Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg (by Food Tank)

Join Maddy DeVita, a Zero Hunger Activist Council member, Chef Jon Kung, a culinary storyteller, and Andrew Zimmern, a humanitarian advocate, as they tackle pressing issues of hunger and climate action. Maddy emphasizes the importance of engaging youth through school meal programs. Jon Kung shares how culinary storytelling can introduce sustainable practices to young audiences. Andrew Zimmern discusses the need for a unified food policy and the moral imperative to end childhood hunger, advocating for actionable solutions to foster empowerment and food security.

Alice Waters, renowned chef and food activist, discusses her Edible Schoolyard Project, integrating gardens into classrooms for hands-on learning. She shares insights on building farmer relationships through local procurement and highlights the need for a regenerative school lunch system. Representative Chellie Pingree draws on her farming background to explain federal conservation programs that support sustainable practices and the resurgence of Maine agriculture. Together, they emphasize the importance of biodiversity, education, and bipartisan advocacy in shaping future food policy.

Food Tank is live all week at WNYC-NPR’s The Greene Space running food and agriculture programming at Climate Week NYC with over 300 speakers, 60 performers, and 15 events. Watch these conversations live on Food Tank’s YouTube channel, or by visiting FoodTank.com. While you are on our website please also become a Food Tank member to ensure programming like this continues. This episode takes you to our summit "The Performing Arts Light the Way,” In partnership with the McKnight Foundation and the Broadway Green Alliance. Award-winning actress and environmental activist Alysia Reiner (Orange Is the New Black, Ms. Marvel) joins Danielle Nierenberg for a conversation on art and advocacy. 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.

Food Tank is live all week at WNYC-NPR’s The Greene Space running food and agriculture programming at Climate Week NYC with over 300 speakers, 60 performers, and 15 events. Watch these conversations live on Food Tank’s YouTube channel, or by visiting FoodTank.com. While you are on our website please also become a Food Tank member to ensure programming like this continues. This episode takes you to our summit "Roadmap to a Delicious, Nutritious, and Regenerative Food Future for All,” In partnership with Unilever. Our first conversation is with Rasmus Monk, (Alchemist, Spora) who speaks with Kim Severson (The New York Times) about “holistic cuisine,” immersive dining, and how food experiences can push boundaries, spark dialogue, and inspire climate and food system change. Then, Dani speaks with David Gelles about his forthcoming book Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away, and what Patagonia’s story reveals about business, climate, and responsibility. 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.

Dana Gunders, President of ReFED and a champion against food waste, teams up with Michael Grunwald, food and climate columnist. They dive into the alarming trends of food wastage in the U.S., highlighting the role of federal initiatives and local policies. Gunders shares practical tips for households to reduce waste, while Grunwald discusses how storytelling can shift public perspectives. Both emphasize the need for innovative solutions and behavioral nudges to combat waste, urging listeners to focus on impactful individual actions like reducing meat consumption.

Dan Barber, a chef and co-owner of Blue Hill, champions regenerative agriculture and flavorful farming, sharing the journey of creating innovative seeds. He emphasizes that sustainability and taste go hand in hand. Jason Buechel, CEO of Whole Foods Market, discusses how grocery retailers can foster sustainability through support for farmer transitions and reducing food waste. Both guests highlight the importance of collaboration in ensuring a resilient food system and call for actionable steps for a sustainable future.

On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Ben Mand, CEO of the yerba mate beverage company Yerba Madre. They discuss how companies can support partner farmers in the transition to regenerative agriculture practices, the changing expectations of consumers, and starting small for a big impact. Plus, hear about the struggles of American farmers as the consequences of U.S. tariffs on China play out, a new proposal from the EPA to end a program requiring polluters to report greenhouse gas emissions, the economic toll of unsustainable practices, and a new AI tool that’s being rolled out to support Malawi’s smallholder farmers. 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.

On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Dr. Jane Nyaranga Ambuku Wamatu, a Senior Small Ruminant Nutritionist at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). They discuss the role that animal agriculture plays in regenerative food systems, how scientists can work alongside farmers to develop resilience, and training youth to become agri-preneurs. Plus hear about what’s in the latest report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission, what new findings reveal about women’s role in sub-Saharan food and agriculture systems, the devastation caused by heavy rains in India and Pakistan, and hopeful news on pesticide regulation. 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.

On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Cary Fowler, President of the new Food Security Leadership Council and Anna Nelson, Executive Director of the Food Security Leadership Council. They discuss the link between food security and peace, the self-inflicted harm created by the U.S. government’s decision to retreat from the global stage, and the incredible returns that are possible when we invest in agricultural research and development. Plus, hear about the upcoming programming at Climate Week NYC that matters more than ever, why the climate crisis is likely to send childhood poverty rates soaring in Latin America and the Caribbean, and what the latest resignations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mean for public health.  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.

On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Maximo Torero, Chief Economist for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. They discuss what the latest numbers reveal about progress on food and nutrition security in the world, why food price inflation is outpacing global inflation, and the opportunities food and agriculture systems offer youth—along with the policies that can help them unlock this potential. Plus, hear about the first human case of a flesh-eating parasite detected in the United States and why it matters for farmers, a key deforestation agreement that’s under threat in Brazil, Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis, and the economic damage caused by the Trump-Vance Administration’s deportation efforts.  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.