Megan Meiklejohn, leader in Transparency Management and SVP of Supply Chain Innovation at the Savory Institute, joins Joe Witte to talk about product sustainability and full transparency in fashion companies.
 
Megan and Joe cover topics such as:  

• The environmental impact of the fashion industry
• The increase in regenerative processes at the farm level 
• Current major industry disruptors and challenges

Learn more about:
TagOne | https://www.tagone.com
Savory Institute | https://savory.global

Asa Waldstein,  Founder and Principal of Supplement Advisory Group and prominent figure of the American Herbal Products Association,  joins Joe Witte to talk about hemp/CBD industry standards and strategies in achieving brand authenticity.
 
Asa and Joe cover topics such as:  

• How making certain marketing claims for your supplements and CBD can put your company at risk
• The unforeseen risks of FDA warning letters
• Managing claims on social media and blogs (and how to avoid FDA issues)
• Preparing for FDA audits

Learn more about:
TagOne | https://www.tagone.com
Supplement Advisory Group| https://www.asawaldstein.com/supplement-advisory-group

Karil Kochenderfer,  President of LINKAGES,  joins Joe Witte to talk about the push towards food transparency and traceability across the supply chain.
 
Karil and Joe cover topics such as: 

• The CBD industry's complex issues
• QR Codes and its growing use
• Tech traceability

Learn more about:
TagOne | https://www.tagone.com

Mark Carter, President of MC Squared and Manish Gupta , founder and CTO of TagOne join Joe Witte to talk about the FDA's New Era of Smarter Food  Safety and the recent Traceability Challenge.  Mark, Manish, and Joe cover topics such as: 

• The future of food safety 
• What food provenance looks like
• Tech traceability
• Primary risks to the food supply chain
• TagOne's Tech Traceability Management Systems 

Learn more about:
The IAFP | https://www.foodprotection.org

Jody McGinness, Executive Director of Hemp Industries Association, joins Joe Witte to talk about the history, present and future of HIA and hemp. Jody and Joe cover topics such as the evolution of HIA as the organization migrates from a grassroots organization, to a mature non-profit. Jody also provides insights on the importance of hemp as a solution in health, food, building materials and fiber. Jody and Joe also discuss the current CBD market with many of the issue, the role of the FDA, and how to remove the opaque restrictions of this super supplement. 

Learn more about Hemp Industries Association: https://thehia.org/ 

Steve Platt, CEO of BrightFarms, joins Joe Witte on "Getting Transparent". They discuss leadership lessons, going back to their days together at Penn State's Army ROTC program.  Steve also talked further about BrightFarms' mission of growing healthy, pesticide free  "leafy greens" in greenhouses. Steve shares the challenges in scaling the operation, how they integrate technology to streamline their supply chain and why their initiative is so important to changing the health of our country. 

Joe also dives in with Steve on the importance of the culture at BrightFarms, and how their relationships with their team, and their grocery retailers is the driving force behind their growth. 

https://www.brightfarms.com/
https://www.tagone.com/blog

Mark Carter, President of MC Squared, joins "Getting Transparent" and shares insights in to today's biggest risks in the food industry, the FDA's approach to traceability, and common mistakes entrepreneurs make along with innovative technologies, such as Britescan (a field testing technology using artificial intelligence). Mark also shares why he gives back to his non-profit, Lace it Up Sports. 

In this episode of Getting Transparent, Eric Vander Hyde, Co-Owner of Barefoot Botanicals (Bucks County, PA) joins the podcast to speak on his journey in organic farming and the unique ability of connecting people with plants. As Eric explains, the learning process isn't always simple - in fact it is usually difficult and comes with many set backs. Finding unique solutions, however, is one thing that has given Barefoot the sustainability and success that they experience today. Leveraging the power of technology and QR codes is just one of these things. Listen to the full episode for more on Eric's story and the benefits that transparency can give a brand. 

Ulrike Hodges, COO at SafeTraces and serial entrepreneur shares how her entrepreneurial journey led her to a company making a difference, SafeTraces.  Their innovative DNA fingerprinting is changing how food companies can trace the source and safety of their food, and how virus’ like Covid may travel in our airflow. Ulrike addresses typical concerns about implementing this new technology and identifies which sectors need it most. 

James Rice, CEO at Paradise Foods, joins Getting Transparent and shares stories of how he ended up in Papua New Guinea's largest country owned food processor company, and why is so focused on creating jobs in a country with 80% unemployment. James shares stories of how he built a culture of leading from the front as an outsider, and how 1 job can support 12 family members in this Pacific tropical country.  Also hear his vision on doubling the company and launching their coveted chocolate bar globally in the next three years.