In this special edition of the Iowa Podcast, recorded during the World Food Prize's Borlaug Dialogue, host Justin Brady captures a rare cross-section of voices that drive the global food security conversation—from international leaders to Iowa farmers.

Interviews with Mashal Husain, President of the World Food Prize Foundation; Brent Renner, soybean farmer and United Soybean Board member; and Ray Gasser, Iowa farmer and global agriculture advocate, paint a rich portrait of how Iowa's heartland is influencing global hunger solutions.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/world-food-prize

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99.9% of Iowa's prairies are gone and half of remaining 0.01% are in the Loess Hills. Saving and restoring native prairie land is critical to maintain soil health BUT saving it is remarkably difficult. Technological attempts have failed so Lance Brisbois of Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development has turned to a tried and true approach. Manually picking seed by hand.

Brisbois' last "Prairie Seed Harvest" for the season is Monday, October 20th. He's looking for volunteers to walk through nature and pick seed. The seed is used for conservation efforts, grown for sale, and provided to the DNR to maintain soil health. He explains why saving plant species is critical to soil and water quality, and why terrain has prevented technological solutions.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/iowa-prairie-land

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The ICE arrest of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts shocked Iowa, leaving community members with more questions than answers. In this interview, newly installed Interim Superintendent, Matt Smith tries to fill the information vacuum, but concedes much of the process was a mystery even to him.

Serving as Associate Superintendent, this will be his second time stepping into the role left open by controversy. Smith says he was kept out of much of the Roberts hiring process and hasn't kept up with the news. Instead he is choosing to counter declining enrollment and sliding test scores by introducing a new trade school-leaning model and preschool.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/matt-smith-des-moines-public-schools

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Des Moines Public Schools is now international news after its Superintendent was arrested by ICE. Ian Roberts criminal history including drug trafficking, illegal firearms, and even grand theft auto has slowly come to light led by a citizen journalist, Laura Powell. Powell is a civil rights lawyer from California, and discusses mysterious outsider groups that may have been involved.

Powell's research, questioned by local media at first then later copied, shows a disturbing pattern and potential negligence by the State Department of Education and The Des Moines School Board. Shockingly, she did most of her research on the open internet, and read Robert's own book where she learned he was part of a "death squad" in Guyana.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/ian-roberts-laura-powell

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This month the Amana Colonies Oktoberfest celebrates its 60-year anniversary and the Amana Colonies Bürgermeister himself, Jon Childers, joins us to explain the special occasion, free sausages, local bands, and of course… Lots of beer! He also explains the backstory, why the Amana communal living experiment failed and why they're not Amish!

The Amana Colonies are an Iowa institution, but most Iowans don't actually understand their importance. They don't understand the communal society was run by their church, or how they actually embraced technology vs the Amish community they're often confused for. Childers, who is also the Executive Director of the Amana Heritage Society, explains their rich history.

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Erin Kiernan, anchor of WHOTV suddenly vanished off the airwaves leaving viewers to wonder what happened. Upon returning, she explained her time away from the camera was spent on her family, specifically her son Michael Francis who has Autism. She discusses the growing conflict within the autism community and why autism is still very misunderstood.

She breaks down common misunderstanding's like "the spectrum" and "levels" and the difference between Asperger's and autism. She also explains what a day in the life looks like, and how friends, neighbors, and family can help. She also addresses why finding a "cause" is suddenly controversial and the blowback she often receives for simply trying to help her son adapt and thrive.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/erin-kiernan-autism

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Charlie Kirk's killing sent shockwaves through the entire world but Congressional candidate Christian Schlaefer says the violence isn't surprising. In an exclusive sit down interview, he explains younger conservatives have seen the increase in hatred and vitriol including himself.

Schlaefer takes a strong position against what he considers a United States that has strayed from its Christian roots. He mentions he is no stranger to threats of violence, especially after announcing he was running for Congress as a republican. We ask if we've approached a flashpoint or a turning point for revival?

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/christian-schlaefer

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If you want to see how the state is advocating for many different areas of Iowa, the Empower Rural Iowa Task Force would be a good place to start. It is co-chaired by Iowa Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer and aims to invest, grow, and connect rural America through many different programs and initiatives.

Important aspects of maintaining rural America are being monitored by the task force. From the internet or jobs to tackling food deserts, in order to have a thriving community for U.S. farmers and their families, their needs have to be met.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/chris-cournoyer

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HHS released a bombshell report in July finding organ procurement organizations had began the procurement process while patients showed signs of life. But Suzanne Conrad, CEO of the Iowa Donor Network, an OPO that covers Iowa, disagrees with the framing of the story. Conrad explains how the process works in Iowa, what checks and balances are in place, and how this news has impacted organ donations.

In July, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy announced HHS's discovery of what they consider to be disturbing behavior for an organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Kentucky, southwest Ohio, and part of West Virginia. "Our findings show that hospitals allowed the organ procurement process to begin when patients showed signs of life, and this is horrifying.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/iowa-donor

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There are many ways to be a good neighbor, for Iowa's farmers, it is an important part of telling their story. Brian Waddingham is the executive director for the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers he says their group was made by farmers to support farmers and that means advocacy and implementing best management practices. Guest host and farm broadcaster, David Geiger hosts in this Saturday special.

As farmer technology improves, diversification becomes more possible. Farmers are specializing, conservation practices become more common, and there's a scientific approach to the best location of livestock barns. Waddingham says they want to grow the livestock industry successfully and responsibly.

Full show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/brian-waddingham

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