Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that racism is deeply embedded in our food system? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Leah Penniman, Founding Co-Director of Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York, and author of Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land.Penniman discusses the tragedy of racism in our food system, defines “food apartheid,” and provides examples of how USDA discriminated against black farmers. She is the recipient of the James Beard Foundation Leadership Award, and was interviewed in the July 2019 Sun Magazine Related website: https://www.soulfirefarm.org/media/farming-while-black/

Did you know that gastrointestinal bloating can be caused by a variety of reasons? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Tamara Duker Freuman, M.S., R.D., registered dietitian and author of The Bloated Belly Whisperer. The two will discuss common gastro-intestinal (GI) symptoms, including: bloating, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. Tune in to discover causes and strategies for managing symptoms and healing. Related website: https://www.thebloatedbellywhisperer.com/

Did you know that soil health is connected to human health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Steven Apfelbaum, Fellow of the Ecological Society of America, Founder and Chairman of Applied Ecological Services, and author of “S” is for Soils! Apfelbaum discusses life in soil, measures of soil health, and how soil health is connected to human health. He also dispels myths and legends about soil, and discusses the environmental benefits of sustainable meat eating with multi-paddock grazing. Related website: https://lsrwa.org/news/s-is-for-soils/

Did you know that industrial agriculture cannot “feed the world” sustainably? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with John Ikerd, Ph.D., professor emeritus of agricultural economics, University of Missouri-Columbia. Ikerd discusses the impact and unintended consequences of industrial agriculture on the environment and social fabric of rural communities. Ikerd was recently featured in the documentary film, Right to Harm, which specifically addresses “Right to Farm” bills and the negative consequences of large scale animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. How did our food and farming systems come to this? Tune in as Dr. Ikerd explains the policies and propaganda that led us down this unsustainable path. Related website: http://johnikerd.com

Did you know that powerful photojournalism can drive public policy to protect public health and promote social and environmental justice? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Gabriel Scarlett, 73rd College Photographer of the Year, recognized at the 2019 Picture of the Year Awards at the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. Scarlett describes two of his investigative stories: the consequences of uranium mining, which left the Navajo nation with contaminated water; and, immigration policies that separate families. Scarlett uses his spectacular images and sensitive storytelling to examine social issues within the United States, with special interest in immigration, economic disparity, and environmental racism, including his project titled, On Poisoned Land https://gabrielstephenscarle.atavist.com/on-poisoned-land,which explores the health consequences of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation. Scarlett describes his process of building trust, and the challenges dedicated journalists face in their efforts to capture images that reveal the truth. Related website: https://www.gabrielscarlett.com/

Did you know that stereotypes and stigma shape public policy? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Rebecca de Souza, Associate Professor of Communication at the University of MN- Duluth, and author of Feeding the Other: Whiteness, Privilege, and Neoliberal Stigma in Food Pantries (MIT Press). De Souza describes how social narratives, stereotypes and stigma harm those living in poverty. She explains how charity sustains food injustice, and advocates for a human rights approach for policy change. Tune in to hear the stories behind those living in poverty and struggling with homelessness. De Souza explores questions citizens can ask to remove stigma and improve public policy. Related website: https://cla.d.umn.edu/communication/faculty-staff/dr-rebecca-de-souza

Did you know that cooperative grocery stores strengthen regional economies and put money and resources back into local communities? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jon Steinman:producer and host of the internationally syndicated TV/web series, radio show and podcast “Deconstructing Dinner: Reconstructing Our Food System,” and author of Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants. Steinman compares and contrasts cooperative vs. corporate grocery store models, and describes their impact on local food systems. Related website: https://grocerystory.coop/

Did you know that reading to children can educate, inspire and promote scientific literacy? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Katherine Pryor, Seattle-based children's book author, who holds an M.S. in Sustainable Food Systems. Pryor discusses her latest book, Bea’s Bees, about a curious little girl who explores declining bee populations and discovers how to protect these vital insects. Pryor's charming books (this is her third) promote scientific literacy, critical thinking and empathy. Related website: http://www.katherinepryor.com/

Did you know that dietary fiber is considered “fuel for the gut?” Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Joanne Slavin, Ph.D., R.D., fiber expert and professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota-St. Paul. Slavin describes the assorted types of fiber found in various foods, fiber supplements, and fiber’s role in disease prevention. Related website: https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2019/health-benefits-fiber.html?fbclid=IwAR1_PzxeRGFTC6EtZbtwoWbEH37oQSqI9x3VL8rCVjy8N2q6S9mducjeZzk

Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease is considered a global health threat, and that diet, exercise, sleep, and common drugs can influence our risk for dementia? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Aarti Batavia, M.S., R.D., certified practitioner of functional medicine, and expert in the role of nutrition and dementia. Batavia discusses dietary and lifestyle strategies to reduce risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and reverse cognitive decline. Related website: http://aartibatavia.com/

Did you know that spring flooding in the Midwest led to hog manure tank spills and threats to water quality and public health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Erin Jordan, Investigative journalist at The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA). She'll describe her techniques for reporting and the threats to water quality following spring storms, extreme flooding, and hog manure spills. Manure tank leaks lead to nitrate pollution, fish kills and public health threats – news that the corporate pork industry prefers we don’t know. Jordan reveals exploitation of natural resources and rural communities, and attempts to monitor water and protect health. Related website: https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/overflowing-manure-tanks-western-iowa-eastern-iowa-runoff-flooding-fish-kill-degrade-water-quality-risk-spring-flooding-20190325

Did you know that concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) create polluted landscapes that harm public health and destroy home values? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Matt Wechsler, filmmaker, founder of Hourglass Films, and producer of “Right to Harm,” a film that explores the devastating impact of CAFOs on public health, the environment, and quality of life in rural communities across the United States. Those who suffer most are disadvantaged citizens – the rural poor, and children, who suffer higher rates of asthma when exposed to CAFO-related air pollution. The film also explores how citizens have banded together to demand justice from their legislators. If you eat meat or care about water and air quality, this is a must-see film. Related website: http://righttoharm.film

Did you know that imported meat can be sold at a lower cost than that which is produced in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Mike Callicrate, independent cattle producer, business entrepreneur and political activist. He serves as an outspoken leader in addressing the economic, social and cultural impacts of industrial agriculture. A founding member of the Organization for Competitive Markets, Callicrate advocates for regenerative agriculture and local food systems that connect consumers directly with farmers and ranchers. (An example: www.ranchfoodsdirect.com ) Callicrate is a “go-to expert” for understanding illusions of choice in the marketplace and the negative consequences of the modern meat industry, including environmental pollution, adverse health effects, and nationwide meat recalls. Callicrate explains how false economies of scale have driven and dominated industrial livestock production, leaving consumers in the marketplace little choice. He was an advisor for the films Food Inc. and FRESH, and is cited in popular books, including The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Fast Food Nation. Callicrate on livestock care: https://nobull.mikecallicrate.com/2013/01/24/pastured-animals-deserve-good-care-and-good-nutrition/ Related website: https://nobull.mikecallicrate.com/

Did you know that industrial agri-business rhetoric hides the truth about the environmental and social impacts on rural citizens living near concentrated animal feeding operations? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with 4th-generation family farmer Jeff Jones from rural Callaway County (MO) who has been embroiled in a fight to prevent a concentrated hog operation housing 10,000 sows from expanding next to his farm and home. (See local press coverage: https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/government-eases-up-on-cafos-as-residents-fight-their-expansion/article_22a3786c-9c10-11e8-978c-cf45e8085be8.html ; http://www.newstribune.com/news/local/story/2018/jun/29/ground-broken-future-callaway-farrowing-site/732520/ )Rarely do we hear the voices of rural citizens who struggle to fight expansion of corporate livestock operations. Jones describes his family farmer values, and the impact of industrial farms on rural communities – from air and water pollution, to the destruction of friendly neighbor relationships. Despite forming a citizens’ network - Friends of Responsible Agriculture- to fight encroaching CAFOs, political support for industry has allowed them to expand, with grave consequences.Related website: https://sraproject.org/

Did you know that “live theater” is a fun and effective way to teach children healthy habits? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Barbara Storper, Registered dietitian, Founder and Executive Director of FoodPlay Productions, a nutrition education organization that brings the power of live theater to turn kids on to healthy habits. FOODPLAY’s live theater shows have reached more than five million children across the country with evaluations showing dramatic improvements in children’s eating and physical activity habits. Storper is the recipient of numerous awards including an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Youth and Family TV Special.” Related website: http://foodplay.com

Did you know that at least 520 million plastic straws are disposed of each day in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Linda Booker, film maker, director and producer of “Straws,” one of the featured documentaries in the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, and identified as one of the leading documentaries to help us rethink single-use plastics. Booker documents the enormous quantity of plastic waste in our environment - how it harms wildlife and people, and the heroic individuals working to reduce plastic use, save animals and protect human health. Related website: www.strawsfilm.com

Did you know that 50,000 bees are necessary for a healthy, thriving hive? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Matt Willey, artist, who is painting 50,000 bees on murals across the world in order to raise awareness of the plight and the importance of bees in our food system. Willey describes the course of his project and his process. He explains: “Through the simple act of painting a symbolic healthy hive of 50,000, one bee at a time, we intend to inspire an unstoppable movement of necessary change toward balance between humans and the natural world.” Related website: www.thegoodofthehive.com

Did you know that eating a high fiber diet is key to reversing Type 2 diabetes? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Brenda Davis, R.D., author of “The Kick Diabetes Cookbook: An action plan and recipes for defeating diabetes.” Davis describes the critical role plant fibers play in nourishing the microbiome and protecting health, including reversing Type 2 Diabetes. She explains the “grain hierarchy” and the benefits of whole intact grains vs. processed, refined carbohydrates. Related website: www.brendadavisrd.com

Did you know that genetically modified foods will be required to bear labels identifying them as “bioengineered” by January 1, 2022? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Patty Lovera, M.S., Assistant Director of Food & Water Watch, a non-profit advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Lovera defines and discuss biotechnology applications in food and agriculture, explore press coverage (and bias), and USDA’s new GMO food labels that use the term “bioengineered” rather than "GMO." Related website: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org

Did you know that food can reconnect us to our cultural roots and heritage, and create stronger communities?Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Gary Paul Nabhan, Ph.D., Kellogg Endowed Chair at the University of Arizona’s Southwest Center. Nabhan is an agricultural Ecologist, ethnobotanist, Ecumenical Franciscan Brother, and recipient of a MacArthur Genius Award. He is considered the “father” of the local food and heirloom seed saving movements. He will discuss his new book, “Food from the Radical Center: Healing Our Land and Communities,” and share his thoughts on how food is at the healing center of strong communities. Nabhan describes the economic disparity at the U.S. - Mexican border, the importance of healing food, and his philosophy about how restoring our environment can restore cohesiveness in our communities. Nabhan was involved in the first Earth Day in 1970. Related website: https://www.garynabhan.com/food-from-the-radical-center/

Did you know that the herbicide Dicamba, used on genetically modified soybeans, is killing the plants bees depend on for survival? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Richard Coy, beekeeper with Coy’s Honey Farm, Inc., the largest beekeeping operation in Arkansas. Coy explains how and why he is being forced to leave Arkansas and move his hives to southern Mississippi and near the Canadian border to escape Dicamba drift. Coy emphasizes that beekeeping (and organic farming) are not compatible with “modern” farming that is dependent upon chemicals. Related website: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/jan/05/honey-seller-faults-dicamba-in-closing-/

Did you know that the San Francisco County Jail’s Horticulture Project reduced recidivism rates by 75%? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Anthony Travis, formerly incarcerated in the S.F County Jail, where he participated in the Horticulture Project, a training program for inmates widely recognized as a milestone in prisoner rehabilitation founded by Catherine Sneed. Travis credits Sneed and gardening to turning his life around. Travis describes his childhood, why he turned to selling drugs, and the prison food environment. Today, Travis is fully employed by the city of San Francisco’s Public Utilities department. The United States Department of Agriculture hailed Sneed’s work as “one of the most innovative and successful community-based crime prevention programs in the country.” It has since lost funding. Related website: https://www.gardenproject.org/about_us

Did you know that human breastmilk is a complex living nourishment? And that breastfeeding offers protection from contraception? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Shelly McGuire, Ph.D. professor of nutrition at the U. of Idaho - Moscow. McGuire discusses her research into the “milk microbiome,” the role of microorganisms in breastmilk in protecting infant health, and the miraculous relationship between a lactating mother and her baby. McGuire explores how a lactating mother’s diet might impact her milk microbiome, and other factors affecting lactation and milk composition. McGuire reviews the presentation she gave at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics meeting in Washington DC in October, 2018, titled: Feeding and Seeding: Human Milk’s Composition Impact on the Infant MicrobiomeRelated Related website: https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/family-and-consumer-sciences/our-people/shelley-mcguire

Did you know that consuming CBD oil with food containing fat, or shortly after eating a meal improves absorption? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Tod Cooperman, M.D., president and founder of consumerlab.com, an independent evaluator of dietary supplements. Cooperman describes the differences between hemp oil and CBD oil, cannabidiol and cannabinoids, and discusses the difference in doses found in CBD oil prescribed as a drug to treat epilepsy, and that which is sold as a supplement. He explains how bile is necessary to absorb CBD, and discusses the safety and effectiveness of popular supplements including CBD oil, bone broth and apple cider vinegar.Related website: www.consumerlab.com

Did you know organic farming methods not only protect our environment, and public health, but that of farm workers and their families as well? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jay Feldman, Executive Director and co-founder of Beyond Pesticides, a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC that works nationally to reduce toxic chemicals in our environment. Feldman discusses consumer perception about the organic label, the National Organic Standards Board’s role in upholding the integrity of the organic label, GMO crop-related herbicide use, and the upcoming 37th National Pesticide Forum in NYC April 5-6, 2019. Related website: www.beyondpesticides.org

Did you know that the foods we eat influence the diversity of microbes living in our gut? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Teresa Martin, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. Martin provides her top ten tips for gut health. Part two of two.Related website: https://commonfund.nih.gov/hmp

Did you know that the microbes (microbiota) living in our gut influence our mental and physical health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Teresa Martin, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. Martin describes how to best nourish and protect beneficial gut bacteria. Part one of two.Related website: https://commonfund.nih.gov/hmp

Did you know that diet and lifestyle can affect male sperm count and motility, and female fertility? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Seattle-WA based dietitian, Judy Simon, MS, RDN. Simon is recognized as a national expert in nutrition counseling for reproductive health and fertility. In this second part interview, Simon discusses marijuana’s effects on sperm, the importance of diet quality, specific nutrient needs and more. (This interview is Part 2 of 2)Related website: http://www.pcosnutrition.com/foodforfertility/

Did you know that diet, weight, exercise, stress and even marijuana can all impact fertility? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Judy Simon MS, RDN, expert in fertility and reproductive nutrition for women and men at the Food for Fertility Program at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. Simon shares key tips for maximizing fertility. We’ll talk about vitamin D, soy, plastics, pesticides, coffee, wine, marijuana and more. (This interview is Part 1 of 2)Related website: https://seattlefertility.com/news-media-events/research-studies/food-for-fertility/

Did you know that the American agricultural system could not exist in its present lucrative form if not for migrant farmworkers? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jeannine Guttman, M.S., veteran newspaper journalist and sustainable food systems advocate. Guttman discusses the role and value of the press, as well as her investigation into the embedded racism and reliance on undocumented immigrant labor in Vermont’s iconic dairy industry. Drawing from her report: “Empty cartons, broken dairies: the unsustainability of Vermont’s iconic milk industry and its hidden reliance on undocumented abused labor,” Guttman helps us understand the effects of NAFTA, and how we depend on, yet mistreat laborers from across the border. Guttman is an opinion writer for the Vermont Standard, and is a recent graduate of Green Mountain College in Poutney, VT.Related website: www.migrantjustice.net

Did you know that U.S. citizens largely depend on immigrant labor to harvest and process our food? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Iris Figueroa, staff attorney for Farmworker Justice, a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower migrant and seasonal farmworkers to improve their living and working conditions. Figueroa discusses farm labor statistics, working conditions, immigration policies, health and safety, and access to justice. Also mentioned: the CHAMACOS study’s evaluation of health risks to farmworker children: https://cerch.berkeley.edu/research-programs/chamacos-study and particular risk from the pesticide, chlorpyrifos.Related website: www.farmworkerjustice.org

Did you know that most diets are doomed to fail? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Rebecca Scritchfield, Registered Dietitian, certified exercise physiologist, and author of “Body Kindness: Transform your health from the inside out – and never say diet again.” Scritchfield discusses the pain of weight stigma, and the pitfalls of our diet culture. She provides suggestions and strategies on how to make peace with food and accept our natural diversity of body sizes.Related website: www.RebeccaScritchfield.com

Did you know that alcohol increases circulating levels of estrogen which can increase the risk of some cancers? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Karen Collins, registered dietitian and nutrition advisor for the American Institute for Cancer Research. Collins reviews the latest dietary research and recommendations for reducing cancer risk. Tune in for the latest advice on fiber, red meat, soy, sugar, and more.Related website: http://www.aicr.org/cancer-research/dietandcancerreport/

Did you know that our daily food and beverage choices have a collective impact on global sustainability? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jennifer Jay, Ph.D., professor of environmental engineering in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. Jay does the math, calculating the global environmental impacts and costs of the food on our plates. Jay discusses the costs of industrial food production, from greenhouse gas emissions, to loss of biodiversity, and antibiotic resistance. She describes how we can all help meet Paris Climate Accord targets and reduce our personal carbon footprints with a few simple changes in our dietary habits.Related website: https://meals4planet.org/

Did you know that mindfulness is a powerful tool for creating healthful lifestyle changes? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Andrea Lieberstein, Registered Dietitian, and author of “Well Nourished: Mindful Practices to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Feed Your Whole Self, and End Overeating.” Lieberstein defines mindful eating, and explains how to fill common voids in our lives without food. Better than dieting, Lieberstein advises that we nourish ourselves with compassion, and feed eight core needs without food.Related website: http://yourwellnourishedlife.com/

Did you know that nature provides a wide range of valuable and efficient services to society, including flood water management, pollination and air and water cleaning? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Steven Apfelbaum, Fellow of the Ecological Society of America, and Founder and Chairman of Applied Ecological Services. Apfelbaum defines ecology and describes how nature’s ecological services benefit society and restore our environment. Apfelbaum also discusses ways climate change can be reversed by changing current practices of agriculture and land management to emulate nature, restore biodiversity, and sequester carbon through regenerative farming, forestry, and grazing practices.Apfelbaum is co-author of Restoring Ecological Health to Your Land (Island Press), which was written to help landowners and land stewards develop and implement land-restoration programs. He is also the author of the award-winning book, Nature’s Second Chance (Beacon Press), which was named one of the “top 10 books for understanding what we can do about climate change.” Apfelbaum also appears in “Unbroken Ground” (film/Patagonia), which connects food, agriculture and climate change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ezkp7Cteys

Did you know that use of the herbicide dicamba on genetically modified (GMO) soy and cotton crops threatens health-promoting fruit, vegetable and tree crops? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Steve Smith, Director of Agriculture for Red Gold Tomatoes, and Chairman of the Save our Crops Coalition. Smith describes the risks of using Dicamba, why farmers think they have to use it, and the tragedies of crop and tree loss, as well as divided rural communities. In 2018, EPA extended the registration for two years for over-the-top use (i.e. use on growing plants) of dicamba to control weeds in fields of cotton and soybean plants genetically engineered to resist dicamba. However, tax-payer funded state departments of agriculture cannot keep up with calls reporting herbicide drift damage. And farmers struggle to receive compensation from crop loss.Related website: https://hygeia-analytics.com/2018/11/02/steve-smith-on-epas-decision-to-extend-extendimax-et-al/

Did you know that soil quality is at the heart of abundant, nutrient-dense food? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Kris Nichols, Ph.D., soil microbiologist. She describes soil health, discusses the state of our soils, and explains her work to regenerate soils for healthy crops, people and planet. Her work connects the dots between regenerative agricultural practices to public health, resilient communities and strong global economies.Dr. Kris Nichols is a Soil Microbiologist with over 25 years of research experience specifically studying mycorrhizal fungi. She was formerly Chief Scientist at the Rodale Institute, a Research (Soil) Microbiologist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in North Dakota and a Biological Laboratory Technician with ARS in Beltsville, MD. She is the founder and principal scientist of KRIS Systems Education & Consultation and a sub-contractor with Soil Health Consulting, Inc. She focuses on biological methods for agricultural production tools and practices to reduce pests, soil erosion, fossil fuel use, and greenhouse gas emissions.Related website: http://kris-systems.com/

Did you know that prisoners face dehumanizing conditions, including poor food quality and quantity? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Mataka Askari, a Missouri citizen who was incarcerated for 23 years for a non-violent drug offense. Askari describes his food and life experiences during his years of incarceration.Related website: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/07/07/what-s-in-a-prison-meal

Did you know that “cheap” food carries a high cost? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Annelise Orleck, Ph.D., professor of history at Dartmouth college and author of “We Are All Fast-Food Workers Now: The Global Uprising Against Poverty Wages.” Dr. Orleck pulls back the curtain on exploitive and otherwise invisible labor conditions in food, agriculture, restaurant and retail industries, and shares empowering stories of organized workers who strive for dignity and respect.Related website: http://www.beacon.org/We-Are-All-Fast-Food-Workers-Now-P1334.aspx

Did you know that food-borne illness can result in much more than a simple “tummy ache” – leading to chronic illness and even death? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her discussion with Deirdre Schlunegger, Chief Executive Officer of Stop Food-borne Illness, a national nonprofit public health organization dedicated to the prevention of illness and death from food-borne pathogens. Schlunegger explains how Stop Food-borne Illness helps promote sound food safety policy, best practices, public awareness, and provides assistance to those impacted by food-borne illness.Related website: http://www.stopfoodborneillness.org/

Did you know that an alternative to our current exploitive industrial food system is possible? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Niaz Dorry, Coordinating Director of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, and Executive Director of the National Family Farm Coalition. Dorry shares highlights from her “America the Bountiful” national tour where she witnessed the interdependence between eaters and farming and fishing communities. She discusses common challenges facing all food producers, plus solutions and reasons for hope in rebuilding truly sustainable regional food systems, based in justice and equity.Related website: http://www.namanet.org/america-the-bountiful

Did you know that more than 10,000 chemicals are allowed to be added to our food, but not all are tested for safety? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Sheela Sathyanarayana, M.D., MPH, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, and co-author of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ new policy statement on “Food Additives and Child Health.” Dr. Sathyanarayana discusses the regulatory system that provides loopholes for manufacturers, as well as the impact of direct (colors, flavors) and indirect (through manufacturing and packaging) food additives on children’s health and behavior. She also provides tips for protecting children from harmful additives.Related website: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2018/07/19/peds.2018-1408.full.pdf

Did you know that “pink ribbon” products may actually increase the risk of breast cancer? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Karuna Jaggar, Executive Director of Breast Cancer Action. Jaggar exposes and critiques hypocritical “pink ribbon” campaigns, and discusses social justice, plus the health and environmental policy changes needed to prevent breast cancer, and protect public health in general.Related website: www.bcaction.org

Did you know that mutual understanding and respect are at the heart of food justice? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Joshua Sbicca, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology at Colorado State University and author of “Food Justice Now!: Deepening the Roots of Social Struggle.” Sbicca explains the differences between food justice and food sovereignty movements, discusses the intersection of immigration, mass incarceration and labor exploitation in our food system, and offers strategies for change.Related website: https://www.libarts.colostate.edu/people/jsbicca/

Did you know that a former Marine has aerially documented hurricane damage to confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Eastern North Carolina? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with photojournalist and Senior Advisor to the Waterkeeper Alliance, Rick Dove. Dove describes his brush with Pfiesteria Piscicida, repeated fish kills, coal ash spills, hog manure spills, the politics that protect the hog industry at the expense of citizens, and advocacy strategies for those who care about natural resources, public health, and a sustainable food system. A recent article about his observations was published in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2018/09/22/i-saw-florence-sending-millions-gallons-animal-poop-flooding-across-north-carolina/?utm_term=.f3998583936dRelated website: https://waterkeeper.org/

Did you know that children are strategically targeted by manufacturers of fast and processed foods and sugary beverages? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Andrea Curtis, author of “Eat This! How Fast-Food Marketing Gets You to Buy Junk (and how to fight back).” Curtis discusses marketing strategies that are specifically used to trick kids (and convince their parents) to purchase unhealthy foods and beverages. Examples include product placement in video games, digital techniques, and commercialism in public schools. Curtis also gives suggestions and provides resources to protect children from powerful market forces that threaten their health and well-being.Related website: http://andreacurtiskids.ca/books/eat-this/

Do you know the foods that are most likely to be mislabeled or incorrectly identified on menus and grocery shelves? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Larry Olmsted, author of “Real Food, Fake Food: Why You Don’t Know What You’re Eating & What You Can Do About It.” From dried grass clippings in oregano to cellulose in grated Parmesan cheese, Olmsted reviews some of the most common frauds in the food and restaurant marketplace. He reveals how consumers can avoid being tricked, and shares tips to find and enjoy “real” food. Calling all foodies, sushi lovers, and olive oil aficionados.Related website: www.realfoodfakefood.com

Did you know the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that about one in 59 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? And that food is at the heart of treatment? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Elizabeth Strickland, R.D. author of “Eating for Autism: the 10-Step Nutrition Plan to Help Treat Your Child’s Autism, Asperger’s or ADHD.” Strickland explains the power of food and nutrition in helping children and their families cope with challenges, including behavior, mood, sleep patterns, and the ability to learn, concentrate, and focus.Related website: https://elizabethsauls.com/book/

Did you know that Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world’s largest hog producer and slaughterhouse? (Smithfield slaughters 32,000 hogs per day; that’s 33 hogs per minute or 1 every two seconds.) Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Lynn Waltz, two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, assistant professor of journalism at The Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, and author of “Hog Wild: The Battle for Workers’ Rights at the World’s Largest Slaughterhouse” (University of Iowa Press/2018). Waltz shares her extensive investigation into how the Smithfield slaughterhouse changed the landscape of eastern North Carolina and how and why workers fought and won the right to unionize. Waltz helps us understand the high costs of cheap meat, and offers hope and policy solutions for a more sustainable food system.Related website: http://lynnwaltz.com/