For some of us American farmers, we believe that the challenges we face are unique to us in the States. The truth is, agriculture is a global community with all of us facing unique challenges. Today, we talk to Welsh farmer Will Evans about the stresses that are facing agriculture in the UK. Will is also host of the Rock & Roll Farming Podcast where he talks to folks in British Agriculture every week to highlight the unique characters involved. Go Check Will out online at http://www.rockandrollfarming.com/.
Ben Gotschall of Davey Road Ranch joined me to discuss the ins and outs of managing market complexity. We talk about nutritional food, getting that food to market, and getting paid for those products.
The Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) is a multidisciplinary collaboration of five leading research and health care institutions. This collaboration brings together unique and complimentary expertise to address existing and emerging occupational health and safety issues in agriculture. Megan Schossow is the Outreach Coordinator for UMASH. Today we talk about her life growing up in agriculture and how it has helped serve her in role at UMASH. Check out UMASH online at umash.umn.edu Also Check out their incredible mental health resources page at http://umash.umn.edu/mental-health-and-agriculture/
Ariel Greenwood, partner at Grass Nomads LLC, joined me to talk about the day to day realities of managing land, animals, and people in a nomadic lifestyle. We talk about how she got started, where she is now, and how she thinks about the importance of communication to those down the supply chain in our food system.
Suicide is an issue that is very hard for most to talk about. Susan Springer is doing all she can, along with her organization Suicide Prevention Corporation of Iowa County Wisconsin to help normalize this conversation. We talk about Susan's own experience with suicide and about how her ties to the agriculture community help bring her closer to farmers in her area. Go check out Susan and her organization at https://suicide-iowacountywi.org/
Welcome to our first Bonus Episode. Today we chat with Charlotte Halverson and Linda Emmanuel from AgriSafe Network. AgriSafe was formed in 2003 by rural nurses who believed that together they could improve the health and safety of farmers and ranchers. Charlotte and Linda are both nurses who are involved with AgriSafe and today they talk with Jason about the effects of COVID-19 and its effects on the Ag community. Jason and Charlotte first discuss the virus and its origin, symptoms, and how people can reduce risk of infection. Later, Jason and Linda talk about the emotional toll that COVID-19 can take and how to best mitigate that. Agrisafe recently put out a webinar that is available to the public on COVID-19. That can be found at https://learning.agrisafe.org/products/what-ag-producers-need-to-know-about-covid19-march-23-2020.To find AgriSafe on-line go to https://www.agrisafe.org/
Cody Spencer, Co-Manager of Roam Ranch in the Hill Country of Texas and Co-Owner of Sweetgrass Bison in Southwest, AB, joined me to discuss the work he is participating in to regenerate an abused and brittle landscape. We talk about using cover crops, calving in sync with nature, and finding animals that are adapted to a wide variety of environments.
Amanda Radke has been a great influence on me for a lot of years. I began reading her Beef Daily Blog shortly after I graduated college and have been an avid follower ever since. She fulfills many obligations as a rancher, wife, mother, writer, and speaker from Mitchell, South Dakota. She is an incredible advocate for the beef industry and a mentor for folks like me trying to tell their story. We talk to her today about her writing on mental health and what sparked her to focus on these things in her writing. We also talk to her about her children's books and her recent experience of going viral with her message. Go check out Amanda online at https://amandaradke.com/. In the intro, I talk just briefly about a webinar taking place that is put on by the folks at AgriSafe regarding what Ag Producers need to know about COVID-19. Check that out at https://learning.agrisafe.org/products/what-ag-producers-need-to-know-about-covid19-march-23-2020
