American Family Farmer

On this week’s episode of The American Family Farmer , host Doug Stephan (EastleighFarm.com) unpacks the latest developments from Washington and beyond that are shaping the future of America’s small farms. Policy Watch : Doug covers updates from the new "Big Beautiful Bill" — including key tax policies and increased federal spending aimed at supporting ag-businesses. With border security becoming...

This week on The American Family Farmer, host and lifelong farmer Doug Stephan ( www.eastleighfarm.com ) shares critical updates impacting small farms across the country. Doug opens the show with a look at the ongoing immigration enforcement issues that are threatening family farms. The American Farm Bureau Federation has expressed serious concern over reports of renewed immigration crackdowns tha...

This week on The American Family Farmer, host Doug Stephan welcomes Julia Barton, Farmer Services Director at the Organic Farmers Association (OFA), for an in-depth look at how OFA is advocating for a healthier, more equitable future for American agriculture. Julia brings over a decade of hands-on experience supporting organic, transitional, and sustainable farmers. In her role with OFA, she works...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Tim Gradert, Senior Tax Manager with Uncommon Farms. In this episode, Doug and Tim explore the often-overlooked power of smart tax planning in agriculture. From proactive strategies that boost profitability to overcoming unique hurdles family farmers face during tax season, Tim shares insight drawn from years of h...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” and how it will affect farmers. What should farmers know about his bill? Major cuts to the SNAP program, stricter qualifications for recipients, and passing costs off to the states. Next up, the continued issues of the...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on the approval of the Whole Milk For Healthy Children Act, which expands options for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program allowing them to offer whole and reduced fat. Next up, Purdue University has come up with an overview of the farm cus...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Patrick Whittle, Environment and Oceanic Reporter with the Associated Press, for a conversation on how the effects of wildfire smoke affects small farmers. The wildfires in Canada sent smoke as far away as Europe, and caused smoke to linger over cities like Kansas City and Minneapolis (far, far away from their ori...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Caitlyn Daproza, Photojournalism Student at the Rochester Institute of Technology., joining today’s episode with a conversation on less farm land going to organic crops and the importance of sustainability. Caitlyn's curiosity for documentation began at a young age, going through family photo albums and old letter...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visiting farms and laying out the Trump Administration’s “Farmers First” policies that help smaller farmers and why it’s a lead focus with the USDA, Nebraska is the first state to ban sugary drinks from being bought...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan  www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on bug news and how an increase in tick activity will affect family farmers this summer, the diseases most carried by ticks, and symptoms of which to be aware with tick-borne illnesses. Then, concerns from the California egg producers over salmonella concerns,...

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Christopher Simpson, owner of the Field of Dreams Farm in Watertown, TN. Field of Dreams Farm is a family-run, chemical-free farm raising pastured eggs, poultry, pork, and 100% grass-fed beef. Inspired by Food Inc. , they’ve grown from 5 to 115 acres, committed to humane, sustainable practices and non-GMO feed. Le...

Wednesday, June 11 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on new research from Purdue University suggesting the surge of media coverage had an effect on the price people are paying for eggs. Plus, strong supply fundamentals are pushing cattle and beef prices higher, 70 years after an aerial war ag...

 Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on Dairy Month and the dairy market in the United States and how the tariffs are creating a domino effect for both an upside and a downside. Continuing with cattle talk, the culling of cows is on the rise due to illnesses in cattle, poor milk supply, and an ina...

Wednesday, May 28 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on whether or not graduates are going back to their family farms or venturing into new career-fields, the trade war impacts on farms and ag professionals, and something you may not have known about carrots. Then, Doug introduces us to Judy W...

Wednesday, May 21 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on added value of producing for farmer’s markets, how Brooke Rollins and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are working together for a healthier America and a focus on supporting local farmers, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s problems wit...

Wednesday, May 14 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on farm real estate selling very well right now amongst a scarcity of land happening around the country and which states have the most options, the potential for agriculture to be greenhouse gas negative, and farmers experiencing increased a...

Wednesday, May 7  -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on dairy trade challenges, disaster assistance from the USDA, and our relationship with other countries in relation to the tariffs. Then, the focus shifts to preparedness for an ICE encounter on your farm, knowing your rights as a business o...

Wednesday, April 30 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on the Trade War and how its escalation is affecting the struggling farm economy with tariffs coming into focus, the nations responding with tariffs of their own, and what the American Farm Bureau says about it. Doug also discusses the cur...

Wednesday, April 23 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on the trade war and the cost of new vs pre-owned equipment, a rise in importing eggs amid the continuation of the avian flu, and economic assistance payments. Then, Doug introduces us to Rachel Hopkins, an Ag Business Field Specialist wit...

Wednesday, April 16  -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on President Trump’s tariffs and how farmers will be affected one way or the other, what Ag economists are encouraging farmers to do, and how you can protect your family farm. Next, we meet Lesley Sykes, founder and CEO of Primary Beans....

Wednesday, April 9 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on the dire honeybee situation with the population dwindling and how it’s affecting other produce and areas in agriculture, and what beekeepers are suggesting others can do to help. Then, Doug breaks down what the tariffs could mean for far...

Wednesday, April 2 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on what’s going on with our federal government and some of the programs that’ve been important for American farmers, Bayer and Monsanto fight to take away Americans’ right to know about pesticide toxicity and take away the right to sue thes...

Wednesday, March 26 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on the Trump Administration and the freeze on previously approved farm projects and the financial toll it is taking on farmers, farm groups, farm states, farm industries, and why many in farming and agriculture are not happy. Next up, the...

Wednesday, March 19 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on the guidance on the Avian Flu and what agencies around the country are advising, including blood tests on chickens and cows, Cornell University is help with a resource center, the possibility of a vaccines for poultry and bovine, and a...

Wednesday, March 12 -  Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including a focus on the new administration, including Brooke Rollins, the diversity in new farmers and why it’s difficult to become a 1st generation farmer in today’s society, discussions in Congress of a new Farm Bill, the continuously rising cost of eggs...