Dirt to Dinner: Digging In

Scientists work every day to unlock more value in the staples we've relied upon for literally hundreds of years. We get better, more nutritious food and innovative new uses that meet real market needs, and we get smarter consumers to boot. Our food system does more than ever before to provide a steady stream of information so we can all make better, smarter food decisions.  None of that happens by...

Lynn Dornblaser is a seasoned expert with over 35 years of valuable product trend knowledge and experience at Mintel since 1998. She brings a unique perspective to her work, applying it to tailored client research and engaging in extensive public speaking engagements.    She has been recognized and quoted by esteemed U.S. news organizations, like The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Ti...

Julie Holmstrom is a distinguished Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Packaged Goods Consultant with over three decades of international experience in driving opportunities through comprehensive strategy implementation and Research and Development (R&D) expertise. Formerly serving as  Innovation Technology & Quality Director, Nutrition and Technology Solutions at General Mills, h er extensive career...

Christine Daugherty has both a PhD in plant physiology and a law degree. She is widely recognized as both a deep thinker and active agent of sustainability , working with a wide number of companies and other organizations deeply committed to the idea of sustainability. Christine will talk to us about the business community's commitment to sustainability. She will weigh in on the continuing debate...

It's no secret that many consumers are integrating a plant-based option into their diets. And, although increasing your vegetable intake is never a bad idea, it's imperative to know what nutrients you may be lacking without eating meat. Read more about this here.

Welcome back to Dirt to Dinner: Digging In, where we dig into what's going on in the food and ag world. In this episode, we spoke with Ahmed 'Eddie' Qureshi about synthetic biology.  Ahmed is currently a founder of Valorant Health, which provides virtual care resources to over 67 million Americans living in rural and underserved areas. Ahmed started in Synthetic Biology wanting to apply its promis...

The frequency and intensity of wildfires are on the rise, posing significant consequences for an ever-growing number of people and our agricultural system. But what about the impact on our food system? We had the opportunity to speak with Jay Walter from Greenridge Farming in Oregon; Dave Cameron, the operator of C6 Agri Farms in Omaha, Nebraska; and Don Wysocki, an extension soil scientist at Ore...

Many of us use glyphosate , or RoundUp, as a weed killer on our lawns and in our gardens. This product also has applications in agriculture, forestry, and commercial uses. Despite its efficacy, there are big questions regarding its potentially harmful side effects on the environment and human health. Thankfully, Dr. Novy takes the time to educate us on how glyphosate works so we can better underst...

Water, water everywhere. But is there enough to drink?  With oceans and aquifers and ice caps, you would think we have plenty, but just a fraction of that is considered freshwater. Add to that the need for water for household use, for crop production and food processing and a myriad of other uses and situations , and there's ample reason to worry. Dr. Fleming sits down with Dirt to Dinner's Diggin...

Stretching can help your body absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. You'll have a whole new appreciation for touching your toes when you hear about all the benefits it can have on your nutrient intake!

What a waste. And indeed it is when it comes to our food. Experts tell us we waste as much as 30 to 40 percent of our food along the journey from dirt to dinner. But the folks at Easy Energy Systems are applying modern technology in an innovative way to tackle the problem head on – transforming waste into useful products. From environmentally-friendly fertilizers, to biofuels, to soil-enhancing, w...

There's ample cause to question just how bad the effect of our latest El Niño weather system could be on the ag system and our planet. Is El Niño a reflection of true climate change, or a separate phenomenon? And how significant will El Niño impact global food security?

We visited Oakridge Dairy in Connecticut to witness how a dairy farm can thrive amidst changing consumer preferences and environmental regulations. Will new technologies, such as data management and artificial intelligence, keep farms like Oakridge Dairy resilient for the future?

Dairy cow and cattle farms have been mistakenly blamed for a disproportionate amount of climate change given its production of methane and manure run-off . But let's challenge this assumption by examining a few ways farmers manage their farms and ranches...

Recent scientific research has revealed that diet may play a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of all kinds of air pollution, including smoke from fires, on human health. This article delves into the scientific evidence that supports the link between diet and air pollution, and provides insights on how adopting specific dietary patterns can help reduce pollution-related health risks.

Ever leave a barbecue and not feel so great the next day? Many people think they have caught a "summer stomach bug" when in reality they ate something that wasn't cooked or cleaned properly. Let's get ready for BBQ season and avoid all foodborne illnesses! Here's how to properly prep your kitchen or grill.

EWG recently released its annual "Dirty Dozen" produce list, which stokes fears of eating produce with pesticide residues...as if we don't already have enough to fear with COVID. But is EWG right? Or do the benefits of eating produce to maintain our health far outweigh these concerns?

Lucy Stitzer, D2D's founder, believes we should have a choice on whether to buy organic or conventional produce - but wants science to drive the decision, not fear that's caused by a group manipulating data to accommodate their agenda...

Summer is almost here! Soon farmers' markets will be bustling as consumers flock to buy fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and meats from local farmers. While we at D2D enjoy shopping at farmer's market, we had to ask ourselves: what food safety regulations apply to these foods? Is it the same as or different than the foods we buy at the grocery store?

Dr. Joachim is a primary care internist and a medical and clinical nutritionist at his practice in San Diego, California. Dr. Joachim is a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition and has given hundreds of clinical nutrition presentations to doctors, nurses, students, and patients for over 35 years. And to keep things interesting, Dr. Joachim was a tactical physician in the Wilmington, NC Polic...

Isabel Smith, MS RD CDN, is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian and founder of Isabel Smith Nutrition in New York City. Isabel received her Bachelor's of Health and Exercise Sciences from Gettysburg College, and her Master's of Science in Nutrition Communications from Tufts University. Isabel was trained in all areas of clinical nutrition at New York Presbyterian Hospital and has worked w...

We spoke with Ethan about how he started from the ground floor, cleaning the facility and assisting customers, where he is now, and what he hopes to do in the future. He is currently a sophomore studying agricultural engineering at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and hopes to stay involved in the processing side of the industry since there are many processing-related careers, such as creat...

When Emily was a sophomore in high school, her local FFA Chapter in Missouri encouraged Emily to take part in its Ag in the Classroom program. She was soon challenged to grow the existing program and even applied for Ag Ed on the Move , a program that helps teach third-grade classrooms about agriculture commodities . Currently, Emily interns with the local school district, serving as a teaching as...

Going back to her California roots, Cynthia and her family decided that a vineyard in Healdsburg is just the place for family and friend vacations. What has started out as a novelty is now becoming a full-scale business. Naming it Dancing Vineyard , Cynthia and Lauren's mission is to take the mystery and intimidation out of enjoying wine by creating a product to be enjoyed on all occasions. With t...

Bonumose  creates delicious, rare sugars that are affordable and healthy. Bonumose has a mindset of "business as a moral imperative" to make a lasting positive effect on the world. How Sweet it Is! Tagatose is a rare sugar that not only tastes sweet but has multiple health benefits, such as fiber and prebiotics. It doesn't affect one's glycemic index and has fewer calories than regular cane sugar...