You can’t dream big enough was a challenge often heard from the widely acknowledged voice of Agriculture, Orion Samuelson. Just after graduating from college the host of Farm To Table Talk, Rodger Wasson had the good fortune to host a Radio Farm Show in Normal, Illinois and subsequently become acquainted with the legendary host of the Chicago based clear channel WGN Radio Farm Show. Orion Samuelson made it is life’s work to support farmers and remind consumers that since they eat they’re part of agriculture. Orion recently passed away at the age of 91. Courtesy of the Lincoln Laureates podcast we are sharing views from Orion that he expressed in conversation with broadcast journalist Jim Bohannon. The conversation recorded in 2022 celebrates the Lincoln Academy of Illinois having honored Orion Samuelson as a leader who has contributed to the betterment of humanity.

https://www.LincolnAcademyIllinois.org

Natalie Bogwalker, c0-author of The New Natural Food Garden, discuses her journey from living in a log cabin to selling her business Wild Abundance and focusing on gardening education. She shared insights about her new book, which features beautiful photography and practical gardening advice, and discussed her approach to cooking with homegrown ingredients. The conversation explored how gardening can provide both financial savings and mental health benefits, with Natalie emphasizing that growing food can lead to a more fulfilling lifestyle rather than necessarily generating income. Rodger and Natalie also discuss the importance of preserving food and creating recipes using seasonal ingredients. www.growingwise.net

Getting enough iron from the food we eat is something most of us take for granted, but about 2 billion people worldwide have an iron deficiency, the Number 1 nutritional deficiency globally. An international research team led by scientists in Brazil have come up with a way to boost iron content in rice, which is one of the most consumed foods. Farm Table Talk talks with Dr. Felipe Ricachenevsky about research at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, where he is working to biofortify rice with higher iron and zinc content through genetic modification using CRISPR technology. Felipe explained that approximately 25-30% of the world population lacks sufficient iron and zinc in their diets, particularly affecting children in developing countries where rice is a staple food. He explains his lab’s approach of combining two iron transporters to achieve a 50-70% increase in iron concentration in rice grains, though this came with some trade-offs in waterlogged conditions. The discussion also covered the broader context of genetic modification, including the challenges faced by Golden Rice and how public perception shifted from accepting genetic improvements to opposing them when they were primarily used for pesticide-resistant crops. felipecruzalta@gmail.com

In May of 2014 The Noble South opened its doors and began crafting a restaurant based on a fresh farm-to-table approach. With a clear vision of incorporating the highest quality seasonal ingredients with style, The Noble South leans into relationships with local farms that use organic practices, culinary collegaues and consumers resulting in the rich tradition of Southern fare with a lighter and fresher appeal. Proximity and supporting local and surrounding communities are at the forefront of their philosophy. By minimizing the distance between the growers and our tables they ensure that only the freshest ingredients make it to the menus while allowing them to do their part in reducing the environmental impact of transporting food longer distances.

www.thenoblesouthrestaurant.com

A new farm bill has passed out of the House Agriculture Committee to be considered by Congress. If successful it will be the first Farm Bill passed since 2018. Commodity programs, crop insurance and foreign market development are increased but nutrition programs are not. SNAP cuts from recent legislation were not recovered, yet. Nor have corn growers gotten the expansion in ethanol programs that they sought. California’s proposition 12, requiring specified space for animals if the meat is to be sold in Caliofornia would be ended, as would certain local or state limitations on application of pesticides near public buildings. CA Congressan Mike Thompson has been meeting with farmers to hear their concerns and needs. As the Farm Bill moves to Congress, he shares what farmer’s are saying and how he plans to help.

In this episode of Farm to Table Talk, Rodger interviewed Jeremy and Stacey Hill about their homesteading practices and food preservation techniques. The Hills, who operate Gooseberry Bridge Farm in Missouri, shared their journey from suburban gardening to homesteading a 12-acre farm with dairy cows, goats, pigs, and an extensive vegetable garden. They discussed their use of freeze-drying as a modern preservation method, explaining how it maintains food quality and allows for shelf-stable storage. The couple also described their agritourism business, which offers educational farm visits for families. Throughout the conversation, Jeremy and Stacey emphasized the importance of starting small with food preservation and encouraged listeners to explore local food networks and farmers markets. They share what they’ve learned on the podcast and their new book: The Preservation Garden – How to grow a garden for fermenting, canning, pickling, dehydrating, and freeze drying. www.gooseberrybridge.com

The United States Supreme Court by a vote of 6 to 3 has struck down President Trump’s tariffs, to the relief of most farmers who have experienced severe financial losses and rising costs of farm inputs. The 2025 tariffs, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IIEPA) covered nearly all trading partners, but China faced rates exceeding 100 percent. In response, Beijing escalated retaliatory duties on key agricultural imports. Almonds were hit with a 45 percent tariff. As a result American Agriculture has suffered, especially soybeans in the Corn Belt. In California alone agricultural exports to China collapsed with the total value of 13 major commodities dropping 57 percent, according to research at UC Davis.. California Congressmen Jim Costa, MIke Thompson and John Garamendi met with California farmers the week of the Supreme Court ruling where there were expressions of strong opposition to the Trump imposed trade wars. House Ag Committee member, Congressman Jim Costa explained the implications of the trade issue and the scheduled mark up to the proposed Farm Bill that is getting underway. Here are Congressman Costa’s opening remarks to the farmers and a follow-up exchange with Congressman Thompson at a farmer meeting at the Yolo County Farm Bureau Office in Woodland California.

For further data and analysis of agricultural issues from tariffs to labor reform subscribe (rwdiabase@ucdavis.edu) or download the ARE Update https://giannini.ucop.edu/publications/are-update/

The future of agriculture will utilize the development and application of robotic technology. Jaisimha Rao explains a robotic machine that uses AI and cameras to distinguish between crops and weeds, then sprays herbicides specifically on weeds. There is potential of humanoid robots in agricultureJ. Their AI system identifies weeds using visual recognition, contrasting it with text-based AI models like ChatGPT. The system involves collecting and annotating weed images by agronomists in India, which are then used to train the AI model. Once trained, the AI can recognize specific weed species and control the dual-tank system to apply the appropriate herbicides in a single pass. All mechanical manufacturing for their robots is conducted in the US, with only cameras being sourced from India. www.niqorobotics.com