Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that indigenous food systems are based on cooperation? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with A-dae Romera- Briones (Cochiti/Kiowa), native Agricultural Food Systems Leader and Director of Programs for the First Nations Development Institute. She discusses the nature and history of indigenous foodways, food sovereignty, and the importance of how we tell the story of agriculture. She is a featured keynote speaker at the RAFI-USA conference (Sept. 30-October 1st 2024; see:  https://www.rafiusa.org/programs/cttt/2024-cttt-events/ )Related Websites: https://www.firstnations.org/ Fighting for the Tastebuds of Our Children: https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/760

Jim Goodman, a retired third-generation dairy farmer and president of the National Family Farm Coalition, sheds light on critical issues in agriculture. He discusses the reliance on migrant labor and the negative impact of corporate-friendly policies that threaten rural economies. Goodman critiques Project 2025, emphasizing its detrimental effects on social safety nets and small farms. He advocates for fair agricultural policies and a farmer-controlled food system that prioritizes sustainability and equitable pricing, urging listeners to engage in these vital discussions.

Did you know that farm soil is increasingly becoming a reservoir for plastic? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Grey Moran, award-winning journalist and staff writer at Civil Eats, where their writing focuses on climate change, the food system, public health, and environmental justice. Moran discusses “plasticulture” and the increasing use of plastic in agriculture, and how the Fair Food Alliance is working around FL law which denies farmworkers heat protection.Related Websites: Coalition of Immokalee workers and the Fair Food Program: https://ciw-online.org/ Civil Eats: https://civileats.com/author/gmoran/ How Fossil Fuel-derived pesticides and plastics harm health, biodiversity and the climate: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7239621/

Did you know that trial attorneys work to protect farmers against harms they experience from the use of agricultural chemicals? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Daniel Hinkle, J.D., lawyer, lobbyist and Senior State Affairs Counsel at the American Association for Justice. Hinkle describes the role of trial attorneys in helping farmers receive compensation from harm related to pesticide use, and the agrochemical industry’s attempts to reduce their liability by influencing pesticide labeling.Related Websites: American Association for Justice: https://www.justice.org/ Failure to Warn legislation: https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2024/02/state-legislation-popping-up-to-limit-liability-of-pesticide-manufacturers/ Icahn School of Medicine Glyphosate fact sheet: https://icahn.mssm.edu/files/ISMMS/Assets/Departments/Environmental%20Medicine%20and%20Public%20Health/CEHC/FactSheet-Glyphosate.pdfIARC review of glyphosate: https://www.iarc.who.int/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/

Did you know that the sugar alcohol xylitol has been linked to increased risk of blood clots? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her interview with Tod Cooperman, M.D., President and Founder of ConsumerLab.com,  the leading national independent reviewer of food products and dietary supplements. Cooperman reviews his recent reports on the potential harms from sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners, and potential benefits of olive and fish oils, plus what to look for when purchasing products..Related Websites: www.consumerlab.com

Katie Marx, a policy associate with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, dives into the alarming $2 billion spent annually on marketing unhealthy food to children. She discusses how influencers shape kids' eating habits through apps and games. The conversation highlights regulatory challenges in curbing this marketing, successful policies in other countries, and the insidious presence of advertising in schools. Marx advocates for stronger regulations and media literacy to empower kids and families against misleading food marketing.

Join the conversation with Katelyn Jetelina, epidemiologist and science communicator, as she discusses the link between climate change and bird flu, raw milk risks, science communication challenges, and strategies for promoting public health and preventing pandemics.

Did you know that plastic is made from fossil fuel, and has deleterious effects on planet and people?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Lisa Kaas Boyle, JD, environmental attorney, cofounder of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, and executive producer of the documentary film, Overload: America’s Toxic Love Story. Boyle describes the injustice of fossil fuel and plastic pollution, the myth of plastic recycling, and the importance of citizen action and public policies.Related website:  www.lisakaasboyle.comMore Drinking Fountains, Fewer Plastic Bottles: https://law.tulane.edu/news/law-alumna-more-drinking-fountains-fewer-plastic-bottles

Did you know that the mundane advice dietitians give to “eat a variety of foods in moderation” is actually critical to both reaching nutritional adequacy and protecting us from contaminants in foods? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Kellie Casavale, RD, PhD., Senior Science Nutrition Advisor at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Casavale discusses ways to protect vulnerable populations, especially children, from heavy metal contaminants (lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic) in our food, with an emphasis on fish and seafood.Related website:  “Advice About Eating Fish and Shellfish:”https://www.epa.gov/choose-fish-and-shellfish-wisely/epa-fda-advice-about-eating-fish-and-shellfish https://www.fda.gov/media/102331/download?attachment “Closer to Zero: Reducing Childhood Exposure to Contaminants from Foods:” https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/closer-zero-reducing-childhood-exposure-contaminants-foods

Registered Dietitian Christina Badaracco discusses food as medicine and The Farm Bill, highlighting the need for national farm policies to support public health. She explores culinary medicine, teaching kitchens, and the impact of subsidies on food choices in relation to healthcare transformation through nutrition.