Ep 226 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara dig into the headlines shaping agriculture, policy, and culture — with their usual dose of snark and sincerity.

First up: The raw meat trend taking over social media. From carnivore to completely raw, influencers are eating uncooked steak, liver, and butter straight from the stick. The hosts explore why ex-vegans are leading this movement and what it says about our relationship with extreme diets and social media virality.

Then, Cracker Barrel's $700 million rebrand disaster that wiped out Uncle Herschel and the iconic barrel — only to reverse course within days after massive backlash. Natalie and Tara unpack why nostalgia branding matters more than ever and how one comedian's take perfectly captured what went wrong.

Next, CAT Construction nails viral marketing with their Taylor Swift engagement post, proving that sometimes the best brand moments come from jumping into cultural conversations at exactly the right time. Plus, the agricultural connections hiding in plain sight behind celebrity moments.

And finally, California's almond industry faces an unexpected enemy: rats. With $300 million in damages and 100,000+ acres affected, this rodent invasion is threatening 80% of the world's almond supply. But is this crisis as new as headlines suggest?

BUT WAIT — there's more!

Stick around for an exclusive interview recorded live at Farm Progress with Case IH, diving deep into their newest Steiger 785 Quad Track — the highest horsepower tractor to date. From precision tech to operator comfort, Mark Burns and Kendall Quandahl break down what 853 peak horsepower means for modern farming.

What We Discovered This Week 🤠

🪩 Raw meat trend: When carnivore goes extreme 🪩 Cracker Barrel's $700M rebrand fail and quick recovery 🪩 CAT Construction's viral Taylor Swift marketing win 🪩 Flesh-eating screwworm update from Mexico border 🪩 California's $300M rat problem threatens global almond supply 🪩 Case IH unveils game-changing Steiger 785 Quad Track

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Intro + What's in This Episode 01:15 Merch winner + What we Said at Farm Progress02:55 Discovery 1: #FoodTok and the Raw Meat Carnivore Trend09:10 Does Being Vegan Make You Sick?20:23 Sponsor Break - Mary T. Faber for Your Accounting22:59 Sponsor Break - Tubes & Co. for Your Skincare Needs23:46 Discovery 2: Cracker Barrel's Failed Rebrand32:32 Brand Accountability and Other Marketing Lessons34:16 Discovery 3: CAT Construction - Taylor Swift Engagement Collab41:36 Sponsor Break - Our Farms: Farm-Fresh Food at Your Doorstep43:40 Sponsor Break - Sunrise Flour Mill: The Best Flour Ever44:24 How Does the Flesh-Eating Screw-Worm Affect You?46:32 Discovery 4: Rats and California's Almond Industry – Scale & Solutions55:29 Closing thoughts + Next on 'Discover on the Road'57:15 Case IH Interview (full) — Steiger 7-85 Quad Track

 

🪩 WELCOME TO DISCOVER AG

A top-ranked podcast where agriculture meets pop culture. Hosted by @NatalieKovarik — western tastemaker & millennial cattle rancher — and @TaraVanderDussen — sustainability expert & millennial dairy farmer. Every week, we dive into the top headlines in food, agriculture, and Western culture with a pop culture twist.

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