On this exciting season 2 finale, we explore the world of cooperatives and the co-operative advantage with the longstanding and pioneering Ashland Food Co-op in Ashland, Oregon. With produce manager Joe Reyes and cooperative expert Annie Hoy, we talk AFC's origin story and evolution, how they developed into the northwest's first Certified Organic Retailer, the many parallels between food safety and certified organic standards, and so much more!

Seven Cooperative Principles

Ashland Food Coop

Co-Op Development Resources:

Northwest Cooperative Development Center

California Co-op Development Center

National Co-op Business Association/CLUSA

Food Co-Op Initiative

University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives

With the recent 2024 final rollout of FSMA's Produce Safety Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water (Subpart E), there's been a lot of chatter and some confusion about what growers need to do to comply. We got the dish from Michigan State University extension educator and on-farm food safety statewide coordinator Phil Tocco. Hear what Phil has to say about water hazards, risks, and assessing your own ag water as he distills technical regulatory language into an accessible pool of knowledge that empowers growers.

Risk Prioritization Tool for Agricultural Water

Past, future, and present visions of ancient grains all intersect in Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley Heritage Grain Project--farmer Chris Hardy's pursuit of ancient, nutrient dense grains and legumes that will thrive in the increasingly arid bio-region of lower Cascadia. Starting with a spoonful of seeds, to embarking on a worldwide search for rare and resilient heritage cultivars, back to the inner-mountain valleys of Oregon, RVHGP has amassed one of the largest "Living Seed Banks" in the western United States. Hear from farmers Chris Hardy and Steve Fry, owner of one of the Rogue Valley's largest diversified organic farms, as they recount the origins of this project, how they've adopted dry farming practices, why good grain is a food safety & public health matter, and much more!

Learn more about the Rogue Valley Heritage Grain Project!

In recent years, wildfire disasters in the United States have prompted many growers to ask questions about how to navigate post-wildfire food safety concerns with their crops and livestock. We talk with wildfire resilience expert Amber Schat-Kenig, shepherd & butcher Dylan Boeken, and Community Alliance with Family Farmers' (CAFF) Farmer Support Services Director Kali Feiereisel on the collaborative resource from CAFF and NFU of the same name, "What to Know About Wildfire & Food Safety." The resource aims to provide guidance about common concerns, how to assess potential impacts, and what remediation and mitigation options are available. This podcast episode digs a bit deeper and elaborates on the science and recommendations of the resource.

Resources:

What to Know About Wildfire & Food Safety Resource

CAFF Wildfire Preparation & Resilience

CAFF Emergency Support

Boek House Hearth & Husbandry

We got the dish on seaweed from marine aquaculture specialist Anoushka Concepcion, an associate extension educator at UConn Avery Point's SeaGrant program and leader of the National Seaweed Hub, which collaboratively addresses the emerging needs of the national seaweed aquaculture industry. We take a deep dive into seaweed aquaculture: what it consists of, new market opportunities and challenges, and of course, how food safety ties into it all.

Resources:

• The National Seaweed Hub
• The Connecticut Sea Grant Seaweed Cultivation Page:
  • Business Planning for Kelp Farming
  • CT Seaweed Food Safety Hazards Guide
  • Understanding Culinary Markets for Seaweed in Southern New England Report
  • Collection of Seaweed recipes

Yes, we CAN utilize Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)! Hear from inspired producer, baker, and entrepreneur Shamilla Roberts and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association's Food Systems Specialist Keisha Rainey on how CFSA's cGMP online module program has helped Shamilla grow her food business. We discuss how the module is a great foundation for building thriving, food-safe businesses, preserving peak harvests, and how more accessible community preserved foods can help us realize a better food future.

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

CFSA Events & Trainings

Green Raven Organics

If you are interested in CFSA's CGMP online modules, please contact Keisha at keisha@carolinafarmstewards.org

Hear all about the buzz from apiary operations at two different ends of the country: urban bee keepers Timothy Paule and Nicole Lindsey of Detroit Hives in Michigan, and from Tara Chapman of Two Hives Honey in Austin, Texas. They share how pollinators fit into and enhance the fabric of an urban landscape, how they navigate consumer expectations on honey, and how food safety and security are tied to our small but mighty pollinators. Bees Please!

Detroit Hives

Two Hives Honey

In this exciting, jam-packed episode, we talk with National Farmers Union's Government Relations team members Mike Stranz and Aaron Shier, as well all-star urban growers Akello Karamoko and Romondo Woods II from Detroit, Michigan. We discuss how NFU's grassroots advocacy works, and hear from Akello and Romondo's experience bringing issues from the farm all the way up to their representatives on Capitol Hill. Tune in to hear how you too can become an advocate for your farm community, at home and beyond!

Get involved with NFU!

Keep Growing Detroit

Urban Youth Agriculture (UYA) Detroit