Episodes
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Ep. 41 (Brad Finstad, U.S Representative (R-MN) and 4th-generation farmer)
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Rep. Finstad represents Minnesota’s First Congressional District and currently serves on the House Agriculture Committee. He’s also a fourth-generation farmer raising seven kids, the upcoming fifth-generation, with his wife Jackie. The Congressman joined us on the Groundwork podcast to discuss the happenings of the 118th Congress, the odds of a Farm Bill in 2024, and more key topics impacting producers across the United States.
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
Ep. 40 (Dr. Joe Outlaw, Family Farmers Leading the way on Food Security)
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
Most of us take our abundant supply of food for granted. We’d say we’re lucky – but it’s not luck. It’s thanks to the hard work of America’s farming families and smart farm policies supported by Congress.
A new study from the acclaimed economists Drs. Joe Outlaw and Bart Fischer at the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M, and specially prepared for the Southwest Council of Agribusiness, takes a closer look at these policies and their impact on farm families. Dr. Outlaw joined us on the latest episode of Groundwork.
Thursday Dec 21, 2023
Thursday Dec 21, 2023
This holiday season, America’s farmers and ranchers are at the top of our nice list for growing and raising the crops and livestock that keep us all fed. The family farmers who grow sugarbeets and sugarcane – and the workers who transform these plants into the sugar in our holiday desserts – are an essential part of this food supply chain.
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Last summer, corn had a golden moment when seven-year-old Tariq was interviewed about his love for corn in a video that permeated pop culture. That same year, nearly 90 million acres of corn were planted across the United States, providing a valuable food source and driving economic growth in rural communities.
We recently called up Richard Syverson, a fourth-generation farmer and president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA), for our most recent episode of the Groundwork podcast. Richard and MCGA work on behalf of Minnesota’s 24,000 corn farmers, who together with neighboring states Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, produce more than half of the country’s corn.
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Ep. 37 (Ryan Williamson & Piper Merritt, Supporting the Next Generation of Farmers)
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Did you know the average age of an American farmer is almost 58 years old?
It’s a startling statistic, considering the vital role of farmers in our daily lives. With a growing global population and a dwindling number of farmers and ranchers, it’s critical that farm policies support the next generation of producers.
Thankfully, the National FFA Organization, made up of over 850,000 students across the nation, is working hard to grow interest in agriculture, expand agricultural education, and develop new leaders.
Ryan Williamson and Piper Merritt, two young leaders who got their start in FFA, recently joined Farm Policy Fact’s Groundwork podcast to discuss the importance of agriculture policy and share how lawmakers can help encourage young farmers by investing in smart policies in this year’s upcoming Farm Bill.
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Ep. 36 (Dr. Bart Fischer, Federal Investments in Farm Policy)
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
It’s budget season on Capitol Hill, and when it comes to the federal budget, there is no better investment than farm policy.
That’s because only a fraction of a percent of federal spending is directed towards the farm safety net. Yet, that small budget supports family farmers, protects our national food security, and drives economic growth.
Dr. Bart Fischer, a Farm Bill veteran and co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University, joins Farm Policy Fact’s Groundwork podcast to put the farm safety net into perspective.
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Ep. 35 (Chairman Glenn ”GT” Thompson, House Agriculture Committee)
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, knows there's a sense of urgency to pass a Farm Bill before the current legislation expires on October 1.
“Rural America needs it,” he explained on the most recent episode of Farm Policy Fact's Groundwork podcast. “Our farmers, ranchers, and foresters, our processors – key stakeholders in rural America – demand it. And we need to do our job.”
Listen to the full episode to hear Chairman Thompson's insights on the 2023 Farm Bill and learn more at FarmPolicyFacts.org.
Monday Dec 19, 2022
Ep. 34 (Ray Sterling, Author of Farmers versus Foodies)
Monday Dec 19, 2022
Monday Dec 19, 2022
It’s a rallying cry pushed by special-interest groups and farm policy critics: dismantle the U.S. food system! But a fundamental misunderstanding of how our food is grown leads to bad ideas and even worse policy. Ray Starling, a former White House and U.S. Department of Agriculture official, explores this debate in his new book "Farmers versus Foodies."
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
As Thanksgiving approaches, food prices might be a topic of conversation around your dinner table. Dr. Rob Johansson, Director of Economics and Policy Analysis at the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) and the former Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), joined Farm Policy Facts on our Groundwork podcast to talk about the importance of an affordable and accessible supply of American-made sugar.
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
When you look at farms across the American southwest, you’re struck by the incredible diversity of agriculture. Rice, poultry, timber, peanuts, pecans, cotton, corn and “all the vegetables you can imagine” help fuel our national food and fiber supply.
Jim Sugarek, president of the Southwest Council of Agribusiness, told the Groundwork podcast that each of the half a million farms across the southwest have one thing in common: “They are fathers and daughters, they’re husbands and wives. They are families that are all trying to produce a great product for our nation.”
Listen in as Jim talks about the incredible importance of family farmers to rural economies and our national food supply and the need for a strong farm safety net. Learn more at FarmPolicyFacts.org.