some for me Ferrero.This select group of companies produce, market, and sell most of the food around the world that is baked, canned, chilled, frozen, dried, and processed. Adding to the fat and sugar found in fast-food chains, they make dairy products, ice cream, meal replacements, bars, snacks, noodles, pasta, sauces, oils, fats, TV dinners, dressings, condiments, spreads, and an array of beverages. This gives them massive market leverage over the source ingredients produced by farmers around the world.The very seeds needed to grow these crops are also controlled by a select group of multinational companies. The food policy advocacy group Food and Power reported: “In 2020, the top four corporations, Bayer (formerly Monsanto), Corteva (formerly DuPont), Syngenta (part of ChemChina), and Limagrain together controlled 50% of the global seed market, with Bayer and Corteva alone claiming roughly 40%. And when it comes to genetic traits, this control is even more pronounced: Bayer controls 98% of trait markers for herbicide-resistant soybeans, and 79% of trait markers for herbicide-resistant corn.”  Carlos J. Maya-Ambía, a professor of Political Economy and Agriculture at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico, uses an hourglass as a metaphor to explain the control these companies have over the food making process. Imagine the top of the hourglass are the world’s farmers producing edible plants and animals and the bottom are the world’s human inhabitants – consumers. Both are wide and round. The middle of the hourglass is relatively narrow. These are the few multinational companies mentioned above who control most of the flow from the top of the hourglass (the farms) to the bottom (our tables).Because these seeds are engineered for largescale monoculture farm productions that these corporations require. They tend to rely on agrochemicals to achieve desired yields. It’s a short-term positive yield strategy optimized for quarterly earnings reports, but with severe long-term negative consequences. And guess who controls an estimated 75 percent of the global pesticide market? Those same top tier seed companies.These chemicals are largely petrochemicals, so the fossil fuel industry also profits from global food production and consumption. These processes, genetically modified seeds, and chemicals no doubt have helped bring countless people out of poverty and starvation. Especially where increasingly harsh conditions make it hard to grow crops. But at what cost? These industrial scale schemes not only leach nutrients from the soil and pollute water supplies, but exposure to these chemicals can also cause neurological disorders, birth defects, infertility, stillbirths, miscarriages, and multiple forms of cancer.Worse yet are the inequities. Many of these chemicals and genetically modified foods are banned in developed countries. Before Monsanto was purchased by Bayer, massive protests across Europe led to the company pulling out of parts of the EU. Those countries with the most organized farmer and consumer protests had the biggest effect. It’s testimony to the power of democracy and organized protest. But Monsanto, and companies like them, just move on to more willing governments or vulnerable people and places. They seek lands far away from the peering eyes of consumers with a conscience. Many of whom who sit there munching snacks, and tapping on their phones to make that next online fast-food delivery. Guilty as charged. Sad as it may be, when the exploitive interdependent global food system is out of sight, it’s also out of mind.As Maya-Ambia puts it, “the scenario becomes clearer if we consider agriculture as a global system and as a long global value chain, composed of several links where agents interact and connect with the whole economy, nationally and globally. Accordingly, the global economy is formed by a complex web of value chains, whose links are located in different places around the world. Therefore, it is correct to speak of…the global value chain of agriculture that does not begin at the production process, but rather with the appropriation of nature and the transformation of natural objects into economic inputs, including the current land-grabbing in several places by transnational corporations. Driven by profit, these corporations have appropriated land, resulting in disastrous ecological effects.”He continues, “These practices of appropriation and consumption have created a ‘new international division of labor’: the Global South has become the place of appropriation of nature and in some ways a type of dumping ground.”FAIR TRADE LAY BAREMany of the same places these powerful corporations exploit are also the first to be hit with food insecurity. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Association (FAO) reported last year that “the number of undernourished people in the world continued to rise in 2020. Between 720 and 811 million people in the world faced hunger in 2020.” This includes 480 million people in Asia, 46 million in Africa, and 14 million in Latin America. Food insecurity has been climbing steadily over the last six years. One in three of the world’s 2.37 billion people do not have adequate access to food. This isn’t a supply issue. The world has enough food to feed everyone. This is about fair access.Many of the same people responsible for producing food exported to more developed countries are the one’s who reap the smallest rewards from the value chain. The smallest share of value goes to those farmers in developing countries. And the smaller the farm, the worse the effect. This fact is revealed by observing stagnating long-run trends of producer prices compared to rising consumer prices. These prices are controlled through governance schemes that squeeze the middle of the hourglass. Firms can exert extreme market power, leverage advanced financial and technological mechanisms, influence local, regional, and state leadership, and assert a particular cultural influence. My Parisian “Le Whopper” influenced the culture of the Champs-Élysées. American fast-food culture in Russia lives on in the new ‘Delicious’ McDonald’s. Full stop.Inequities are also found in the devastating effects of industrialized agriculture at the hands of these powerful firms. Large swaths of sensitive and diverse habitat in developing countries are violently destroyed – like in the Amazon. They’re making space for more croplands and pastures to grow more food and animals, to make more food products, that are sold to increasingly affluent populations who are rising out of poverty in search of the famed Western consumer lifestyle. This only further destroys the land and water making living conditions in these already poor areas even more stressed. As criminal as it is to live poor in a developed country like the United States, it’s not nearly as worse as living poor in unfairly exploited countries. Especially when it comes to acute food insecurity.On the other hand, living in developed countries – or desiring to adopt a similar lifestyle – comes with a higher risk of death by obesity…in large part due to fast and junk food. In 2021 the World Health Organization reported that worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975. More people in the world are likely to die of obesity than malnutrition. And because the globalization of high calorie junk and fast-food production exists to drive prices as low as possible, it makes it more accessible to poor people in both developing and developed countries. This puts poorer people at higher risk of both malnutrition and obesity.Naturally occurring factors, like the pandemic and a changing climate also unfairly impact those most vulnerable. As does war. How naïve to believe countries with a McDonald’s would never take arms against one another; that French fries, freedom fries, would somehow united the world. Russia and Ukraine have proven otherwise. Conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America have resulted in millions of people fleeing for safety and starving in the process. Many of whom were farmers. Much of the food needed to feed these refugees historically came from Ukraine and Russia but that is all at risk now.But American farmers might be able to help. In a rare bipartisan partnership on Capital Hill, just this week President Biden signed into law the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA). U.S. agricultural shippers complained to the federal government that the world’s top ocean carriers unfairly denied them container space. Shippers on the West coast found it more profitable to return empty boxes to Asia so they could be re-loaded for the next round of more profitable exports back to the U.S. Of course, this is all fed by increasing consumer demand by overconsuming Americans. But these interruptions made it difficult for farmers and shippers to predict when their time sensitive goods should be delivered to ports before they spoiled.But with the passing of this law, ocean shippers are required to report to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) how many exports they’re loading and from where. The bill also includes rules that determines what makes a denial to export agricultural goods unreasonable. Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Co., and Transfar Shipping have already offered container space for U.S. agricultural shippers and others are soon to follow. Hopefully, food grown in America can stand a better chance of making it to those in most need in Asia, Africa, Latin America and beyond.The world seems to be swimming in so many crises that the word has somehow lost urgency. But between war, climate change, and economic inequalities the global food system needs transformation. Here are six ways the FAO believes the global food system could be made more healthy, sustainable, and inclusive:Integrating humanitarian, development and peacebuilding policies in conflict-affected areas.Scaling up climate resilience across food systems.Strengthening resilience of the most vulnerable to economic adversity.Intervening along the food supply chains to lower the cost of nutritious foods.Tackling poverty and structural inequalities, ensuring interventions are pro-poor and inclusive.Strengthening food environments and changing consumer behaviour to promote dietary patterns with positive impacts on human health and the environment.These steps read a lot like the steps McDonald’s took 32 years ago after entering the Russian market. The introduction of fast-food chains was believed to be a peacebuilding exercise in a conflict-affected area. Freedom fries brought hope and russet potatoes to Russia. McDonald’s scaled up a resilient food system by investing in local farming. They optimized food supply chains within the region. Impoverished Russian’s adjusting to a post communist reality were given jobs growing McDonald’s produce, delivering goods, and working in restaurants. They strengthened the local food environment and changed consumer behavior. And while McDonald’s may not be the healthiest food, not the healthiest habit, it may have been better than what was offered before and it certainly made people happy.“Delicious and That’s It” just might make it even better. It could be their menu alterations make it a healthier version of McDonald’s. They’ve already made it cheaper. But judging from the Hugo Boss shirt one customer was wearing at the grand opening in Moscow, I have a hunch the new MickeyD’s just might be an elite treat. Still, they may be on to something. Perhaps this is a model that could be used in other places. Maybe more globetrotting fast-food restaurants and junk food producers should be selling out to the locals. Pizza Hut in Japan already offers squid as a pizza topping, but maybe a Japanese owned franchise would result in even more localized interpretations of a food that originated in Italy. After all, flatbreads exist in a variety of forms all over the world. Imagine مناقيش بيتزا (Manakish pizza), pisa bing 披薩餅 (Bing pizza), or a Catalonia coca? They could all be made with local ingredients, sourced from smaller sustainable farms, sold in locally owned franchises, employing local residents with wages high enough to live on. Who knows where the next Big Mac could be invented? Maybe Russia. Bol’shaya Gov anyone? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation say the spiralling costs of farm input like fertiliser could deter growers from expanding production and worsen food security in poorer countries facing record import bills. The UN agency pointed out that Nigeria, other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and other nations that buy more food than they export were likely to face an increase in costs, for which they would get lower amounts of essential foodstuffs. It stated that the world's most vulnerable now pay even more for less food, adding that countries were expected to spend a staggering $1.8 trillion importing the food they need this year.

From the BBC World Service: The European Central Bank is holding a meeting in Amsterdam on Thursday, but is not expected to raise interest rates despite soaring inflation across the Eurozone. Plus, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization releases its first report into global food security since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, warning that the world’s poorest countries are now paying more money for less food. And, we look at the controversy surrounding the most lucrative golf tournament in world history, as the Saudi-backed extravaganza begins just outside London.

From the BBC World Service: The European Central Bank is holding a meeting in Amsterdam on Thursday, but is not expected to raise interest rates despite soaring inflation across the Eurozone. Plus, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization releases its first report into global food security since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, warning that the world’s poorest countries are now paying more money for less food. And, we look at the controversy surrounding the most lucrative golf tournament in world history, as the Saudi-backed extravaganza begins just outside London.

The United States vehicle safety regulator is to upgrade its investigation into the autopilot function of Tesla electric cars after more than a dozen of them crashed into parked first-responder vehicles in four years. We hear more from our North of America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury and Columbia University's economist Cary Leahey. In its first report since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation has warned that poor countries will have to pay more money to receive less food this year. One of these nations is Ethiopia, where Doctors Without Borders are seeing more children die of malnutrition. We speak to Raphael Veicht, their Emergency Coordinator in Addis Ababa. After decades of stable or falling prices, a 2.5% inflation rate has come as a shock for Japanese shoppers. The BBC's Mariko Oi reports from Tokyo. Algeria is "immediately" suspending a 20-year friendship treaty with Spain, after Madrid reversed its neutral stance towards Western Sahara. Algerian researcher at the University of Glasgow Zine Ghebouli explains why. (Picture: Tesla's logo. Picture credit: Reuters)

Guest: Professor Margaret Alston, AM, OAM, School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Science, University of Newcastle, New South Wales and Emerita Professor, Monash University. Introduction to this episode: Professor Margaret Alston has developed a longstanding research and teaching interest around the social work role in relation to natural disasters, and particularly regarding the differential gendered experience of disaster impacts amongst women, men and children. She has taught and conducted research within a number of premier Australian universities over the years on topics such as the links between rural life and gender, and has grounded that work in action research based upon first hand observation of some of the most vulnerable communities in the world. Professor Alston has applied her research insights to the benefit of a wide spectrum of institutions and individuals: from acting as gender expert consultant to international agencies, such as the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, and the Commission for the Status of Women, to providing doctoral research supervision to a new generation of social workers, helping equip them with the tools to focus on gender inequities within social research. In this episode, we talk about Professor Alston's abiding interest in the gendered experience of environmental impacts, how such physical environment influences and eco-social work approaches (ESW) are directly relevant to mainstream social work practice, and how her research and social work training insights apply with particular relevance to our own, Asia-Pacific region of the world. General introduction     -  0.50 Guest self-introduction  - 3.35 What is the relevance of an ESW approach in 2022?  - 12.05 How might increased gendered sensitivity within ESW approaches help tackle some key sustainability challenges? -19.46 Why should the social work profession concern itself with differential gendered factors within ESW approaches? - 27.45 What could/should the short to mid-term future hold for greater levels of differential gendered experience sensitivity as a practice frame?  - 31.13 Guest take home message/summary - 37.43 Closing acknowledgement - 41.13 RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE DISCUSSION A listing of any books, publications or digital media information sources relevant to eco-social work and mentioned during discussion. Professor Alston selected research work and profile with some publications from 2015: Alston, Women and Climate Change in Bangladesh (2015) Routledge McKinnon and Alston (eds) (2016) Ecological Social Work, Pan Macmillan Alston, Hazeleger and Hargreaves (2019) Social Work and Disasters, Routledge Alston, et.al. (2021) Australian and NZ social workers adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eco-anxiety and solastalgia. The Psychology for a Safe Climate group based in Melbourne also have a number of resources relevant to this topic on their portal site. Australia 2019-2020 bushfires and east coast flood events 2022 – some background. Vulnerability registers and mapping. Disaster risk reduction example involving children and youth. IPCC Climate Change Mitigation Report (April 2022) summary of key action points. IFSW online conference: Co-building a New Eco-Social World: Leaving No One Behind - The People's Global Summit (29th June to 2nd July 2022). GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS: Guest: Professor Margaret Alston: E: margaret.alston@newcastle.edu.au WEB  T: (02) 4921 6702   Householders' Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE): T 07 4639 2135 E office@hopeaustralia.org.au  W http://www.hopeaustralia.org.au/ & Facebook Production: Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson: T: +61 (0) 413979414 E: anicholsona@gmail.com This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 6th April 2022. Incidental Music: James Nicholson  

He was a scientist, a wildlife biologist, worked for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and conducted Sasquatch research out of the Comox Valley. Dr. John Bindernagel was known for his passionate dedication to researching the mysterious creature and was famously known throughout the Bigfoot community. His friend - and author - Terrance James recently completed his novel on his years of scientific research and passion to prove the existence of Sasquatch. James joins the podcast to reflect on his friend's life and legacy and his thoughts on how the existence of Sasquatch will one day be proven. To pre-order a copy of James' book, visit Hancock House Publishing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just as the world begins to emerge from the Coronavirus pandemic, economists are warning of a new crisis: food price rises. The UN food agency says prices jumped 28 percent during the year, reaching their highest level since 2011. So, what will it take to bring prices down? Join host Kim Vinnell. With guests: Jane Battersby - Senior Lecturer, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at University of Cape Town. Abdolreza Abbassian - Senior Economist, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Dipa Sinha - Professor of Economics, Ambedkar University Delhi.

“Globally, around 14 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 17 percent of total global food production is wasted,” according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Food supply is not just an agricultural issue. On September 23, the first UN Food Systems Summit was held in New York. More than 150 countries made a joint commitment on transforming their food system to tackle hunger, poverty, gender equality, biodiversity and climate change. Since 2018, Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival has been celebrated in China's rural areas on the day of autumnal equinox. 64 percent of Chinese lived in cities in 2020. It seems that events related to agriculture have no affinity for most Chinese. However, Chinese civilization originated from and was built on agriculture. This means that agriculture means much more than food supply for Chinese. It shaped and defined the heart and soul of Chinese scholars for thousands of years.

This week's Open Mic guest is Ambassador Kip Tom, the leader of the U.S. efforts at the United Nations Food and Agriculture agencies in Rome. The Indiana farmer has a keen eye on the use of innovation to improve the conditions of smallholder farmers around the world, but is concerned about opposition to new technologies in food and agriculture. Tom says American producers should be invested in the work of the FAO and explains what he sees as the biggest challenges facing FAO and the global effort to fight hunger.

In this episode of A Healthy Bite, Manuel Bruscas, author of Real Tomatoes are Ugly shares some enlightening facts about world hunger. Many attribute the hunger problem to availability; however, the world as a whole produces sufficient food. Food Security According to the Food Security Program, there are four dimensions of food security.  Physical availability of food - supplyEconomic and physical access to food - Food utilization - how the body uses foodStability - the three previous factors happening consistently In this episode, I tell Manuel a story about a conversation I had with my son, which you may have had with your children. We are finishing up dinner, and the conversation goes like this: Mom: "Please eat all of your food; there are starving kids in the world."Son: "How does eating everything on my plate help starving kids in other parts of the world?" Supply and Demand Setting aside the fact that my son loves to debate, this had me questioning my logic. I knew that food waste and hunger were related, but I wasn't sure how to explain it to my son.  Subscribe to A Healthy Bite for other solutions to reducing food waste, coming Thursday. Right now, listen to this episode, as Manuel explains how I can respond to my son's question. Manuel Bruscas coauthored a book titled Real Tomatoes Are Ugly to raise awareness of a global issue: Food Waste. The title of this book is derived in part by the dictatorship of beauty in society, according to Bruscas. Get a peek of Real Tomatoes Are Ugly in the video version of this podcast Would you buy an ugly tomato? Americans throw away almost as much food as they eat because of a "cult of perfection," deepening hunger and poverty, and inflicting a heavy toll on the environment. "In 2015, we disposed of 37.6 million tons of food waste," according to the EPA. I think for many of us is that we are busy, and we're in a hurry - we don't stop and think, "do I need this?" So, poor planning, impulse buying, and avoiding imperfect produce are top factors in food waste. We have an abundance mindset. If our fridge has empty space, just like a plate, we feel like we need to fill it up. Waste on the farm. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-third of all food grown is lost or wasted, an amount valued at nearly $3 trillion. Almost half the food produced in the US is wasted on the farm.  Prices change, and it is no longer profitable to send that food to the market. Loads of lettuce, kale, broccoli, spinach, and other greens are dumped in the landfill because they can't sell it to the best buyer. Ton trucks full of perfectly good food, being dumped at the landfill. Wasted food is the single most prominent occupant in American landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This food in the landfill emits methane 30-100x more potent than carbon dioxide. How does perfect produce not make it to the market? For example, imperfect peppers or tomatoes are left on the ground, plowed under in the field. An imperfect cauliflower, perhaps the color is yellow or slightly purple instead of white. This "off-color" cauliflower is tossed because it doesn't meet a beauty standard. Even produce that is "too big" can be discarded. A banana that has too much curve, or one that is too straight, may not make it to market. As consumers, we expect our fruits and vegetables to be "photoshoot ready." It's the equivalent of expecting all people to look like airbrushed models.  This perfection is not realistic!  We can't blame it all on farmers. Produce is "graded," and farmers know that to bring inconsistent shapes and sizes is a risk to their livelihood. Other places perfectly edible food gets wasted include: in transitin the supermarketat homein the restaurant Some of what farmers grow ends up going to feed livestock. But people are hungry,

Henry Crews and Eva Clayton have known each other for almost 50 years. These days, Eva is retired from the US Congress and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and Henry serves as the Executive Director of the Green Rural Redevelopment Organization. Listen in as they share how their paths have crossed throughout the years in work around food and nutrition at home in rural North Carolina and across the globe.