The Hot Dish

If there's one thing rural America is an expert in, it's agriculture. In this episode, Heidi and Joel dive into a compelling conversation about equity, inclusion, and diversification in the agriculture industry with Dr. Tammy Gray-Steele, Mike Espy, and Tanya Spandhla. Together, they shed light on the challenges faced by minority farmers and discuss the essential role of food assistance programs i...

We're celebrating the heartbeat of rural America this July 4th, from the veterans who fought for our democracy to the small business owners revitalizing small-town America. Heidi and Joel speak with Jane Matejcek, a nurse at the VA hospital and president of Honor Flights North Dakota . Jane tells us about these flights' incredible impact on veterans' lives and the heartwarming homecoming ceremonie...

It’s been one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. So, what have women in rural America been experiencing since? Joel and Heidi dive into the aftermath of the Dobbs decision and the stark reality of women's health care and abortion service accessibility – or lack thereof – with Cecile Richards and Dr. Sarah Traxler.   Cec...

Heidi and Joel get the hot dish from Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez about her journey from owning an auto repair shop to representing Southwest Washington in Congress.  As a fifth-generation Washingtonian and small business owner, Congresswoman Perez knew first-hand the realities and concerns of workers in rural America when she decided to run for office. Given just a 2% chance of victory a...

In rural America, farmers face unique stressors that can exacerbate mental health concerns, such as fluctuating commodity prices and climate-related issues. In this episode, Heidi and Joel explore solutions for rural America's mental health crisis with Alexa McKinley and Tara Haskins to discover how we can address mental health and decrease rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide amongst farmers...

This past month, the country watched as the most expensive state judicial race in history took place in Wisconsin, with Democrat Janet Protasiewicz securing the seat and flipping the Wisconsin State Supreme Court to a 4-3 majority. Heidi and Joel talk with Sarah Godlewski , Wisconsin’s Secretary of State, about what this victory means for women's rights in rural America and Republican attempts to...

The Farm Bill is a tough one to pass. Can the House Committee on Agriculture pass the bill, much less get it past the committee? To discuss this and other prevalent issues in rural America, Former Congressman Collin Peterson joins host and former Senator Heidi Heitkamp and new co-host Joel Heitkamp.  Former Congressman Peterson served as Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, is a legend in rur...

In a post-midterm review, Doug Usher, an insights partner at Forbes Tate Partners, and Jessica Piper, the 2022 Democratic nominee for Missouri HD1, join OCP founder and former Senator Heidi Heitkamp in a discussion about rural voter turnout in the midterms, how Democrats must continue to connect with rural communities, and what a Democratic grassroots operation looked like from the ground.

Celinda Lake, one of the Democratic Party’s leading political strategists, joins One Country founder Heidi Heitkamp in a discussion of the momentous primary election in Kansas, the future of state elections in a post-Roe country, and a deep-dive into how the Inflation Reduction Act will continue to support rural Americans.

On the newest edition of the Hot Dish Podcast, OCP founder and former Senator Heidi Heitkamp sat down with Senior White House Advisor and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu to discuss how the historic bipartisan infrastructure law will benefit rural Americans.

In this episode of the Hot Dish Podcast, Senator Heidi Heitkamp sits down with Dr. Glenda Humiston, President of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of California along with Rob Larew, President of the National Farmers Union. Together, they discuss lack of access to federal programs for those in rural areas, and the need to rethink notions of “urban” and “rural.”

Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Debbie Stabenow joins OCP founder Heidi Heitkamp on the Hot Dish podcast to discuss the historic, bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act and how farmers can play a leading role in climate action. They discuss the impact of voluntary, climate-smart agriculture and Senator Stabenow gives a sneak peek at the upcoming Farm Bill. 

Meet OCP's newest Board Member, former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy! Tune in and hear Secretary Espy's discussion with OCP co-founder Heidi Heitkamp on how to unite the country as one, the importance of rural communities in moving the country forward, and the hardships and rewards of running for office in rural states like Mississippi. 

Matthew Dowd joins OCP co-founder Senator Heidi Heitkamp to discuss President Biden's First 100 Days in office and why strong local leadership is critical to helping rural America grow their economy and thrive. 

Chairman of the DNC Jaime Harrison joined OCP Board members Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Sen. Joe Donnelly, Leader Anthony Daniels, and J.D. Scholten to discuss the state of the Democratic Party in rural America, the American Rescue Plan, and the DNC's strategy for 2022.

One Country Project board member J.D. Scholten sits down with Run For Something executive director Amanda Litman and One Country Project executive director Tessa Gould to talk about running effective Democratic campaigns in rural America.

In the final episode of 2020, One Country Project board members Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Donnelly, Ashton Clemmons, and J.D. Scholten sit down to discuss the 2020 election cycle, what the results mean, and how Democrats can connect and engage with rural America.

One Country Project co-founder Heidi Heitkamp sits down with Libby Schneider, rural political director at the Democratic National Committee, discuss the birth of a rural renaissance within the Democratic Party and the efforts leading up to 2020 to engage with and organize rural communities.

In this special back to school episode featuring OCP board members Senator Heidi Heitkamp and North Carolina State Representative Ashton Clemmons and Bipartisan Policy Center Fellow Adrienne Schweer, we discuss the realities of virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, what it means for working families, and the need for a national paid leave policy. 

In this episode, OCP co-founder Senator Joe Donnelly speaks to his friend, Paul Rieckhoff about the importance of supporting our nation's veterans and the role rural America plays.  Paul is the host of Angry Americans , an independent news and politics podcast, and president of Righteous Media .

This episode, Senator Heitkamp speaks to Jodi Archambault (Hunkpapa and Oglala Lakota), a strategic advisor for the Bush Foundation and former Special Assistant to the President for Native American Affairs for the White House Domestic Policy Council, Deputy Assistant Secretary to the Assistant-Secretary Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior and separately as the White House Associate Di...

Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives Stacey Abrams joins Senator Heitkamp for an episode that covers voting, the 2020 Census, and how to win in 2020.

Senator Heitkamp speaks with James Carville about the upcoming 2020 election and what it means to be a rural voter. 

Dr. Iwin Redlner is a national leader in disaster preparedness and the public health ramifications of terrorism and large-scale catastrophic events. As founder and president of the Children's Health Fund, he is a renowned advocate for access to healthcare for all children. Dr. Redlener is also a clinical professor in Health Policy and Management and Pediatrics at Columbia University's Mailman Scho...

In this episode, Senator Heitkamp speak to Dr. Julio Friedmann, a Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy under President Obama. Websites Dr. Friendmann Spoke About: Global CCS Institute Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy