Food Bullying Podcast

The humble potato: is it a vegetable or a grain? Coming from a family that has farmed America's favorite vegetable (yes, we'll refer to the potato as such), Mitchell Searle offers a unique perspective on the cultivation, harvesting, and sustainability of this crop.   While Searle expresses concern about what he perceives as the growing chasm between the farm and the consumer, he emphasizes that ma...

Where's the future of food production? You might want to look to the sky. In this episode of the Food Bullying podcast, Nicole and Michele chat with Sarah Hovinga of Bayer Crop Science in California and Bryan Sanders of HSE-UAV in Washington about how precision agriculture is transforming farming. According to Sanders, drones REDUCE 1) the amount (and cost) of pesticides used 2) human exposure by...

No - you DON'T have to cook pork until it's gray. This, along with the idea that pork is somehow not a healthy protein choice are two misconceptions that Jeanette Merritt, director of Communications for Indiana Pork , wishes would go away already.  "Pork still has the perception of not being a good dietary choice," says Merritt. "Consumers think chicken is the only healthy meat available to them....

Sure, grocery prices are through the roof, but are farmers paying the ultimate price? This insightful podcast gives dietitians, consumers, and farmers insight on the impact of inflation around the food plate.  In this candid conversation, Michele and Nicole take a deeper dive into the impact of the yet-to-passed Farm Bill, consumer demand, and the ensuing stress on farmers. They talk food insecuri...

One dietitian with three decades of experience believes RDNs must be a part debunking nutrition myths and overcoming food bullying to help people enjoy food. Is eating well on a budget…impossible?  Dr. Keith Ayoob, EdD, RDN, FAND, CDN, is an Associate Professor Emeritus in the department of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY, where, for over 30 years he directed...

With the rise of Avian flu, should consumers take caution when buying eggs? What do dietitians need to know about the safety of animal proteins? And why are egg prices so high? Andy Bishop, Kentucky farmer and ag lender, confirms that Avian flu is not transmitted via eggs, but that the spread of the virus has presented farmers with a variety of challenges.  From depopulation to misinformation, Avi...

Scientific curiosity can change the conversation about food, whether from a food, farm, or dietetic perspective. Likewise, scientific illiteracy can leave people susceptible to food bullying. Listen to this latest episode of the Food Bullying podcast and learn about how a new book can help you better communicate science. Amy Hays is currently the Assistant Director at the Oka Institute at East Cen...

In a sea of dis- and misinformation, what's the most important thing dietitians can do to help consumers? Milton Stokes, Senior Director of Food and Nutrition at the  International Food Information Council (IFIC) , has some ideas to help RDNs cut through the congestion of information swirling around about food and nutrition. "Sometimes when we provide more information, we make the problem worse. L...

If you close your eyes and imagine a "healthy" meal, is a salad the first thing that comes to mind?  Dr. Eric P. Berg of North Dakota State University discussed the concept of a 'complete plate' in the context of good nutrition. He explained that a complete plate should have a balanced diet with six nutrient categories: water, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. He emphasized tha...

Would consumers be healthier with fewer dollar stores?  While the plethora of expanding bargain chains across the country offer fewer nutrient-dense choices than other food retailers, Dr. Sean Cash, an economist on faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, where he chairs the Division of Agriculture, Food and Environment, says that some consumers benefit f...

Algorithms.  Shortened attention spans.  Competition from uncredentialed influencers.  In communicating science, even the best in the industry may occasionally fall prey to the siren song of sensationalism in an effort to deliver evidence-based information. Dr. Jess Steier, creator of Unbiased Science, emphasizes the importance of nuance in science communication and resisting the urge to make abso...

The gluten-free market is valued at over two billion dollars. Yet the question remains...do so many people really need to avoid this protein? Heidi Wells, a dietitian by day and farmer by night, and her farming husband Byron - are proud owners of Lucky W Dairy in Kansas. They grow crops, including wheat, for both feed and human consumption.  The myths surrounding this mainstay crop are plentiful -...

Dr. Andrea Love on milk safety, food anxiety & chemophobia Ever since fragments of the H5N1 virus (also known as avian influenza or HPAI) were detected in milk, the safety of our dairy supply has come into question, with some wondering if they should forego dairy in favor of alternatives, and others gravitating toward raw milk. In this episode of the Food Bullying podcast, Dr. Andrea Love brings s...

Are seed oils poison?  Is it worth purchasing produce if it's not organic?  Are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans actually killing us? Today's guest has a unique perspective for dietitians and everyone interested in food. These are just a few of the questions Michele and Nicole pose to Dr. Adrian Chavez, who earned his PhD in nutrition and health promotion from Arizona State University.  His ow...

When dietitians are offered a seat at the table of commodity boards, food brands, and non-profit associations, there are benefits for all involved - including the consumer. But what's the emotional price tag the dietitian must pay when partnerships are erroneously scrutinized for all the world to see? Is the discussion more nuanced than recent articles would you to believe? Cara Harbstreet , MS, R...

"The biggest misconception about farming in the dietetic world is that GMOs are bad for the environment and human consumption - and that farmers are financially well-off."  Wendy Yeager is a fourth-generation farmer who, with her husband Jamie, owns and operates Bell Place Farm, a diversified row crop operation.  They grow peanuts, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat managed through crop rotation...

"If a food is free from something, then it must be healthy, right?" Dr. Brett Carver, a wheat breeder and researcher at Oklahoma State University for nearly 40 years, has found himself spending more time defending the plant to which he's devoted his career in recent years. "A huge chunk of our population, based on easy-to-find survey data, makes dietary choices AWAY from gluten (wheat). That's abo...

Rich in vitamin C and flavonoids, many citrus varieties have earned their place on our breakfast tables, squeezed into our water (and cocktails), and in our favorite American recipes.  There is both art and science in growing citrus that is in demand as part of our nutrition. Citrus farmers continually met consumer demand for new flavors (think blood oranges), increased eye appeal (Cara Caras come...

"The biggest misconception about my work is that agriculture companies place pesticides or biotech products on the market without testing them for safety. The fact is that agriculture is one of the most strictly regulated and thoroughly investigated industries in the world. Agriculture companies must strictly follow local and international regulatory guidelines and conduct hundreds of safety studi...

Brady Blackett is a 4th generation cattle producer from Utah who's passionate about the cattle industry and its ability to contribute to a healthy and wholesome food system in the U.S. and abroad.   As the co-founder of IGA (Intermountain Genetic Alliance), Blackett is well-versed in the subject and application of AI (artificial insemination).  In this episode, Blackett explains the many ways in w...

What's the relationship between front-of-package food labeling and consumer choice, and how can it potentially impact grocery prices? Dr. Chen Zhen is a professor in Food Choice, Obesity, and Health Economics at the University of Georgia.  His research focuses on the impact of interpretative front-of-package labeling on consumer behavior and food prices.  In this conversation, Zhen discusses polic...

"You can't talk about what's on the plate if you don't know how it got there." As the founder of Build Up Dietitians, Leah McGrath has created a space in which dietitians at all stages in their careers (including students), can learn more about just that - and provides avenues for evidence-based practitioners to gain a better understanding of agriculture practices. But when searching for that evid...

"I wish people would take a little time to understand where their food comes from and also to trust the farmer." A great perspective for RDNs to remember! Wanda Patsche, alongside her husband Chuck, farms in southern Minnesota.  They grow corn and soybeans and raise hogs.  Patsche also utilizes her blog to tell her farming story. Unfortunately, she has recently experienced some food bullying as pa...

Grocery store costs are crazy, but what costs have gone up on farms? Are fields sprayed with "such harsh pesticides" that workers can't enter the fields?  Is hydroponic farming the wave of the future when it comes to leafy greens?  Should you be worried about lead in soil?  Michele helps Nicole separate fact from fiction on these topics and more.  The co-hosts spend time reflecting on their person...

The bird's the word, but when we're talking turkey, what do all those labels REALLY mean?   Peter Klaphake, a third generation turkey farmer from Minnesota, owns and operates turkey farms, a feed mill, and crop farming businesses.  He's also a current board member on the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council . "Our birds are never raised with added hormones or steroids.  In fact, it's il...