For anyone looking to give their eyes a rest from their computer, phone or TV screen, there is ample opportunity to learn from podcasts. The Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center has compiled an exciting list of food policy-related podcasts for you including podcasts on climate change and diet; the debate over what constitutes milk; how to feed the world in 2050 and much more.
We hope our list sparks your interest and inspires you to dig deeper into the world of food policy.
Bite by Mother Jones
Episode: This is the best kind of milk
“In this episode of Bite, we dive deep into the contentious topic of fake milk with the great Plant-Based Milk Showdown of 2018. An Tome tells us how a particular kind of alterna-milk could restore America’s farmland. Then, in honor of Mother’s Day, we talk to Aimee Lee Ball, the journalist behind the website Eat, Darling, Eat, where she collects stories about a very potent mix of topics: mothers, daughters, and food.”
What it’s about: Food news and politics
Year Started: 2016
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 68, every-other Thursday
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, tune-in, stitcher, https://www.motherjones.com/topics/bite/
The Food Chain by BBC World Service
Episode: Eating Blockchain
“Blockchain technology has been heralded as the answer to a safer, fairer and more transparent food system. Many companies, from global food giants to start-ups, have begun to experiment with it. But can blockchain really disrupt the global food industry or is it just a gimmick? Emily Thomas meets some pioneers of this new technology, who explain why they think it will change the way we eat.”
What it’s about: Business, science, and the cultural significance of food
Year Started: 2010
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 181, every Wednesday
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p028z2z0
https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/w3csvscg
Why We Eat What We Eat
Episode: The Climate Change Diet
“When you think about the climate change, you might think about how it’ll affect where you’ll live, or get around. But one of the most intimate effects of climate change will be on what we eat. Sea level rise, more frequent droughts, extreme weather and more will reshape our diets. On this episode of Why We Eat What We Eat, we develop a diet of the future.”
https://megaphone.link/GLT3621708118
What it’s about: Eating habits
Year Started: 2017
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 7, no current episodes
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher
Eating Matters by Heritage Radio Network
Episode: Past Due: The Farm Bill
“The Farm Bill – the primary legislation passed by Congress that sets national nutrition, agriculture and conservation policy – officially expired on October 1st, with no new legislation to take it’s place. So, what now? Helena Bottemiller Evich, Senior Food & Ag Reporter at Politico Pro, joins host Jenna Liut to discuss the status of the current bill, the repercussions for our domestic food system, and where we go from here.”
What it’s about: Health, labor, and sustainability issues surrounding food
Year Started: 2014
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 119; Weekly–Sundays @ 6 pm
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, https://heritageradionetwork.org/series/eating-matters/
Hacking Hunger with MJ Altman
Episode: Survival in the Sahel
“The Sahel of Africa can be an unforgiving landscape, but now families in the region are facing two growing threats at the same time: Climate change and conflict. Boko Haram’s campaign of terror has displaced thousands of people as farmers and pastoralists clash over access to shrinking land. M.J. takes you to Niger, a country in the Sahel where families are fighting for their lives—and a better future for their children.”
What it’s about: Food politics and humanitarian aid around the world
Year Started: 2015
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 29, monthly
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, https://www.wfpusa.org/hacking-hunger-podcast/
Female Farmer Project
Episode: Girls Can Be Farmers Too!
“We first learned of Eleni, a chicken farmer in Central Washington State when she was 10-years old, now at 11 she is wise beyond her years. This episode will inspire young girls and the most seasoned of farmers!”
What it’s about: Female farmers
Year Started: 2016
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 22, monthly
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud https://www.femalefarmerproject.org/the-podcast/
Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg
Episode: In Conversation with Jim Perdue and Bruce and Aaron Williams
“This week’s episode is part of our Niman Ranch series featuring Dani in conversation with Perdue Farms Chairman, Jim Perdue. Plus we chat with farmers Bruce and Aaron Williams.”
What it’s about: Food news
Year Started: 2018
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 14, 2x/week
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher
Good Food by Evan Kleiman
Episode: Jell-O and Feminism, ‘Losing Earth’, Vertical Farming
“A new book examines the intersection of American feminism and Jell-O. This Labor Day, throw some desserts on the grill. Nathaniel Rich dives into the consequences of ignoring climate change warnings. Does vertical farming yield the same nutrient content as open air agriculture?
What it’s about: Food culture
Year Started: 18+ years
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 300+ episodes, Weekly
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify https://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/good-food
The Racist Sandwich
Episode: The Most Interesting City in America (w/ Dan Q. Dao)
“For this episode, we welcome back producer Stephanie Kuo as guest host. She’s setting out on a journey to unpack the culinary legacy of her home state: Texas! And today, she sits down with Dan Q. Dao, a NYC-based food writer who also hails from the Lone Star State. She’s from Dallas; he’s from Houston. And even though they grew up with very different Asian-American experiences, they agree that H-town is America’s next great food frontier. Yeehaw? First, though, they talk about the visibility of marginalized Asian communities, especially in the South, and how the lack thereof deprives them of support they may need. This was especially true for Cambodian spinach farmers outside Houston after Hurricane Harvey devastated their small town and their crop.”
What it’s about: Food’s relationship to race, gender and class
Year Started: 2016
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 59, every Wednesday
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, https://www.racistsandwich.com/
The Table Underground
Episode: Fighting for Small Food Businesses
“We hear from Pie baker and serial entrepreneur Mubarakah Ibrahim, who is on a mission to fix local policies to support micro-food businesses like her’s. With a step by step conversation on how to start a food business, and being the change you want to see!”
What it’s about: Stories of food, race, love, and creative social justice
Year Started: 2016
Episodes-to-date/Frequency: 45, every 2 weeks
Where to find it: Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud,
https://thetableunderground.com/the-table-underground?category=PODCAST
