"Why is it that low-income people have processed food and junk food and people who have privilege and money have healthy food options?" asks Karen Washington of Rise and Root Farm. Karen is trying to change the food system and the narrative that comes with it.

Sarah Flack, author and grazing expert, describes the "magic" of grass-based ag saying, "Good grazing management is win-win in so many different ways." She even addresses the concern of vegetarians and vegans (hint: not all animal agriculture is created equal). Join us for this enlightening conversation!

"The reason organic is not a fad ... is because cancer is not a fad, autism is not a trend. Food allergies are not fads and consumers need to know where their food is coming from." Robyn O'Brien says food allergies are a real part of our lives today, and our food system is doing little to help, and she shares how organic food is part of the solution.

"Hungry kids can't think and malnourished kids can't learn - that's just the reality," says Chef Ann Cooper (aka the Renegade Lunch Lady). Today Ann shares how she's working to transform school lunches for all and setting new - higher - standards.

"Probably more than half of the fish we eat right now are farmed, whether it's oysters or shrimp, tilapia or catfish," says Sheila Bowman of Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program. It's no longer a matter of simply comparing the taste of fresh vs. farmed fish - where those fish come from is equally, or even more, important.

"While pesticides have been marketed as a necessity to growing food and supposedly feeding the world, what they have actually done is unravel our communities' capacity to provide healthy, nourishing food." Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, senior scientist at the Pesticide Action Network shares the alarming picture of pesticides in our food system - and what we can do to help.

We've all heard bees are dying, but how bad is it really? "We ignore the plight of pollinators at our own folly," says Eric Lee-Mader of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. "All of us can be stewards of pollinator habitat." Eric shares the alarming picture, but he also shares some real actions that we all can take to help turn the tide.

We continue our discussion of the serious pesticides problem that our country is facing in part 2 of our 2-part conversation with Jay Feldman of Beyond Pesticides. "As an environmental and public health issue, pesticides are in our lives every day," says Jay. "Why are we using these materials that are associated with diseases if we don't need them, if there are alternative practices that can be used?"

As an environmental and public health issue, pesticides are in our lives every day," says Jay Feldman of Beyond Pesticides. "Why are we using these materials that are associated with diseases if we don't need them, if there are alternative practices that can be used?" This is part 1 of a 2-part episode on the serious pesticide problem our country is facing today.

We're back with Michele Merkel of Food & Water Watch to learn how we can engage our elected officials between elections to make food and water issues a priority.