The Big Food Question

As millions of kids returned to school over the past month, one of the biggest questions was how to provide nutritious meals to them. It’s become an even bigger problem as many school systems began the year with fully-remote schedules. To understand the role that recently extended USDA waivers play in making food accessible for students, Kat Johnson turns to Jessica Fu, Staff Writer at The Counter.

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This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

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In this episode of The Big Food Question, we hear from Julia Coney, a wine writer, wine educator, speaker, consultant, and activist. She also recently founded Black Wine Professionals, a resource intended to lift up the multifaceted Black professionals in the world of wine. In an interview with HRN host of The Grape Nation, Sam Benrubi, they discuss what it will take for the wine industry to become more inclusive and what is a reasonable timeline to expect change. Plus, Julia shares the origin story and plan for the Black Wine Professionals platform and tells listeners how they can get involved. 

For more information:

Visit the Black Wine Professionals website.

Listen to the full hour-long interview between Julia Coney and Sam Benrubi on Episode 154 of The Grape Nation wherever you get your podcasts or on HRN’s website here. 

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With fall approaching, many are wondering if farm-based activities like apple picking and corn mazes are safe. Kat Johnson speaks to Caylin Sanders of EscapeMaker and Jamie Ager of Hickory Nut Gap about the impacts that Covid-19 has had on farms – particularly those who rely on agritourism to stay in business.

Agritourism is broadly defined as any activity that brings visitors to a farm. If you’ve ever shopped from a farm stand, toured a winery, or picked your own berries, then you are an agri-tourist. Most farms use agritourism for supplemental income – but some farms located near urban areas increasingly rely on visitors for significant revenue. 

Another big question looming is can agritourism help farms survive Covid-19? Both Sanders and Ager share thoughts on what the future may hold.

For further resources on how to stay safe while visiting farms this year, see guidelines released by Massachusetts and Maryland.

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For a long time there has been a conversation about the high rates that third party ordering apps charge restaurants. With the added financial stresses caused by COVID-19 and rapidly dwindling revenue for operators, this issue has been brought to the forefront. In this episode David “Rev” Ciancio of Branded Strategic Hospitality shares strategies to make third party, first party, or last mile delivery solutions work for your restaurant. He discusses what to consider if you’re building a digital ordering suite for in-house delivery in addition to sharing other options to save money on delivery while still creating a branded experience for the consumer. 

Find Rev’s free webinars on Youtube, like this one and this one about delivery. And Rev’s bootcamp will pick up again in the fall. To get in touch with Rev and keep up with upcoming events and additional resources, visit his website here or find him on Instagram and Facebook.

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The agricultural industry faces challenges – from shrinking demand to a strained supply chain. Farmers need relief from a crisis caused by the pandemic. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program was created to keep them financially afloat. This week on The Big Food Question, Eric Deeble (Policy Director at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition) walks us through the sometimes-complicated system that is CFAP.

Farmers.gov/CFAP:  https://www.farmers.gov/cfap

Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/arcplc_program/index

Paycheck Protection Program: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program

List of Eligible Specialty Crops: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/specialty

List of Eligible Non-Specialty Crops: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/non-specialty

List of Eligible Livestock: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Negotiations are underway for the second round of coronavirus relief funding, as millions of Americans just received their final $600 weekly unemployment benefits. Congress cancelled its traditional August recess in order to stay in Washington to continue working on the bill, but that doesn’t mean we should expect to see them reach any decisions quickly. To understand where things currently stand on individual payments, farm aid, unemployment, SNAP benefits, PPP, and what we should watch for, we welcome Claire Brown, Senior Staff Writer at The Counter.

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As millions of Americans file unemployment claims amid the Covid-19 pandemic, many states are working to make emergency SNAP benefits easily accessible for struggling families. Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the USDA is allowing states to relax requirements and waiting periods so that families can continue participating in or apply for SNAP.

But once someone receives SNAP benefits, how can they use them to safely purchase food? Today, we look at two programs using technology to increase access and value when shoppers swipe their EBT cards – at farmers markets, grocery stores, and online.

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sother Teague shares his detailed playbook for re-opening his East Village bar with indoor seating when the time comes. He expects he will only be allowed 8 guests at a time - less than half his normal capacity. Taking into consideration capital, staffing and safety he has laid out a reservation system that he believes will decrease points of contact, provide enough revenue to stay afloat, and establish high hygiene standards. The question remains however, when he will set the plan into motion. Sother also recommends viewing the resources available at www.barmagic.com/relief.

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cheryl Straughter is the owner of the Boston restaurant and catering company, Soleil. After her business temporarily shut down due to the pandemic, she found relief in joining The Boston Black Hospitality Coalition, which aims to preserve the few gathering spaces for the city’s many black residents. She shares the coalitions demands, offers advice for those looking to organize, and discusses the systemic challenges Black owned businesses are facing.  

To learn more about The Boston Black Hospitality Coalition, visit blackhospitlaityco.com

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

HR Expert, Sarah Diehl of Empowered Hospitality addresses the many questions and considerations restaurant operators must take into consideration when bringing staff back to work. She shares advice about the best way for operators to reach out to employees that have been laid off, what barriers they should expect to encounter, how declinations may affect PPP loans and more. 

To learn more, check out these resources mentioned in the episode:

Oyster Sunday: The Impact of Rehiring on Unemployment Benefits: https://www.oystersunday.com/resources/unemployment

The New York Department of Labor: What You Need to Know: https://dol.ny.gov/

Empowered Hospitality: Rehiring Employees: https://www.reopenhospitality.com/backend/rehiring-employees

Have a question you want answered? Email us at [email protected]

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.