Experts in agriculture, artificial intelligence, and technology sit down to discuss the current and future role of tech in agriculture. Former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack opens the discussion.
Alfalfa, Queen of Forages: Reconquering the Grasslands of Inner Mongolia
Alfalfa, “queen of forages,” a high-yielding crop with high nutritional quality, could make a big difference in the lives of the rural folk that carve out a living in Inner Mongolia.
A Woman’s Place: Voices from the Field
When the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) surveyed more than 3,500 farmers under 40 in 2017, 60 percent of the farmer respondents were women. And in 2012, the USDA Census of Agriculture found that 14 percent of principal farm operators were women, a nearly 300 percent increase since 1978, when it began counting women as farmers.
Food Tank, Google, US Chamber of Commerce, & Cross-Sector Partners Release Report on AI and Food
A new report, Refresh: Food and Tech, from Soil to Supper, is a new approach to talking about technology’s part in agriculture, playing both good and bad roles in the food system.
Baldor’s 360 System Ends Food Waste for Companies and Consumers
On Food Talk, Thomas McQuillan, Vice President of Strategy, Culture, and Sustainability at Baldor Specialty Foods, talks about how to change the course of food waste.
“Food Has to Be Really Good For Everyone Involved in the Food Chain”
On Food Talk, Sara Brito talks about what better food means for the food system: “to be really good, food has to be really good for everyone involved in the food chain.”
The Fate of a USDA Program That Helps Small Farms Survive Is Uncertain
A USDA study found businesses that received VAPG grants were significantly more likely to succeed compared to similar businesses that did not, and created more jobs. As U.S. farmers face unique economic challenges, the VAPG program may be discontinued.
“Know That We’re Interconnected” In Fighting Farmer Poverty, Says Theyer
On “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg,” Executive Director of Fairtrade America Hans Theyer talks about what it takes to support the faces behind the world’s food.
Large Companies Are “More Open Than I’ve Ever Seen Before” to Food System Change
On Food Talk, Executive Director of the Global Harvest Initiative Margaret Zeigler talks about the private sector’s energy to address sustainability and food productivity.
“Our Motivation Wasn’t Just Organic: It Was Saving Family Farms”
On Food Talk, George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley, talks about what drives the co-op: an exciting mission, love for organic, and care for farmers and their communities.
Can Measuring Evaporation Help Farmers Save Water?
Farmers often rely on rainfall estimates from radar stations to effectively manage their crops. But what if those estimates are wrong? Scientists from the University of Missouri are developing new weather models that account for evaporation in order to improve rainfall measurements.
Reshaping the Global Food System: “It’s About Leading” for Big Food Companies
On Food Talk, Justin Whitmore of Tyson Foods talks about the company’s ambitious goals for a sustainable, making a better food system for both people and the planet.
Controlling Food: An Excerpt from Nourished Planet
The control over food often signifies power over others. While women make up the majority of the agricultural labor force worldwide, they retain little control over their lives. With more resources, female farmers have the potential to regain this control while bringing millions out of hunger.
Oxfam America: “Hunger Is About Power”
Food Tank had the opportunity to talk with Abby Maxman, President of Oxfam America about the right to food and lasting solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as climate change and gender inequality.
Who Will Feed the Future?
These farmers, photographed by world-renowned photographers, upend the dominant story that industrial agriculture—dependent on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, pesticides, and drug cocktails in animal operations—is key to feeding a growing world population.
“Protecting our future starts with protecting our food supply”
Food Tank had the opportunity to speak with Tobias Grasso, President of North America for Sealed Air’s Food Care division about his relationship to food, passion for farmers, and vision for a stronger food system.
Farming Better Isn’t Enough: We Need to Protect Land
Niman Ranch farmers Jan and Steve Petersen are breaking beyond what it typically means to be a farmer, inspiring conservation and sustainable practices in their community.
Innovations in Climate Smart Agriculture offer South Asian Farmers Prosperity, Part 2
The challenges associated with food security in South Asia are exacerbated by long-term changes in average temperatures, precipitation, and climate variability. Adaptation to climate change is necessary to ensure food security and protect livelihoods of poor farmers.
Grabbing Land: An Excerpt from Nourished Planet
Land grabbing occurs when private investors, often encouraged by governments, purchase and take over control of farmland. This escalates food price volatility, food insecurity, and poverty, which is most burdensome on rural and developing areas.
Helping Refugees Become Sustainable Farmers
New Roots for Refugees works with refugees to build independence through farming. Empowering graduates of the program to acquire their own land, they hope farmers will expand their businesses and continue selling produce at local markets.
