This episode of the Farm Walks Podcast is the first part of the WA Meat Up Double Feature.

In this episode we talk with Imad Ahmad of Olive Branch Ranch. Imad is a diversified livestock farmer in South Puget Sound, providing custom-exempt, halal meats for his local community. We get to dig into all the meaty details with Imad about his operation and raising and harvesting halal livestock.  Olive Branch Ranch was recently awarded a Local Meat Processing Capacity Grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).

Later in the episode, we talk with Alyssa Jumars, from the WSDA Regional Markets Meat & Poultry Assistance Program, about all of the great resources available for producers and meat processors in Washington State.

This episode is the second part of the WA Meat Up Double Feature!

In this episode of the Farm Walks Podcast, we sit down with Shelley Muzzall of 3 Sisters Family Farm on Whidbey Island and her butcher Travis Stockstill of Island Grown Farmers Cooperative (IGFC). We cover a lot of ground from the unique Island Grown Farmers Co-op model (the first ever USDA Mobile processing unit of its kind!) and how it has impacted its members and the local meat economy.  IGFC was recently awarded a Local Meat Processing Capacity Grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).

Later in the episode, we talk with Alyssa Jumars, from the WSDA Regional Markets Meat & Poultry Assistance Program, about all of the great resources available for producers and meat processors in Washington State.

Osman Ruiz Amador, propietario de Amador Farms, dirige una operación con su familia de mercado directo de frutas y verduras diversificadas. Su granja se enfoca en vender directamente a los consumidores a través de los mercados de agricultores en todo el estado. Osman explica sus experiencias en la agricultura y cómo capacita a todos los que trabajan en la granja y en los mercados, sobre los estándares y prácticas de inocuidad de productos. 

Más adelante en el episodio, Jacqui Gordon Núñez comparte recursos adicionales y recomendaciones para los productores para la capacitación de empleados, sobre la inocuidad alimentaria y detalles sobre lo que FSMA y la Norma de Inocuidad de Productos Agrícolas significa para los productores.

Haley Olson-Wailand and Zach Wailand, owners of Dharma Ridge Farm, run a certified organic, diversified, wholesale produce operation. Their farm is Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified, and they recently underwent their first WSDA Produce Safety Rule inspection. Haley and Zach discuss land access, produce safety improvements, and how they’ve scaled up their farm business over time. 

Later in the episode, Connie Fisk, manager of the WSDA Produce Safety Program, describes what farms should expect during inspections and how to prepare for common issues inspectors are observing in the field. 

Hilario Álvarez y su familia dirigen Alvarez Organic Farms, una granja de vegetales diversificados orgánicos certificados en Mabton, WA, donde cultivan 200 variedades de pimientos y 300 variedades de verduras. Han estado en el negocio agrícola durante más de 30 años y hablamos con ellos sobre cómo su granja ha cambiado recientemente, incluso durante la pandemia de COVID-19, específicamente en lo que respecta a la gestión y las ventas de los empleados.

Más adelante en el episodio hablamos con Davis Blasini y Ricardo Orellana de la Alianza de la Inocuidad Alimentaria (Produce Safety Alliance) sobre la importancia de la inocuidad alimentaria, las nuevas regulaciones y cómo puede abrir puertas para nuevos mercados.

Este episodio del podcast Farm Walks cuenta con el apoyo de la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos (FDA) del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos (HHS) como parte de un premio por un total de $ 25,000 recibidos de la Unión Nacional de Agricultores con el 100 por ciento financiado por la FDA / HHS. Los contenidos son los del autor (s) y no necesariamente representan los puntos de vista oficiales por parte de la FDA, el HHS o el Gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Para obtener más información, visite FDA.gov.

Bryan Mesa of De La Mesa Farms runs a 2.5 acre no-till, regenerative market garden in Tacoma, WA with his family. In this episode, we talk with Bryan about moving their farm all the way from Hawaii during the pandemic and the food safety factors he considered when setting up the farm on the new property. 

Later in the episode, we connect with Anita Adalja of Ashokra Farm who is a farmer and trained USDA GAP Auditor and also works on food safety trainings for small growers. Anita brings up important considerations for wash/pack spaces and tips for making farms more food safe.

In this episode, we are joined by Isaac Jahns of Big Sage Organics, Brian Estes of LINC Malt, and Matthew Hoffman of Westland Distillery as we follow the journey of a barley crop along the organic grain supply chain from farm to malthouse to distillery. 

We cover a lot of ground in this episode, discussing the formation of a valuable partnership, barley and its role in soil health, and elements that contribute to unique flavors in craft whiskey.

The Farm Walks Podcast is collaboratively organized by WSU Extension, Tilth Alliance and WSU Food Systems. This episode is generously supported by Organic Valley’s Farmers Advocating for Organic (FAFO) grant program.

In this episode, we talk with Val Wall at Whitehorse Meadows Farm about her most significant pest and wildlife issues, and how she protects her crops from animal intrusion and mitigates contamination issues when they arise. 

You’ll gain direct insight into her trials and tribulations and how she built an effective netting structure, ultimately increasing her marketable yield. 

Later, Karen Ullmann at the Washington State Department of Agriculture will discuss what animal mitigation practices the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) requires under the Produce Safety Rule, one of seven rules under FSMA or the Food Safety Modernization Act. The rule establishes federal, scientific-based standards for minimizing microbial contamination and the risk of foodborne illness linked to fruits and vegetables.

Chelsey and Ben Mesman are a fifth generation husband/wife farming team who, with Ben’s father Alan, are running Mesman Farm: a certified organic dairy operation and Organic Valley Co-op Member in La Conner, WA. 

We get to chat about how they run their operation, what it takes to be a dairy farmer these days, and learn about their robotic milker! 

Later in the episode, we connect with Ellie Stone, who works in the Marketing and Sales department at Organic Valley. She shares more about the beginnings of the Organic Valley Co-op and how it’s grown to support 1800 farm families throughout the nation.

Bradley and Lisha Newhall run Windy N Ranch, a certified organic diversified livestock operation and an on-farm butcher shop. 

On this episode of Farm Walks we talk to them about their reasoning for going certified organic, and how slaughter and wrap and pack challenges pushed them to pursue processing their own meat. 

Later in the episode, we talk with Matthew Cox of Green Bow Farm where we learn more about the USDA FSIS exemption and how they are now processing and marketing their meats through their own farmstand.