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In this episode we hear from podcaster Trevor Williams on the story of the Farm Traveler Podcast. Trevor shares with us the ups and downs of starting a podcast as well as the importance of sharing the heart of the ag industry. Education through communication is key, and Trevor has a lot of experience with that! Our host and Trevor both were previous ag teachers and share some of their learnings from the classroom! Trevor Williams is a former high school agriscience teacher turned podcaster that started the Farm Traveler podcast in 2019.  Farm Traveler has one goal, that being to connect consumers with farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs in the agriculture industry.  Trevor has published over 150 podcast episodes, educational videos, and Farm Tours on the Farm Traveler Youtube channel, and produces two other agriculture-focused podcasts.

In this episode, we chat with Margaret Dominguez, Vice President of Food Safety and Compliance at Soli Organic. Soli (formerly known as Shenandoah Growers) is the nation’s most commercially advanced indoor agriculture company. Margaret shares the “secret sauce” behind Soli and their growth as the nation’s leading grower of fresh organic culinary herbs, providing sustainable, organic greens and produce to retailers coast to coast. For more than five years, Margaret has worked on elevating their food safety program and building a food safety culture nationally across all Soli Organic locations. She is a food safety professional with more than 13 years of experience in the food industry. Margaret received her B.S. degree with a major in Food Science and Technology and a Masters of Science in Food Management from Warsaw Agriculture University in Poland. In addition, she earned her Master of Food Safety and Technology from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Before Soli, she held various food safety and sanitation roles at Kellogg’s and Fair Oaks Farms, a meat processing company based in Wisconsin.

In this episode, Jennifer Pulcipher, Director of Food Safety and Compliance and Kinsey Porter,  Food Safety Manager for North Bay Produce, discuss working in food safety for a grower-owned cooperative.  With 30 members representing over 2000 farms across North, Central, and South America, North Bay is a leader in fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. Headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, North Bay markets and distributes products worldwide. Jennifer holds a Master’s degree in Food Safety from Michigan State University and is responsible at North Bay for the oversight of foreign and domestic food safety programs; leading the charge on all corporate food safety and compliance initiatives.  Kinsey is responsible for Food Safety Modernization Act compliance, partnering with growers to implement good food safety practices, and communicating North Bay’s food safety commitment with customers. In this episode, we hear how their training and passion make them powerful forces in their industry.

Mental health in agriculture is often overlooked. Our industry tends to keep looking forward without looking inward. In this episode, we talk with Marshal Sewell, a fifth generation farmer who has observed the challenges and stresses of agricultural life. Marshal shares his story and the impact the stress had on his family, and walks us through his journey from tragic loss to advocate for mental health.

The agricultural industry is full of uncontrollable circumstances, which often leads to an abundance of stress. When you think about suicide, agriculturalists aren’t usually the first ones that come to mind. In this episode, we talk with Don McMoran, Director at the Washington State University Extension Office. Don and his team provide suicide prevention support and resources for those working in agriculture. The WSU Extension has partnered with organizations such as Farm Aid and the Washington State Department of Health to create the Skagit Suicide Prevention Pilot Program. By starting the conversation and providing support to those who need it, we can help prevent suicide and save lives.

The Russell Group is Washington’s leading bipartisan government relations firm, focused exclusively on food and agriculture public policy. Established since 1985, the firm's legacy of results have established them as the industry standard-bearer. Today, their bipartisan team of 10 builds on that legacy with a modern approach, marrying time-tested, direct advocacy with strategic foresight on all matters impacting the food and agricultural policy landscape. On this episode, we talk with Jessica Schulken, Principal at the Russell Group and Senate ag veteran, and Tyson Redpath, also a Principal at the firm. With their work in agriculture, the firm keep farmers farming and explain how they do it.

Michelle Miller, The Farm Babe, is all about educating consumers on the production of their food. Michelle has created a following of 200,000 and an average social media reach of 2-3 million per month with a style that is straightforward and without gimmicks. She has made a name for herself as a dedicated myth-buster in the food industry, influencing powerful corporations such as Burger King. On this episode, Michelle explains her move from “big city globetrotter” to the farm girl who is getting back to her roots in the Midwest.

Ole Tyme Produce Inc. is a premier, wholesale fresh food and grocery distributor employing state-of-the-art technology and the highest industry standards in food safety to provide a vital link in the food supply chain between farmers, restaurants, hospitals, schools, professional kitchens, and charitable organizations. Their mission is committed to helping ensure the well-being of everyone in their company, community, and country through environmentally responsible business practices, mutually beneficial partnerships, and by providing a reliable and safe food supply from national supply lines to local farms, food service outlets, and community organizations. In this episode Joan walks us through the heart of Ole Tyme Produce and their secret to success. 

You might remember as a kid, that familiar Stuckey’s billboard on the highway and stopping at the one of their roadside stores just grab some pecan rolls and souvenirs during your family road trip. Such fond memories became the driving force for Stephanie Stuckey, granddaughter of Stuckey's and precisely why she chose to buy the company back. Stephanie Stuckey tells her family’s story, explains how she is saving her family’s legacy, and creating a candy and pecan and candy empire.

DNO Produce began in 1989 as a small co-op based in Columbus, Ohio. Since then, they have grown to become a leading produce distributor and processor for the Midwest. DNO provides customers with healthy and fresh solutions for food service, food manufacturing, school services, government, and retail industries. In this episode, Jeremy Taylor, Vice President of Sales and Marketing explains why his peers call him the “King of LinkedIn” and explains how to incorporate social media within the agriculture industry.

QIMA/WQS (formerly known as WQS) was founded in 1993, offering solutions to the food industry from farm to fork through GFSI recognized certifications (BRCGS, GLOBALG.A.P., SQF, IFS), food safety and ethical audits, quality seals, inspections, training, and supply chain management. Their team of food safety professionals innovates and streamlines processes to offer customers transparency, agility in the marketplace, and unprecedented control over their entire food supply chain. In this episode, we talk with two women who are a major force behind the QIMA/WQS team, Nicole Brunner and Liz Salinas.

Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) is a non-profit certification and skill-building organization that seeks to increase transparency in the food supply chain and improve the lives of farmworkers through a team-based approach to training and continuous improvement practices. EFI brings together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to solve the most pressing issues facing the fresh produce industry. Its unparalleled approach sets standards for labor practices, food safety and pest management while engaging workers at all levels on the farm to produce Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured® fruits and vegetables. In this episode, we unpack what it means when you see a EFI label, and the work behind it! 

Jordan Carter has been elected as the first female President of the National Watermelon Promotion Board. In this episode we discover how Jordan got involved in watermelon production despite her degree in fashion merchandising. As the Director of Sales and Marketing at Leger & Son, Inc., Jordan has proven that her dedication to learning has paid off.

What happens when two podcast hosts get together and talk about the ag industry? Patrick Kelly, host of The Produce Industry Podcast chats with us about being an entrepreneur, speaker, author and strategist in the produce and supply chain industry. Patrick's journey has been a pivotal one, mending generational gaps in the industry and helping produce partners thrive.

GLOBALG.A.P. works with more than 2,000 trained inspectors and auditors working for around 159 accredited certification bodies to perform independent third-party producer audits and issue our certificates. They are the most widely accepted private sector food safety certification in the world. Listen in as we talk with Roberta Anderson, the executive Vice President, GLOBALG.A.P. North America.

The Packer is the most trusted news in produce and an industry staple since 1893. Articles range from crop updates to retail news, to new product features to recognition of industry leaders. In this episode, we chat with editor Ashley Nickle, a brand leader responsible for content strategy, creation and marketing across print, digital and social media. Along with writing, interviewing and editing, her role includes video, podcasting, social media, moderating event panels and spearheading industry recognition platforms like Produce Artist Award Series and Produce Retailer of the Year.

Highland Fresh Technologies has been a leader in food safety and sanitation for the produce industry for more than 15 years. With a mission to improve arrivals and strengthen food safety sanitation programs, HFT has changed the way farms and packinghouses wash their produce and maintain their equipment  In this episode, we talk with Kyro Morales, Director of Operations, on how HFT got their start and how they are assisting the industry in providing solutions during this crucial time in agriculture.

“The ag department is not just about cows, plows and sows,” says Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller. We caught up with Commissioner Miller from his front seat GMC studio and talked about handling a 6-billion-dollar budget, providing 5 million public school lunch meals, supporting young farmers and yes, inspecting ping pong balls. Plus, we discuss their support programs to aid farmers hurt by the recent winter storm and the pandemic. 

Texas is on our minds and in our hearts this week. On this episode, we spoke with Dante Galeazzi of the Texas International Produce Association. TIPA’s mission is to represent Texas grown fruits and vegetables to growers, packers, shippers and anyone in the supply chain. We also discussed Viva Fresh, a show that is connecting us all to the Tex-Mex region. Learn more, listen now.

Humbled Hoosiers! We caught up with Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and Director, Bruce Kettler from the Indiana State Dept of Ag. On episode #36, we continue our chats with state agriculture departments to find out what they are doing in their neck of the woods. These Indy folks are not only focused on the Indiana Grown program, but also soil conversation and FFA leadership.