

Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg (by Food Tank)
Food Tank
Food Tank's Danielle Nierenberg chats with the most important folks in the food industry about the most important food news, released every Thursday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 8, 2026 • 44min
537. New Dietary Guidelines for Americans Unveiled, Youth Turn to Agriculture, and a Conversation with Sara Farley on the Visions that Will Lead Us to a Hopeful Food Future
On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Sara Farley, Vice President of the Global Food Portfolio at The Rockefeller Foundation. They discuss the intentionality and hope that's needed to build the future we want to see, food as a connector and act of love, and the idea that "systems change isn't so complicated that it's impossible." Plus, hear about what's in the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the concerning findings on household food insecurity from the USDA, the young people in Senegal who are returning from cities to pursue careers in agriculture, and predictions on what, and how, we'll be eating in 2026. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

Jan 1, 2026 • 25min
536. Monicah Yator on the Women Farmers Rewriting the Future of Food and Farming
2026 is the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and for the first episode of Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg of the year, we're kicking things off with a special conversation about the essential role that women play across food and agriculture systems. Dani sits down with Monicah Yator, Founder of Indigenous Women and Girls Initiative, to discuss the cross-cutting benefits of investing in and uplifting women farmers, exciting progress in East Africa to protect smallholder producers and promote agroecology, and Yator's hopes for the future of food and farming systems.

Dec 18, 2025 • 49min
535. Funding for Biodiversity Falls Short, Influential Glyphosate Study Retracted, and a Conversation with Marion Nestle on What to Eat Now
Marion Nestle, a renowned nutrition expert and author of 'What to Eat Now,' shares insights on navigating the modern food landscape. She discusses the implications of ultra-processed foods and the challenges of dynamic pricing in grocery stores. Marion also critiques supermarket strategies that undermine healthy choices and emphasizes the importance of transparency in food labeling. Additionally, she highlights the urgent need for better funding in school food programs and advocates for eating minimally processed foods to foster healthier habits.

Dec 11, 2025 • 48min
534. A Bailout for Farmers, Tackling Forever Chemicals, and a Conversation with Sieglinde Snapp and Eske Willerslev on What Ancient Soil Teaches Us About Future Resilience
On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Sieglinde Snapp, Director of the Sustainable Agrifood Systems program at CIMMYT, and Eske Willerslev, a Professor and evolutionary geneticist at the University of Copenhagen and Cambridge University. They talk about the interdependence of the biodiversity above and below ground, what ancient DNA reveals about climate adaptation solutions, and the toolkit that will get us where we need to go. Plus, hear about the newly announced $12 billion bailout for American farmers, the UAE's investment in AI-powered agricultural technologies, and legislation to tackle contamination from forever chemicals. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

Dec 4, 2025 • 6min
533. Podcast News Roundup: Week of 12.1.25
On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani shares some updates and news that makes her excited, energized, infuriated, or curious: Court Rules to Protect Seed Saving in Kenya Australia's Government to Expand Right to Repair Nigeria Launches Initiative to Support Sustainable Farming San Francisco Sues Producers of Ultra-Processed Foods Microbes with an Appetite for Methane While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

Nov 27, 2025 • 26min
532. Johanna Hellrigl Wilder on Rethinking Restaurants for People, Policy, and the Planet
On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Johanna Hellrigl Wilder, the Chef & Founder of Ama, a mission-driven Northern Italian restaurant in Washington D.C. They talk about creating a restaurant model that does right by the people who work there, the diners they feed, and the planet; the issues that are encouraging lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to lean in; and the policies needed to ensure that food businesses at the heart of communities can thrive. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

Nov 20, 2025 • 38min
531. Dr. Christina Economos on Putting Communities at the Center of Nutrition and Health Research
On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Dr. Christina Economos, Dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. They talk about democratizing food and nutrition education, the community-led Food is Medicine research the Friedman School is advancing in the Mississippi Delta, and creating pathways for the next generation of leaders working to improve food, nutrition, and public health systems. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

Nov 13, 2025 • 8min
530. COP30 Kicks Off, Hundreds of Millions Displaced by the Climate Crisis, and East Africa Aims to Strengthen Agroecology Trade
This week, the 30th U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP30) kicks off in Belem, Brazil; a new report reveals that hundreds of millions of people have been displaced by changing weather patterns in the last decade; and East Africa countries take steps to boost trade of agroecological produce. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

Nov 11, 2025 • 38min
529. 'Check on Your Neighbors:' a Conversation with LaMonika Jones on the Human Cost of SNAP Instability
On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with LaMonika Jones, Director of State Initiatives at the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), who oversees three initiatives of the organization: D.C. Hunger Solutions, Maryland Hunger Solutions, and the New Jersey Food Security Initiative. They discuss the millions of families waiting to receive their SNAP benefits this month, why states lack the bandwidth to fill gaps left by the federal government's inaction, and how you can take action to help neighbors in your own community. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to "Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg" wherever you consume your podcasts.

Nov 6, 2025 • 55min
528. José Andrés and Michael Twitty on Humanity, Heritage, and the Language of Food
Join chef and humanitarian José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, as he discusses food as a human right and the need for policy reforms to combat hunger. He highlights the importance of integrating humanitarian aid with local resilience efforts. Culinary historian Michael Twitty, known for his insightful work on Southern foodways, shares his journey uncovering the painful and rich heritage of Black Americans in agriculture. Twitty emphasizes the significance of history in shaping equitable food policies and celebrates kinship through shared culinary traditions.


