Feed: a food systems podcast

Is the battle over who controls and owns agricultural data one of the most important—and least discussed—fights in 21st-century farming? In this conversation, Jennifer Clapp (prof at the University of Waterloo and member of IPES-Food) explores the deep ties between fossil fuels and our food system, tracing their influence from fertilizers and pesticides to farm mechanization and digital agriculture. She unpacks how fossil-fueled inputs have shaped—and continue to shape—modern farming. For more info and resources, please visit our episode webpage.GuestsJennifer Clapp, IPES-FoodEdited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.Fuel to Fork is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and the Global Alliance for the Future of Food.

We gathered in Oxford to ask: Is a fossil free food system possible? 3 panelists: a farmer, an economist and biodiversity researcher, shared their expert perspectives. What technologies are on the horizon? What uncertainties do they bring? Is it better to farm differently, eat differently, plug in better tech, restrain environmentally damaging practices of food and agribusinesses, or all of the above?Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsHelen Browning, Soil AssociationRupert Simons, SystemIQEmile Frison, IPES-FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Robbie Blake and Chantal Clément. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.View a 90 minute video of the full panel discussion Learn more about the Oxford Real Farming Conference 

What would a food system free of fossil fuels look like by 2050? What insights surprised the experts featured in this series? And what trade-offs must we navigate to shape this future? In our final episode, we shift from acknowledging the 'fossil fuel problem in food' to exploring actionable solutions.Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsRaj Patel, IPES-FoodAnna Lappé, Global Alliance for the Future of FoodDarrin Qualman, National Farmers Union (Canada)Galina Angarova, SIRGEMolly Anderson, IPES-FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Fossil fuels are hiding in plain sight in our kitchens—powering stoves and cooling refrigerators, plus they're fueling supply chains. They shape how we cook, eat and connect with food. In this episode, we explore how to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in home and commercial kitchens. What counts as a 'clean' cooking fuel in Malawi versus the United States? And what would it take to transform the energy grid powering our food systems? Researchers, chefs, and activists weigh in.Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsChrista Roth, Cleaner Cooking CoalitionChristopher Galarza, Forward Dining SolutionsGabriel Eckhouse, Uppsala UniversityGalina Angarova, SIRGENnimmo Bassey, Home of Mother Earth FoundationErrol Schweizer, IPES-FoodGeorgina Catacora-Vargas, IPES FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.

When we talk about the future of food, we usually picture what's growing in the fields or what's on our dinner plates. But maybe we should pay a little more attention to everything happening in between. Processing and packaging consumes the largest share of fossil fuels in our food system— more than 40%. Our growing reliance on ultra-processed foods, and plastics across the supply chain is making food production more energy-intensive than ever before. Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsEmma Priestland, Break Free From PlasticErrol Schweizer, IPES-FoodRachel Muncrief, International Council on Clean TransportationGeorgina Catacora-Vargas, IPES FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Raj Patel, a research professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a panel member of IPES-Food, dives deep into the hidden costs of our food system's reliance on fossil fuels. He discusses how this connection impacts food production and socioeconomic inequalities, particularly for working-class families. Patel also critiques colonial legacies in agriculture and advocates for a shift towards sustainable, community-driven food systems. Furthermore, he emphasizes transitioning to a care economy that prioritizes equity and grassroots action for a more resilient future.

Fossil fuels are woven into nearly every aspect of modern agriculture - from powering farm machinery to creating plastics and supporting data-driven tech like precision agriculture. But what would it take to reduce or even eliminate their use on farms? We dive into both replacement technologies and transformative food production methods like agroecology, exploring the obstacles and limitations of scaling different solutions. Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsDarrin Qualman, National Farmers Union CanadaPat Mooney, IPES FoodJennifer Clapp, IPES FoodSwati Renduchintala, CIFOR-ICRAFProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Joanna Larson, a fourth-generation farmer from North Dakota, shares her journey towards sustainable farming, highlighting the shift from traditional to eco-friendly practices. Lisa Tostado, an agrochemicals campaigner, explains the fossil fuel roots of fertilizers, challenging the reliance on these inputs for food production. Christine Delivanis emphasizes the need for farmer education to combat fertilizer overuse. Together, they explore innovative strategies to reduce dependency on fossil agrochemicals and discuss the future of sustainable agriculture.

How did fossil fuels become so embedded in our food systems? We trace this journey from the industrial extraction of guano, through the game-changing Haber-Bosch process, to today’s globalized food system. Along the way, we uncover the hidden impacts on biodiversity, farmworkers, and our oceans—revealing the true cost of this reliance on fossil fuels.        In Fuel to Fork, a new podcast series powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, we expose and explore the fossil fuels in our food, speaking to farmers, chefs, food industry experts, scientists and campaigners. Each episode delves deep into a different step of the food supply chain.         GuestsJennifer Clapp, IPES-FoodDarrin Qualman, National Farmers Union CanadaPat Mooney, IPES-Food and Etc GroupNavina Khanna, HEAL AllianceRashid Sumaila, University of British ColumbiaProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.

“For many of us, how fossil fuels are integrated across the food chain is highly invisible.”    When we bite into a juicy apple, barrels of crude oil and natural gas cylinders might not spring to mind. But fossil fuels are the hidden ingredient behind all of our food. For every calorie that ends up on our plates, around 10 calories of fossil fuels are used. From the diesel powering the tractors to the fertilizer in the field and plastic packaging, fossil fuels are the lifeblood of the food industry.     In Fuel to Fork, a new podcast series powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, we expose and explore the fossil fuels in our food, speaking to farmers, chefs, food industry experts, scientists and campaigners. Each episode delves deep into a different step of the food supply chain.         GuestsAnna Lappé, Global Alliance for the Future of FoodRaj Patel, IPES-FoodErrol Schweizer, IPES-FoodNnimmo Bassey, Health of Mother Earth FoundationChristine Delivanis, SystemIQProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.