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Ukraine Conflict Tops 2022's Ag Headlines
The 2022 list of top stories from the world of food and agriculture has a clear number one: the nearly year-long conflict in the Ukraine. Far beyond the sheer tragedy for Ukraine, the resulting disruption to world commodity and energy markets rippled across almost every aspect of agriculture, generating important news and magnifying the importance of global Interdependence. To help wrap up this momentous year, Dirt to Dinner will highlight some of the biggest news from the year – and point to some of the important stories we will be watching in 2023.
We're only as healthy as our soil
A new study concludes that soil quality via regenerative agriculture is the key to nutritious food.
Saving Our Soil...One Billion Microbes at a Time
Despite their meager size, soil microbes have a significant impact on the health of plants, animals, and our planet. Innovative microbial technologies have been found to increase soil fertility and plant health, as well as understanding our own needs and those of the Earth's.
5 Things You Didn't Know About Soil
When many of us think of soil, we think of dirt. But, soil is so much more than just dirt. Soil gives life to all of the food we eat. Let’s get to know our soil a little better.
SOS: Save Our Soil
Today, we are more aware and proactive about soil erosion than ever before. Rumor has it that we only have 60 years of soil left. Is this true? If so, it is the same as losing 30 soccer fields of soil every minute. How is this possible?
What is Soil?
We live in a world with a growing population where understanding the importance of vital elements has never been more necessary. Understanding all that sustains us, and keeps us healthy, is critical to our survival. At the root of that is soil.
2 Trade Deals and Plant Food in a Pear Tree: Top News in 2019
2019 has been a wild ride! News about our food and how we get it – from dirt to dinner – have had us on the edge of our seats...
Soil Health: A Personal Chronology of a Global Paradigm Shift
Tillage in croplands is one of the primary drivers of land degradation, but it doesn’t need to be. Join The Nature Conservancy's Michael Doane as he experiences zero-tillage cropping systems with farmers in India, and beyond.
Soil: It is much more than Dirt
Have you ever thought about the soil that lies beneath your feet? Soil is responsible for 95% of the food we eat and it supports life on Earth in many different ways. But what exactly is healthy soil and why is it so important?
Transcript: Are Girl Scout Cookies Safe?
Trends in protein optimization and GLP-1 medications are now colliding. This has left us with one big question—can you lose weight on these GLP-1s while still maintaining your protein intake to ensure long term health?
Are seed oils bad for you?
Recent news and social media are proclaiming that we need to eliminate seed oils from our diets. But are these concerns valid? We spoke with industry and nutrition experts to find out.
Transcript - Digging In: The Future of Food
Aaron Wetzel is John Deere's VP of Production and Precision Ag Production Systems, In this episode, Aaron discusses John Deere’s journey from machine manufacturer to delivering cutting-edge technology solutions to create new value for their customers.
Are Girl Scout Cookies Safe?
Trends in protein optimization and GLP-1 medications are now colliding. This has left us with one big question—can you lose weight on these GLP-1s while still maintaining your protein intake to ensure long term health?
Transcript: Digging In with John Deere's Aaron Wetzel
Aaron Wetzel is John Deere's VP of Production and Precision Ag Production Systems, In this episode, Aaron discusses John Deere’s journey from machine manufacturer to delivering cutting-edge technology solutions to create new value for their customers.
How Toxic is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate, or Roundup, is in the center of tension between growing enough food to feed a global population and sustainability around environmental and human health. How harmful is this herbicide to wildlife, the soil, watersheds, and humans?
How Not to "Buy Now!"
2025 promises to be transformative for the food, nutrition, and health industries. As these sectors increasingly intersect, new innovations, shifts in preferences, and scientific advancements are shaping a more sustainable and health-conscious future.
The Year Ahead in Food & Health
2025 promises to be transformative for the food, nutrition, and health industries. As these sectors increasingly intersect, new innovations, shifts in preferences, and scientific advancements are shaping a more sustainable and health-conscious future.
Here's how cows can 'go green'
Did you know cattle can play a positive role in climate change? Farmers and ranchers are proactively working to reduce methane output. Here’s how...
Why should we eat fermented foods?
Do you want to prevent disease? Then consider fermented foods. Fermentation is a chemical reaction that’s responsible for some of our most favorite food and drink. And not only taste great...they can be great for you.
Transcript: Digging into Biofuels
Colin Murphy of UC Davis guides research on transportation, energy, air quality, and carbon markets, with a primary focus on sustainable fuel policies. His work bridges the gap between cutting-edge academic science, and the day-to-day challenges of real-world policy making.
Ag careers grow beyond the farm
The food and agricultural sector is often overlooked as a fertile source of rewarding jobs and careers. Whatever the personality type, whatever the ambition… our agricultural system has something for virtually everyone.
Tiny plastics pose huge problems
Microplastics can enter the human body in a variety of ways — through the foods we eat, the clothes we wear, and the packaging we use. The health risks have been well documented, but here's how to mimimize the impact.
How AI Can Supercharge Our Food
Brightseed, a pioneer in biosciences and AI, understands the power of plant bioactive compounds found in fruits and vegetables. Their proprietary technology can isolate healthy bioactive compounds and make them into a supplement or add them to an existing food to counteract common human health diseases.
Expert Take on Defining 'Sustainability'
Sustainability has become almost a buzzword across every segment of our modern world. But where do we really stand in turning the idea of sustainability into meaningful reality? For answers we turn to a true expert on all things sustainability...
Are You Deficient in Key Nutrients?
Many of us in the U.S. suffer from nutrient deficiencies, leading to increased risk of various life-threatening diseases. Here are five common nutritional deficiencies and what you can do to boost your intake.
How Do Wildfires Affect Ag?
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?
Food Safety at Farmers' Markets
Consumers flock to seasonal farmers’ markets to buy fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and meat from local farmers. What food safety regulation applies to the food there? The same as or different than the fruits and vegetables we buy at the grocery store?
Our Daily Bread: Uncertainty in Global Wheat Markets
The world needs wheat for bread, a daily fixture in households across the globe. As significant exporters of this "staple of life", Russia's war on Ukraine affects the world’s wheat supply. Which countries, if any, can step up to fill in the gap...and at what price?
China's Plight with Food Independence
Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambition to reshape global world order and replace the U.S. as global economic and military leader misses one key element: China's dependence on capitalist and democratic nations for food security.
Garland's Letter from Atlanta
Ever wonder what farmers do when they aren’t planting, tending or harvesting their crops? D2D wanted to find out, so we attended a winter conference to learn a few new things. And pick up a side of gratitude just in time for the holidays, too.
The Ins & Outs of Climate-Conscious Eating
Think you know what climate-conscious eating looks like? Think again. Its complexities extend far and wide, from effects on soil, water use, and farming practices, to just name a few...
Fertilizer Restrictions' Unintended Consequences
Want to cut greenhouse gases? Mandate less fertilizer use...right? Farmers and others ask if we know what that really means for our food security. Beware the perils of unintended consequences.
Jupiter Ridge: Regenerative Stewards of the Land
Will Lorentzen and Adrian White of Jupiter Ridge Farm detail their experience with regeneratively-grown farming practices in Iowa. Their long-term objectives can shape our understanding of what regenerative ag really looks like.
Trading Carbon and Talking Plants
Carbon trading can enable farmers to sequester carbon, sell a ton of carbon credit on the market for consumers, and enable companies to purchase as credits. But how does this happen?
Ukraine: Quiet Pawn in Quest for Food Security
Current tensions can be traced to its geography, history, and geopolitics. And, surprising to some, its role as a major player in the global food system.
5 Big Questions for 2022
Where are we headed in 2022 when it comes to food and agriculture? Here are some of the top questions we have.
We've got questions for you, 2022...
Governments and companies are changing the way we address food security, the environment, and consumer health. At D2D, we have covered some of these subjects previously but are now looking harder at how the future will be shaped by those who grow, trade, process, and consume food.
Supply Chain, Inflation & Climate Change
We're taking a moment to look back at some of the big issues and news items in 2021 to set the stage for what should be another year of change.
Want to Save the Planet? 'Break Boundaries' at Home
Netflix documentary, Breaking Boundaries, has been criticized as another over-the-top and scary climate change film. But at its core, the message is simple – 'Be the Earth's Conscience.' But what does that mean, and how can I personally make a difference?
Five Reasons Why I Started Using Conservation Practices On My Farm
This article was written by Keith Mears, who farms with his family near Delphi, Indiana, and is a Conservation Steward with America’s Conservation Ag Movement.
Can Rural America Lead in AgTech?
Lucy spoke to Pennsylvanian business leaders and politicians about rural America leading the way for the future of agricultural innovations. Here is her speech...
Drought: The “Hidden Global Crisis”
The United Nations recently called drought “a hidden global crisis”. What causes drought, and what can we do about it? And should we worry about its effects on our food supply?
7 Things to Know about Indoor Farming
There have been some big headlines lately regarding vertical farming. What is vertical farming, and what do we need to know about it?
Food Transparency Starts With Farming’s Digital Transition
A lack of transparency into food production is one of the fastest-rising concerns among U.S. consumers. But building out the surprisingly complex web of information from the grocery store shelf to farmgate is complicated...at best. Can it be done?
5 Regenerative Ag Trends for Earth Day
Earth Day presents an annual opportunity to spotlight how important this big, blue ball is to the world’s farmers, ranchers, and growers who depend on its natural resources to grow the food, fuel, and fiber that powers our lives.
Regenerative Ag in Your Own Backyard
To an expanding array of people from the inner city to suburbia and beyond, the ideas behind the regenerative ag movement are changing our thinking about the role we play in sustaining our food system...and the health of our environment.
Foster Brothers Farm: Covering Good Ground
Farmers like Bob Foster of Foster Brothers Farms in Vermont, increase their soil's health by implementing cover crops and no-till farming into their cultivation practices. But these strategies go on to improve global health, too...
Don’t Look Now, But They’re Gaining on Us
U.S. ag is one of the most productive, efficient, and well-developed systems on the planet. But Brazil and Argentina have quickly and impressively developed complex global food & ag systems. What does this mean for us?
5 Ag Priorities of the Biden Administration
With a new administration in office, we should expect to see a different set of priorities for food and agriculture. What should consumers and farmers anticipate going forward? Here are 5 things we found.
Q&A with FFA’s Tyler Gardner
Future Farmers of America member, Tyler Gardner, is one hard-working college student. His work at his family’s cranberry marsh has evolved his mission to produce healthy and sustainable food for generations to come.
Regenerative Ag: The New ‘Sustainable’
Regenerative agriculture is a system of farming practices that promises to reduce the impact of carbon emissions. Each farming operation differs not only in the application of these practices but in their measurement process.
5 Benefits of GMOs
GMOs are one of the most controversial topics in mainstream culture, even though they are proven to have many benefits for our farmers, consumers, and the environment.
5G’s Revolution: Will Ag be Ready?
5G - the new frontier in technology. For ag, 5G will result in a smarter, more efficient, and more transparent supply chain. So what are some of the technologies that will benefit? And will the broadband infrastructure in rural farmland areas be ready for the leap?
Does Red Meat Cause Cancer?
We regularly hear that eating red meat causes cancer, but isn't meat a good source of protein and micronutrients? There are a few studies that, while not in total agreement, are well accepted by the overall community as being plausible, if not probable about meat's relation to cancer.
The Future of Food Packaging
Trends like eliminating plastic straws feel like a big leap in bettering our world, but to be effective, we need to address the bigger picture of packaging. So, how do we continue to find compelling ways to protect our environment, eliminate food waste, and effectively package our food?
Combating Desertification & Land Degradation
On June 17th of each year, people concerned about the scourge of desertification, land degradation, and drought work to raise awareness and promote solutions to these important issues. Think this day may not pertain to you? Think again...
Jack Bobo: How We Choose Our Food
Especially during chaotic times like this, we rely on Jack Bobo's insights into our behaviors as food consumers to educate us and help us make better decisions. While we search our supermarket for a new "superfood" to cure us or a "natural" product to make us feel healthier, Jack is searching for the answers to why our brains want us to behave this way and what we can do to better evaluate our purchasing decisions.
Boosting Your Health with Mushrooms
Boost your immune system during COVID-19 with your diet. Mushrooms can strengthen your immunity, while also improving brain health and inhibiting cancer growth.
Personalized Nutrition & Our Unique Health Needs
Which foods are best for you? Personalizing your diet can optimize your health and prevent illnesses like cancer and obesity. These programs create customized diets based on our personal data...but do they really work?
Ag in the Classroom: FFA Spotlight on Lauren LaGrande
Lauren LaGrande, an exemplary member of Future Farmers of America, is on a mission to educate future generations about something that connects all of us – where our food comes from. Here is her story from her point of view...
5 Surprising Facts about Our Organic Foods
Why do we all have a different definition for organic foods? Is it really pesticide-free? Hormone-free? Grown locally? We took a look at how the USDA monitors organic products and what the term really means.
Our Agricultural Extension Service: From Gardening to Food Safety
Our agricultural extension services program is designed to teach people not just how to farm productively, but how we all can benefit, from gardening to food safety practices. And just in time for a few tips before Thanksgiving!
Land Degradation: The History Lesson We Are Still Learning
While the Dust Bowl era is seen as a historical American experience, the reality is different. Agricultural lands around the world continue to degrade. The Nature Conservancy's Michael Doane explores this topic in an ongoing series.
Are GMOs Bad for the Environment?
On the contrary. In fact, here's a different way to spell the word green: GE – Genetic Engineering. GE technology includes genetically modified organisms, which some critics claim harm the environment. But in reality, GMOs help farmers use pesticides responsibly, conserve water and increase soil health while increasing their crop yield.
The Farm Babe: An Ag Love Story
This is the story of the agricultural advocate, Michelle Miller, or better known as "The Farm Babe". D2D learns first-hand about Michelle's journey from the big city to a rural farm in Iowa, and how it completely changed her views on our food system.
GMOs are Confusing: A Recipe for Understanding
Consumers continue to be confused about GMOs. What if we told you that enhancing your banana bread recipe with additional nutrients is similar in concept to adding a gene to a plant?
D2D On the Farm: The Row We Hoe
As consumers crave locally grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat, local farms answer the call. But maintaining a farm and being profitable is a challenge. D2D visits with 4th generation Hindinger Farm in Hamden, Connecticut.
California Megafires and the Effects on Agriculture
Wildfires are devastating, not only to the families whose homes are demolished but also to the land and farmers supplying our fruits, vegetables, wine grapes and cattle for dairy and meat production.
Hemp, Hemp Hooray!
You can eat it, use it as a bag, rub it on your skin, swing from it, and wear it as a pair of jeans. Hemp can be processed into food, textiles, health and body care products, paper, industrial products, and building materials. The U.S. has just legalized the production of this versatile crop in the 2018 Farm Bill.
What's the Difference between GMOs & CRISPR?
After our post on EU and CRISPR last week, the Dirt-to-Dinner team received requests to simplify the difference between GMO and CRISPR technology. Here is a quick summary to help you differentiate between the two.
In the News: European Court Hinders CRISPR Technology
The European Court of Justice recently ruled that CRISPR technology must undergo the same extensive regulatory approval process as GMOs. This legislation will significantly delay CRISPR’s application in EU farming and will hinder the development of better crops for a growing world.
Is Glyphosate Safe?
Glyphosate and its popular product, Roundup®, is the most widely used weed killer in the world. Yet, it has come under intense scrutiny lately in the courts, and headlines are claiming there are harmful glyphosate residues in some of our favorite foods including Cheerios™. What is glyphosate, why is it used, and what does science say about its safety?
The FDA’s Role in Solving a Foodborne Illness Outbreak
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determines a foodborne illness outbreak and identifies the contaminated food. The role of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to determine how, when, and why an outbreak occurred.
Juice Press's Misleading Marketing on Conventional Farming
Juice Press engages fear-based marketing tactics that are hurtful to farmers and spread false information to consumers. We need to support our farmers and the technology that helps them grow safe, healthy fruits and veggies – regardless if they are grown conventionally or organically.
D2D on the Farm: America's Salad Bowl
When was the last time you sat down and looked at your salad and wondered where the produce came from or how it was grown? Did you know that 80% of the leafy greens and berries grown in the U.S. during the spring, summer, and fall come from the same region? Join D2D as we explore the farms of Salinas Valley, CA!
Sustainable Ag Series: Farmers
What does sustainability mean to farmers? How do farmers successfully farm their land in a sustainable manner? How do their efforts affect you, the food you eat every day, and the environment we live in?
Let's Byte into Ag
There’s an increasingly widespread— and extremely important— ingredient in our global food system…It’s not a new nutrient. Not a preservative. Not a new flavoring. Not a new GMO.
Milk: From Cow to Carton
The journey of milk -- from a dairy farm to a processing plant to your grocery store.
Is Protein Powder Healthy?
Protein is essential to our health. When looking for a quick fix, many consumers turn to protein powders. But, do you know where these powders are coming from? The D2D team took a deeper look at some protein supplements—here is what we found.
Seasons Change...Your Produce Should Too!
Fruits and Vegetables should make up at least 50% of our diet. But, do you know what produce to buy and when? How to select fruit that is ripe and veggies that are fresh? Several of our readers have asked D2D to look into this…so, as the seasons are changing, here is what you need to know about buying seasonal crops.
What is RoundUp?
Glyphosate, or “Roundup” as it is more commonly called, is used around home gardens and agriculture, and specifically is the herbicide used on genetically modified (GM) crops. Is the product that has been deemed safe for 40 years really dangerous to our health?
Innovations in Indoor Farming
Salad from a rooftop? Tomatoes grown in a warehouse? Microgreens in a freight car? Welcome to the new world of indoor agriculture. Herbs, leafy greens, and vegetables grown indoors bring farms to an urban environment and help reshape the food supply chain. Let’s take a look!
Going...Going...Local!
Why buy local? Many Americans learn about farming for the first time when they meet a local farmer or read about their products and production methods in a store. In this way, local and regional food economies help non-farming Americans reconnect with all of agriculture.
Grass or Grain, Beef is Beef
Whether your meat was fed a grain-based meal or foraged for grass, it is still a nutritious source of protein, B-complex vitamins, zinc, iron, and phosphorus.
The Regulatory Approval Process for Pesticides
The US Environmental Protection Agency regulates pesticides used in both conventional and organic farming by a rigorous process that is designed to protect human health. Additionally, the pesticide-residue testing process by the USDA and the FDA consistently show residues on foods are well below established U.S. EPA tolerance levels.
Conventional...or Organic?
Both conventional and organic farmers are subject to standards that make the U.S. food supply the safest in the world.
