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Host Doug Stephan has news about wild-caught seafood farmers. Next, Roger Johnson, President of The National Farmers Union joins Doug to discuss the $12-Billion Dollars that's earmarked to help farmers, due to the Trade Wars. Where is the money going to go? Johnson was elected to lead the family farm organization at NFU’s 107th anniversary convention in 2009. He has since expanded the education department by providing more programs for beginning, college-aged and women farmers, increased the number of Farmers Union state divisions, and developed a strategic plan for the organization. Finally, Doug opines about Social Media and how important Farm Safety can be.

First, Host/Farmer Doug Stephan talks about his personal farm, Eastleigh Farm http://www.eastleighfarm.com . Next, the news from The White House, that President Trump wants more aide for needy farmers. Doug wonders who will decide who the "needy" farms are. Doug Welcomes Steve Nygren from Serenbe http://www.serenbe.com . Serenbe’s is an "AGRI-HOOD," consisting of a community of hamlets that have complementary commercial centers focused on the elements of a well-lived life: arts for inspiration, agriculture for nourishment, health for wellbeing and education for awareness. Fresh food is one of Serenbe’s natural assets, with a 25-acre organic farm. It's a place you can enjoy for a meal, a weekend or call home for a lifetime. Finally, Doug opines about NAFTA; it's good provisions and its many bad ones.

Host Doug Stephan begins with news about The Trade Wars and how they are affecting the Family Farm, especially Pork Producers. Next, Doug welcomes Dr. John Bolton, who is serving as the Associate Program Manager of Water Resources for the NASA Applied Sciences Program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His research focuses on the application of satellite-based remote sensing and land surface hydrological modeling for improved ecological and water resource management. John is involved in the scientific community and regularly gives seminars and tutorials on his recent work and the activities of NASA’s Applied Sciences Program related to water resources management around the globe. Finally, Doug opines about the New Farm Bill that Congress seems to have a lack of interest in.

Host Doug Stephan reviews news about Replenishing the Soil, Deforestation and the threat Amazon.com poses with box usage. Next, Doug welcomes Dr. Neil I. Fox, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science at The University of Missouri. He has researched a number of threads which include: The use of radar in the estimation and very short-period forecasting (nowcasting) of rainfall. The representation of rainfall in models of runoff, soil detachment and stream flow. Observation of winds at heights of interest to wind energy development and their relationship to the characteristics of the low-level jet. They discuss the hidden dangers of Severe Weather. Finally, Doug gives an update on Willie Nelson's "Farm Aid" and finally Doug opines with very little optimism over the proposed Farm Bill. He suggests that there needs to be a whole new pricing structure that is more favorable to the small Family Farm. 

Host Doug Stephan tells a story about of a couple in their sixties, who left conventional careers to begin a successful business raising livestock. Next, Val Dolcini of The Pollinator Partnership  joins Doug to discuss "Bee Friendly Farming." Val was formerly Administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency, is a fifth generation Californian, a passionate supporter of American farmers and ranchers, and a firm believer in the promise of our nation's rural places.  He is currently the President & CEO of the Pollinator Partnership, an organization dedicated to the support and protection of pollinators throughout North America. Finally, Doug's commentary this week is about "The Music in Mowing and Hay Bailing."

In Agri-News, Host Doug Stephan outlines new proposals to help Dairy Farmers and other farming  . Next, Doug welcomes Scott Farber who leads a team working to improve food and farm legislation, chemicals policy and a host of other issues important to EWG and its supporters. http://www.ewg.org Prior to joining EWG, Scott was vice president for federal affairs for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, where he spearheaded efforts to enact the Food Safety Modernization Act, which sets new food safety standards for food manufacturers and farmers. From 2000 to 2007, he was a food and farm policy campaign manager for the Environmental Defense Fund, leading efforts to reform farm policies in the 2002 and 2008 farm bills. They discuss how it's time to put the consumer back in control. Finally, Doug opines about this year's Tick Season.

First, the farm news, with Host Doug Stephan covers how much the average farmer makes annually, Family Dairy Farmers in danger of becoming extinct and why, and Canada’s interest in opening the doors to American Dairies. Next, Chris Kerston of the Savory Institute http://www.savoryinstitute.org joins Doug about their work. Chris ranched full time for nearly 15yrs before joining the Savory Institute. With a longstanding passion for regenerative agricultural and better food distribution systems, he has dedicated his life to helping connect ranchers with consumers in ways that create synergistic value for both sides. The Institute facilitates the realization of a life of enduring returns for the land and all who depend on it. They develop tools and enhanced curricula, inform policy, establish market incentives, increase public awareness, and coordinate relevant research, cultivating relationships with aligned partners. Finally, Doug opines about the misconception about Raw Milk.

Host and Family Farmer Doug Stephan talks with Roger Johnson, President of The National Farmers Union http://www.nfu.org about many of the difficult issues Family Farmers are facing. The question is asked: "Is there too much milk being produced?" They go over the recently failed Farm Bill, and its implications. Next, we learn about how much money the farmers actually keep from the money we spend on food. Finally, Doug opines about proposals for a new Farm Bill and GMO Food Labeling.

HHost Doug Stephan begins with news about the first death lawsuit against Monsanto over use of Round-Up. Next, Doug's special guest is Daniel Morash of California Safe Soil. CSS provides a full-cycle process to assist supermarkets to recycle their organics, improve store hygiene, and reduce costs, in addition to helping agricultural customers save money, increase crop yield, and reduce nitrate runoff. They produce a safe, low cost, high volume, and high-quality liquid fertilizer product, Harvest-to-Harvest™. Finally, Doug talks about the benefits of having your own backyard garden.

Host Doug Stephan has big new from The National Hemp Association. Next, Ira Wallace and Doug discuss The Southern Exposure Seed Exchange  and the stranglehold that Monsanto has on farmers, when it comes to buying seed. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange offers more than 700 varieties of vegetable, flower, herb, grain and cover crop seeds. They emphasize varieties that perform well in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, although gardeners and farmers over the country grow our seeds. They offer many unusual Southern heirlooms, including peanuts, southern peas, naturally colored cotton, collards, okra, roselle, turnip greens, corns for roasting and meal, and butterbeans. They DO NOT sell chemically treated seeds! Finally, Doug offers a variety of positive comments, taken from farmers at a recent farm show.

Host Doug Stephan shares news about the skyrocketing demand for Organic Foods and Organic Milk, and how Government agencies are trying to set the standards. Next, Doug meets Lydell Steiner of TILMOR. TILMOR is fourth-generation family farm (certified organic since 2006), with more than 50 years of experience designing and manufacturing turf and agricultural equipment. While operating the farm, they needed reliable, appropriately-sized, affordable tools and equipment for their smaller acreage—and they couldn’t get them. Agricultural equipment manufacturers were focused on large, industrial farms, and they were left with purchasing and trying to maintain older equipment. That is how TILMOR was born. Today, they are committed to developing tools and equipment that are designed, built, and distributed for the farmers who are supplying our communities with the fresh, locally-grown goodness we’ve come to know and love. Next, Doug shares a little poem about Dairy Farming and then he opines about a new Dairy Product, DAIRY BEER.

Host Doug Stephan reveals a recent study which indicates that the number one cause of concern in the world is Animal Welfare. Next, Doug talks with Government Relations Representative for the National Farmers Union, Matt Perdue, who is an advocate for family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in Congress and the executive branch.  He focuses on climate, conservation, energy, health care, rural development, and transportation. In April, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced legislation to provide mental health resources in rural America to address the alarmingly high rate of suicide amongst farmers and ranchers. The bill, FARMERS FIRST encourages Rural Solutions for Immediate Response to Stressful Times. Finally, Doug opines about the FARMERS FIRST Bill.

Host Doug Stephan reviews the latest developments with egg production, and the recent Salmonella scares. Next, Doug spends some time with Chelsea Davis, Communications Director of Family Farm Action, a coalition of family-farmers and advocates building the "political muscle" to fight for farmers and rural communities. Existing political organizations have aligned themselves with industrial corporate agriculture. Family Farm Action is a progressive voice fighting to protect America’s family farms and rural communities from multinational agribusiness monopolies that are destroying rural economies and way of life. Finally, Doug shares his experiences as a former Raw Milk producer.

Host Doug Stephan talks about a farmer and his wife, who started a rural delivery service to deliver his products and products from other local farms to neighboring customers.  Next, Dairy Farmer Brian Smith, and Member of Americans For Farmers and Families discuss this coalition of growers, producers, suppliers, transporters, retailers and consumers dedicated to preserving NAFTA and working with President Trump to negotiate a modernized agreement fit for the 21st Century. Finally, Doug opines on Carbon Emissions and Bio Fuels.

RMeet Thomas Monteith, a 79-year-old retired Dairy Farmer, who owned Woodland Farms in Granville, MA. He is not optimistic about the future of the small family dairy farmer. Thomas is an advocate for independent dairy farms. There is a huge discrepancy between the price we pay for milk in the store, and the price the dairy farmer gets for it. You won't believe the influence that Walmart has on the industry! You'll want to see the movie "Forgotten Farms." 

Martha Boneta is a farmer at Liberty Farm in Paris, Virginia. A native Virginian, Martha grew up in Mt. Vernon on what she was told was a part of George Washington’s vast farmland. Growing up, her family always had kitchen gardens and it was Martha’s childhood dream to be a Virginia farmer and that dream became reality over 9 years ago.

Immediately following law school, Martha worked in government relations and advocacy in Washington, DC that propelled her career as strategic account executive at Reed Elsevier for the Mid-Atlantic Region and Thomson Reuters in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area.

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Martha is the Founder of the Piedmont Agriculture Academy (PAA), Liberty Hall Livestock Rescue and has been on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Independent Consumer & Farmers Association (VICFA), Small Family Farm Foundation (SFFF) and has represented the Farm to Consumer Legal Foundation (FTCLF) advocating legislation and is a strong supporter of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild and several other farm advocacy organizations.

Martha Boneta and Liberty Farm are members of various Farm and Property Rights advocacy groups including cluding Hobby Farms, Slow Food USA and many others.

Find out more about Martha at www.AmericaFirstPolicies.org

Roger Johnson has been President of The National Farmers Union since 2009. Prior, he was a third-generation family farmer from Turtle Lake, ND, where he also served as North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner since 1996.

NFU was founded by ten local farmers in 1902 as the Farmers Educational Cooperative Union of America in Point, Texas. After its founding, NFU advocated for increased co-operative rights, fair market access for farmers, direct election of senators and voting rights for women. These efforts also led to the enactment of the Federal Farm Loan Act, which established twelve Federal Land Banks. NFU has always worked to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, fishers, ranchers and rural communities through the advocacy of  policy positions developed by the grassroots membership and adopted as official policy at our national convention. National Farmers Union helps the family farmer address profitability issues and monopolistic practices.

Roger and Doug sit down to discuss the issues that NFU will be focusing on in 2018.

Daniel De Carvalho is the Global Director of Corporate Communications of Zaluvida, the makers of Mootral, a new natural feed supplement for cows. Zaluvida, a biotech company that tackles health challenges ranging from antibiotic resistance to livestock emissions, claims to instantly reduce cow methane emissions by at least 30%. The powdery supplement, which is compressed into pellets and mixed into cattle feed streams, is made of two basic ingredients, garlic and citrus extracts.

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Zaluvida’s team of researchers have found that the two compounds combined improve cows’ ability to digest without emitting excess methane in the process. While cow farts are often blamed for the bulk of their methane emissions, it’s really their burps that are the culprits–and that is what Mootral is most effective in neutralizing.

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Mootral (a portmanteau of “moo” and “neutral”) can help farmers make more money, and help the environment at the same time. The actual amount of supplement needed to deliver the 30% methane-reduction is very small; per cow per day, farmers will only need around 10 to 17 grams. Mootral is still in the early stages–it just launched a pilot project at UC Davis–but according to Trista van Tine, Global Marketing Director for Mootral”, once the product scales up,  it should cost farmers no more than $60 per cow per year to deploy.

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Find out more about Mootral and what Zaluvida's doing by visiting www.mootral.com or watching the highlights of their Farm for Ch4nge FoodTruck Tour. 

When he’s not networking with hemp researchers and growers, or briefing legislators like Senator Mitch McConnell about the multi-billion-dollar boost that federal legalization of hemp would give to the economy, hemp industry consultant Josh Hendrix of CV Sciences can usually be found conducting interviews with the media as part of his mission to educate young and old about the many benefits to be derived from one of Man’s oldest agricultural crops: hemp.

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Josh Hendrix is a member of the Technical Advisory Council for the National Hemp Association and founder of the Kentucky Hemp Industries Association. He currently serves as the Director of Business Development for CV Sciences, Inc. where he works with farmers, universities, businesses, industry associations, and government agencies to help create the infrastructure necessary to establish a modern domestic supply chain for hemp in the United States.  

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Pamela Rickenbach co-founded Blue Star Equiculture in 2009 with friends in Philadelphia wanting to create a permanent home for retired carriage horses. With many years experience working alongside first nations people in sharing their messages to the world with National Geographic senior editor and author Harvey Arden, Pamela wanted to include indigenous native people's wisdom in developing a holistic and culturally sensitive approach to restoring our connection to our "working" equine friends. From the beginning of operating our farm native peoples and traditional horse people from all over the world have contributed their thoughts about how to go about reconnecting a community whether local, national or global to their horses with pride, respect and compassion. Pamela has lived on the farm from the beginning in 2009 and will always be available to help build and share this amazing mission with whoever feels drawn to be involved and help care for it.

Blue Star Equiculture™ is a 501c(3) non-profit organization. They created the sanctuary in order to offer equine friends, retired, disabled and homeless, a safe place where they can be loved and looked after whether with permanent residence or through adoption, for the rest of their lives with compassion and gratitude for all they and their kind have given in service to humankind.

After attending the University of Massachusetts-Amherst with a B.A. in Political Science, John went back to his roots and spent time living in Italy where he worked at a variety of farms and homesteads.  While overseas, John realized agriculture was extremely important to him and he wanted to continue the lifestyle within the United States.  Upon his return John spent two years working at local farms within central New Jersey where he improved his skills and techniques for growing organically.  Having grown up in Titusville, New Jersey, his opportunity to farm in Lambertville was serendipitous.  In his spare time, John enjoys public radio, mushroom hunting, getting lost in record stores, playing guitar, and a competitive game of disc golf.

The Farm: Rolling Hills Farm came about from a shared dream between John and Stephanie Spock.  Farming together in Hopewell, NJ, they yearned for a farm of our own.  In 2013 they came upon a wonderful spot of land for lease with a lot of history behind it.  Located one mile outside of beautiful downtown Lambertville, New Jersey the farm borders the Delaware River in a picturesque country setting where New Jersey really does earn its moniker as "The Garden State".  Full of historical sites from both the Revolutionary War and Native populations, we knew this was land we could be excellent stewards of.

Rolling Hills Farm was named in the 1980's when it was an ostrich farm and when residents of Lambertville would skate on the pond in the Winter. Today we raise vegetables, herb, fruits, and mushrooms on the land generations past lived on.