In this episode of Canary in a Cornfield, host Adam speaks with Angela Huffman, co-founder of the farmer-led watchdog group Farm Action, about how consolidation and weak antitrust enforcement have reshaped U.S. agriculture and squeezed farmers, workers, and consumers. Huffman responds to a widely covered letter from former USDA officials and commodity leaders warning of agricultural collapse, agreeing with its concerns about broad Trump-era tariffs and retaliation but arguing it overlooks the root cause: decades of consolidation and policies that reward overproduction of commodity crops and export dependence. The conversation covers Farm Action’s data on corporate control across the food chain, concerns about price fixing and small settlements in the meat sector, and policy priorities for the 2026 Farm Bill, including rebuilding regional processing, diversifying farms toward food crops and mixed systems, and using government procurement to support healthier, locally produced food. They also discuss efforts to override California’s Proposition 12, pesticide immunity proposals, and Farm Action’s outlook on renewed federal investigations into meatpacker price fixing.

Links from episode:

Farm Action Website

Former Farming Leaders Warn U.S. Agriculture Could Face ‘Widespread Collapse’

The Farm Crisis Is Real. But This Letter Misses the Point

Tyson’s $48 Million “Price-Fixing” Check Won’t Lower Your Grocery Bill

Don’t forget to register for the Harkin on Wellness Symposium on March 11!

My guest for this episode is Kari Hamerschlag, Deputy Director of Friends of the Earth’s Agricultural Program. I’ve followed her work for a while, which includes both great work in the US and also work dealing with international institutions. What caught my eye most recently is an op-ed that Kari wrote for the Hill where she discusses something that’s being missed in many of the discussions about toxic chemicals in her food.

Namely, the dense amount of toxic contaminants that accumulate in animal tissue, fat, and milk that comes from industrial animal agriculture. In this episode, we discussed the op-ed Friends of the Earth’s extensive environmental portfolio of working on agricultural issues. And we continue our discussion of the recent nutrition guidelines.

Kari also gives some great suggestions of what her priorities are in regards to reforming our current agricultural system.

Links for the week:

Friends of the Earth’s Food and Agriculture Page

Kari’s Op-Ed: Saturated fat debate overlooks toxic chemical contaminants in industrial meat

Last week’s discussion of the Nutrition Guidelines with Professor Marion Nestle

 In this episode, Adam speaks with one of the most influential voices in public health and food policy today. Professor Marion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Science, and Public Health, emerita, at New York University, a department she not only chaired for 15 years, but essentially pioneered when she founded one of the nation’s first academic food studies programs. We discuss her new book, What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find it and Why it Matters, including observations on what’s changed since the pandemic and a detailed description of the dynamics of how supermarkets convince people to buy more (often unhealthy) food. Professor Nestle also offers a detailed critique of the new USDA Dietary Guidelines, which includes both positive and negative suggestions but unfortunately has a clear emphasis on some of the least supported claims.

Some relevant links:

Professor Nestle’s blog: https://www.foodpolitics.com/

Buy her new book, What to Eat Now!

The Iowa Farmer’s Union Lunch and Learn interview with Dr. Nestle

In this episode of Canary in a Cornfield, Adam interviews Matthew Dominguez from Compassion In World Farming (CIWF). They discuss CIWF’s work in the United States and abroad, and talk about an important recent report about food waste that illustrates how industrial farming significantly contributes to inefficiencies and environmental degradation. Matthew explains that factory farming, despite being touted as efficient, wastes massive amounts of food resources that could otherwise feed billions. The conversation touches on the global impact of farming practices, the necessity for policy changes, and the benefits of regenerative farming and plant-forward diets. Matthew also shares his background and advocacy journey, emphasizing the need to align agricultural subsidies with public health and environmental sustainability.

Links from the show:

Compassion in World Farming USA

Food Not Feed: How to Stop the World’s Biggest Source of Food Waste Full Report

Food Not Feed Summary

Greener By Default (mentioned in episode)

Denmark actually has quite a bit in common with Iowa; the country has a population of roughly 6 million people, but raises almost 30 million pigs per year. Iowa raises about 25 millions hogs/year and has a human population of about 3.2 million people. But one thing Denmark doesn’t have in common with Iowa is that their government take nitrates in drinking water very, very seriously!

In this episode of Canary in a Cornfield, the podcast explores the connection between nitrates in drinking water and cancer with Professor Thor Halldorsson from the University of Iceland. Professor Halldorsson chaired the Denmark Ministry of the Environment's Scientific Committee, which suggested a new drinking water standard significantly lower than the current EU and US standards. The discussion delves into the biological mechanisms linking nitrates to cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, and highlights a comprehensive study involving 1.7 million people in Denmark. The episode also covers the differences in nitrate measurement between the US and EU, the agricultural context of Denmark, and how these findings could influence global standards.

Some links from the podcast:

The report from the Denmark Ministry of the Environment.

The Schullehner et al 2018 study “Nitrate in drinking water and colorectal cancer risk: A nationwide population-based cohort study”

Another important study: “Source-specific nitrate and nitrite intake and association with colorectal cancer in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort”

In the latest episode of Canary in a Cornfield, Adam interviews Professor and author Neil Hamilton from Drake University. They discuss Professor Hamilton's impactful career, which includes founding the Drake Agricultural Law Center and the Iowa Nature Summit, as well as chairing the Governor’s Food Policy Council from 2000 to 2007, and delve into Hamilton's trilogy of environmental books: The Land Remains, The River Knows, and Through Nature's Lens. Discussions include the evolution of agricultural law, the importance of community and advocacy in environmental policy, and the need ethical approaches to nature and food production. Hamilton also reflects on current issues in water quality, public health, and the significance of nurturing future generations of environmental advocates. The conversation reinforces the pivotal role law and community play in shaping sustainable agricultural and environmental policies.

In this episode of Canary in a Cornfield, host Adam speaks with Dr. Walter Willett, a leading expert in epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They discuss the first and second EAT Lancet reports, which examine the possibility of feeding the growing world population while staying within planetary boundaries.

Among the topics discussed:

• The current administration’s clash with higher ed institutions

• The first and second Eat Lancet Reports and their recommendations for a healthy and sustainable food system

• The need for reforming the food system if we want to address climate change.

• The industry funded PR campaign to undermine the report

• Simple rules for a healthy and environmentally friendly diet

Some relevant links from the episode:

The first EAT Lancet Report

The second EAT Lancet Report

The EAT Forum

Dr. Willett’s Faculty Page

Guardian Article: PR campaign may have fueled food study backlash, leaked document shows

In one of my favorite episodes so far, we speak with Michael Schmidt, the General Counsel of the Iowa Environmental Council, the largest environmental coalition in the state. Michael reflects on his time working in Minnesota and Iowa to give context to how the laws that regulate water quality impact our quality of life. He discusses the Clean Water Act, as well as competing constitutional amendments in the two states that have so far had very different outcomes. He also covers tile drainage, the Farm Bill, concentrated animal feeding operations, and rules that currently incentivize planting marginal land.

A few links related to the episode:

Local 5 News (with an interview of Michael)

KCCI: Drake University Hosts Town Hall on Water Quality Solutions

Des Moines Register: Takeaways from a town hall on Iowa water quality at Drake University

In this episode of Canary in a Cornfield, hosted by the Harkin Institute, Adam speaks with Bob Martin, a longtime advocate for agricultural reform. Martin, who served nearly two decades at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, discusses his role as the executive director of the Pew Commission’s landmark report ‘Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America.’ The conversation delves into the report’s origin, key recommendations on public health, the environment, and animal welfare, and the challenges of advocating for systemic change in the face of industry resistance. Martin reflects on his extensive career in politics and policy, shares insights on the current state of agriculture, and emphasizes the importance of continuing advocacy for sustainable farming practices.

Links:

The Pew Report: Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America

Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future

In this episode of Canary in a Cornfield, host Adam Shriver discusses the promises and pitfalls of biogas digesters with Patty Lovera from the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment. The conversation explores the alleged environmental benefits of biogas digesters, their economic dependencies on public subsidies, and the long-term impacts on communities living near concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). While digesters are marketed as a green solution to manure management and methane reduction, they often fail to address the root environmental and public health problems, leading to increased consolidation in the agriculture industry. The episode also highlights the need for more durable, community-centered solutions over speculative industrial fixes.