Ep. 80: Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of Global  Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) – Geneva Switzerland ||

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For Sourcing Matters episode 80 we welcome Dr. Lawrence Haddad – Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) was launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with diverse global partners, GAIN aims at making healthier food choices more affordable, more available, and more desirable.
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Dr. Lawrence Haddad became the Executive Director of GAIN in October 2016. Prior to this Lawrence was the founding co-chair and lead author of the Global Nutrition Report from 2014 to 2016. From 2004-2014 Lawrence was the Director of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), the world’s leading development studies institute. Before joining IDS in 2004, he was Director of the Food Consumption and Nutrition Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) from 1994 to 2004. An economist, Lawrence has a PhD in Food Research from Stanford University.  Most recently, in June of 2018 – the World Food Prize Foundation awarded Dr. Haddad the 2018 World Food Prize.
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THE FACTS: According to Global Nutrition Report, about 88% of countries suffer from two or three forms of malnutrition. Every day, 815 million people are going to bed hungry, up from 777mm in 2015. 1 in 3 people lack key micronutrients, like iron and vitamin A, needed to grow properly, live active lives, and raise a healthy family. At the same time, 2 billion adults are overweight or obese and 41 million children are overweight.  Malnutrition now undermines billions of people’s health and leaves 155mm children stunted every year.  In speaking to the outcomes that come to stunted children “without proper nutrition – children’s hardware and software is not  developing properly” – explains Haddad.
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GAIN has its sights set on addressing these far reaching concerns with both an air and ground attack.  Led by Haddad and his impressive teams across the world – GAIN uses boots on the ground and strategic influence to introduce nutrition as a framework of change to more.  TuneIn to our 50 minute conversation to hear about how this agent of change is tackling malnutrition throughout global societies being underfed, and overfed.

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Ep. 79: Shannon Algiere – farmer liaison manager, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture  – ft. co-host Jennifer Hashley, founder of New Market Farming project ||

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On episode 79 we welcome Shannon Algiere – farmer liaison manager at Stone Barns Center. Shannon has taught at Nature Centers, volunteered as a ranger for the Costa Rica National Park Service, managed a biodynamic greenhouse operation and helped develop a 60-member market farm in Connecticut.  Shannon first came to the Stone Barns Center in 2003 with her husband, Jack, and has played many roles on the farm, most recently flower and herb manager. Shannon now employs her extensive farming and mentorship experience to facilitate educational engagement, assisting in the design of a dynamic and impactful farm connection for visitors, aspiring farmers and students.

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Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture was developed by David Rockefeller and dedicated to the memory of his wife, Peggy Rockefeller. The Stone Barns Center’s mission is to demonstrate, teach and promote sustainable, community-based food production. Open to visitors of all ages but with an emphasis on K-12 education, the Center offers a unique experience: a chance to learn about farming firsthand on a real working farm within a 30-minute drive of New York City. Livestock, chickens, vegetables, gardens, greenhouses a learning facility and cultural center demonstrate to the public the advantages of local, community-based farming and environmentally sensitive agricultural practices.  The Center is also home to Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a four star restaurant that offers guests a taste of the farm and of the Hudson Valley.

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TuneIn to our 40 minute conversation to hear about the future of farming, its workforce, our connection with food and how we can all be a part moving forward.

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@StoneBarns

 



co-host:

Jennifer Hashley

  • Founder of Tufts New Entry Sustainable farming project 
  • Owner of Pete & Jen’s backyard birds
  • Evangelist | Activist| Innovator
  • Eisenhower Fellow 2016

@JHashley

Ep. 78: Paul Rice – founder, President & CEO of Fair Trade, USA. – ft. co-host Jennifer Hashley, founder of New Market Farming project  ||

What about the folks producing our food? Tune in to episode 78 to hear from Paul Rice, founder, President & CEO of Fair Trade USA, the social enterprise and leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America.


On a mission to impact social and environmental good, Fair Trade USA celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018. Since its launch, Fair Trade USA and its partners have generated almost $500 million in additional income for farmers and workers in more than 70 countries worldwide, allowing them to keep their kids in school, care for the land and steadily improve their livelihoods. Fair Trade USA sets standards that farms, fisheries and factories must be audited against in order to be called Fair Trade Certified. With a beginning in coffee, the organization now certifies over thirty commodities. A timely conversation as the global coffee market price is at a ten year low, Paul shares what Fair Trade is continuing to do to improve farmer livelihoods and enact long term sustainable development. He’ll talk about what Fair Trade for all means to him and the organization and the power of collective bargaining. The Fair Trade USA seafood program just celebrated it’s 5th anniversary and he will share how it came to be and the importance of contributing to the seafood sustainability space. Lastly will check in on the vision for the future and how Fair Trade aligns with the conscious consumer of today.

BIO: He launched the award-winning nonprofit organization in 1998 after spending 11 years organizing farmers in the highlands of Nicaragua. There he founded and led the country’s first Fair Trade coffee export cooperative, which introduced him to the transformative power of market-based approaches to sustainable development. Paul Rice then returned to the United States to obtain his MBA from Berkeley Haas with the dream of bringing Fair Trade to consumers, businesses and farmers worldwide.

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PAUL RICE –  ep. 78:  FAIR TRADE FOR ALL
People called him crazy in the beginning, but Paul had a bold vision for Fair Trade: from his years in Nicaragua, he knew that farmers and workers could learn to navigate the global market and empower themselves on a journey out of poverty. He believed that business could become a major force for social and environmental change, creating “shared value” and sustainability with profitability. He envisioned a consumer awakening and recognition that everyday purchases can impact the world for the better. In short, Paul believed deeply that the Fair Trade movement would have a major impact on the world and also help propel a much larger, lasting shift toward Conscious Capitalism.
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Twenty years later, Fair Trade has grown into a widely-known and increasingly mainstream consumer trend that is rapidly approaching an inflection point. In 2016, consumer recognition of the Fair Trade Certified label reached 67% and U.S. retail sales of Fair Trade products grew to an estimated $6 billion.  Paul and his team have enlisted the support of over 1,300 companies, including market leaders like Green Mountain, Starbucks, Nespresso, General Mills, PepsiCo, Whole Foods, Costco, Target and Walmart. Fair Trade USA now certifies coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, coconut, fresh fruits and vegetables. Most recently, through groundbreaking partnerships with Patagonia, West Elm and Gap Inc., Fair Trade has begun certifying apparel and home furnishings to improve working conditions and incomes for factory workers.
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Paul’s rich, first-hand experience over the last 30 years in the areas of sustainable agriculture, grassroots economic development, global supply chain transparency and consumer activation is unique in the certification world. He is now a leading advocate of “impact sourcing” as a core strategy for both poverty alleviation and sustainable business.
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Paul has been honored for his pioneering work by Ashoka, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Fast Company Magazine’s Social Capitalist of the Year award (four-time winner), Ethisphere’s 100 Most Influential in Business Ethics, Entrepreneur magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year (2012 Finalist) and the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. The Texas-native holds an Economics and Political Science degree from Yale University and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, where he is now an Executive Fellow. Paul has spoken at the World Economic Forum, Clinton Global Initiative, Skoll World Forum, TEDx and universities & conferences around the world.

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summary by:
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Mel Bandler
Retail Partnerships
@ FairTrade USA

 

@FairTradeCert

 



co-host:

Jennifer Hashley

  • Founder of Tufts New Entry Sustainable farming project 
  • Owner of Pete & Jen’s backyard birds
  • Evangelist | Activist| Innovator
  • Eisenhower Fellow 2016

@JHashley

Ep. 76: Luke Holden, CEO & Founder of Luke’s Lobster ||

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On episode 76 of Sourcing Matters we welcome CEO & founder of Luke’s Lobster – Luke Holden.  Luke’s Lobster first opened its doors in the East Village of New York City in 2009. The company brings traceable, sustainable seafood to guests across the country.  They work directly with fishermen to hand pick the best seafood, and serve that straight from the source, prepared pure and simple, without the filler. They’ve systematically chosen partners who uphold our commitment to sourcing superior, sustainable ingredients and strive to support other small businesses, many of which are based in Maine or local to the cities where they maintain their Lobsters shacks.
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BIO: Luke Holden grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine – a third-generation lobsterman who started learning the trade at age 13. After attending Georgetown University and beginning an investment banking career on Wall Street, Luke was remiss to find that every lobster roll available in New York was overpriced, drowning in mayo, and diluted with celery. He craved a real Maine-style roll and simply couldn’t find one.
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In the 10 years since launching, Holden and his partners have worked to vertically integrate the business to insure the highest quality products with guaranteed integrity and provenance. Growing up in the industry has afforded Holden a high level of clout with with the lobsterman, harvesters and fishermen in Tenants Harbor Maine who source his product.  We learn that the experience and support that Luke’s father offered from running Maine’s largest lobster processing facility gave their team at Luke’s Lobsters the insight and knowhow to launch a processing facility in Saco.  This infrastructure  has since expedited growth to now service 30 domestic, and 11 international Shacks,  as well as their wholesale account Whole Foods.
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In our 40 minute discussion we learn more about what this thought-leader is doing to protect his fishery in the warming waters of the Gulf of Maine.  We chat about full carcass utilization of the lobster, and about the economic viability of the fishery and its future crop. We discuss product differentiation, and diversifying the offerings of both their producers/ harvesters, and of his growing $30mm business.

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TuneIn to hear about the future of the iconic Maine lobster.

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LukesLobster

 

 

 

 



Ep. 75: Teresa Ish, Program Officer of the Environment @ The Walton Family Foundation ||

On Sourcing Matters episode 75 we welcome Teresa Ish – Oceans Initiative Program Officer at The Walton Family Foundation.  Ish manages grants in the Environment Program that leverage the power of the supply chain to advocate for more sustainable fisheries.

Weeks prior to recording I had the opportunity to meet with Ish at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) in Boston.  Teresa provided a walking tour of the SENA floor – introducing us to three change agents in the future of fisheries:

  1. Casey Marion – the Director of Sustainability Initiatives for Quality Management for Florida based Sea Best.  Casey shared with us some of the systems they’ve introduced to better understand sophisticated supply chains in global fisheries.
  2. Mauricio Orellana – a leader in the Octopus fishery on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.  We learn first hand about this unique example of a future responsible fishery built to service its community of fisherman through first appreciating its resources.   – We also learn a bit more about the soul of an Octopus.
  3. Our final stop was in my native New England waters.  We learn from Richard Stavis – of the iconic brand, Stavis SeafoodLuke Holden – founder of Luke’s LobsterDick Jones of Ocean Outcomes, and Sean Murphy of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. This gathering was focused on trends in fisheries and seafood sourcing – on advancements which are better meshing with modern consumer interests.
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Our 40 minute discussion follows this walking tour of SENA.  We discuss each stop along the way, as well as the Walton Family Foundation’s 2020 Environment Strategic Plan.  We chat about education, and the potential of integrating outreach, education and investment into stable ecosystems – which begins & ends with healthy oceans.
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TuneIn to hear what a leading foundation

is doing to protect our seas; our future!

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BIO: Before joining the foundation, Teresa Ish was the seafood project manager for the Corporate Partnerships Program at Environmental Defense Fund, where she worked with leading seafood buyers to develop and implement sustainable seafood purchasing policies. During her tenure at EDF, she played an instrumental role in merging the organization’s seafood buyer work and its extensive experience in the fishery policy arena. Prior to joining EDF, she co- founded FishWise and served as its director of science.
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Ep. 74: Live recorded from Treefort music festival in Boise, Idaho – Chef & food system advocate Kris Komori, and farmer & seed propagator Beth Rasgorshek  ||

For Sourcing Matters episode 74 we join chef & food system advocate Kris Komori, and farmer and seed propagation Beth Rasgorshek for a conversation @ The Treefort music festival in Boise, ID – recorded in-front of a live audience.
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With three consecutive James Beard nods, Kris Komori is the rock star of Idaho’s chef world. A graduate of the College of Idaho, he sharpened his kitchen skills in Portland before moving to the Gem State. Komori’s creative, constantly changing menus drew fast admiration when State & Lemp opened in 2013. Most recently, he and his team have been developing a new concept and restaurant that will launch in downtown Boise soon.
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Beth Rasgorshek has worn many hats: journalist, pioneering CSA farmer, flour producer and now seed farmer. Today, Rasgorshek grows certified organic vegetable seeds on seven tillable acres at Canyon Bounty Farm in Mampa. She now raises and sells both small-seeded and big-seeded crops like green beans, dry beans, edamame, various flower seeds, watermelon, muskmelon, peppers, wheat, leeks and onion.

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We’re a lot more alike than different. That’s said about people from areas all over the world.  But, when it comes to farmers and food producers – the similarity and bond is unquestionable.  With the regenerative agriculture revolution we’re discovering that we have friends and like minded brethren on every corner of planet -and- increasingly everywhere in between.  TuneIn to hear about what’s going on in Idaho.  Learn how our problems with a common enemy could ultimately unite our diverse stakeholder for battle.


ABOUT TREEFORT: The Treefort Music Fest is a five-day, indie rock festival which is held at numerous venues throughout downtown Boise, Idaho in late March.  Treefort has been called “the west’s best SXSW alternative” and Boise’s preeminent artistic, cultural and musical happening which has “morphed from quirky music festival to consuming community event. It has also been characterized as a “music lover’s joyous mayhem” which showcases and amplifies the soul of Boise.



Ep. 73: Adam Kesselman, Executive Director & Board Member of the Center for Ecoliteracy; and Vince Caguin, Director of Nutrition Services & Warehousing @ Natomas Unified School District – Sacramento, CA ||

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On Sourcing Matters episode 73 we welcome Adam Kesselman, Executive Director & board member of the The Center for Ecoliteracy  -&- Vince Caguin, Director of Nutrition Services & Warehousing Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento CA.

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Kesselman’s programs encourage schools to teach and model education for sustainable living – beginning with a good diet.  The students that Adam and Vince work with have an opportunity to experience and understand how nature sustains life and how to live accordingly.  One such program – California Thursdays – now servers over 334 million school meals a year, which accounts for 33% of the school meals in California.  Every meal serves California-grown, for California kids – and of which has focus on food quality and integrity from the source.  Economists estimate that every dollar spent on local food can generate up to an additional $1.40 in spending, supporting local economies. So, built upon that – what’s it worth to any of us to provide our kids and our neighbor’s kids preventative healthcare and good consumption habits – things that tend to carry-on for a lifetime.
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In our 40 minute discussion we chat about the importance of regional production models, and how to own – our own – provenance.  We discuss that we’re not all California!  We learn of current initiatives that have seen success; with some home runs in there that could see continued Statewide growth, and capacity for a replicable model for other parts of the US.  We learn what keeps their current programs afloat, and what steps they’re taking to motivate diverse stakeholders to partake in these rewarding programs.
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Could the buying power of hundreds or thousands of neighborhood schools be pooled to encourage regional production capacity?   What’s the worth of purchase commitments from districtwide buyers?   California has demonstrated that you can guarantee supply of fresh, quality and clean food on a school’s budget – through supporting the growth of modern regional farming infrastructure.

 

TuneIn to hear how about the New School Food plan coming out of California.  The approach may very well help you and your region, where ever you live.



Ep. 72: Jon Cianfrani – Producer, Director, Editor at ZPZ Production ||

On Sourcing Matters episode 72 we welcome Jonathan Cianfrani – documentary & television producer/ editor/ director at Zero Point Zero Production. Over the past ten years Jon Cianfrani has travelled the world in pursuit of unique stories and creative ways to tell them.  He’s been involved in all aspects of capturing and curating these stories through documentary film and television.
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From episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” and the PBS & Netflix program – “Mind of a Chef” – Cianfrani has been worked as a producer, director and editor for New York City – based – Zero-Point-Zero (ZPZ) production.  Most recently, Jon directed the feature documentary titled “Fermented” which is scheduled to air online in April 2019.   Hosted by Chef Edward Lee, the film poses the question: “What is Fermentation?” to chefs and artisans on the west coast, Chicago, and rural Japan.
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Joining as co-host for this conversation is Jay Vilar – the founder and practitioner at ‘Nourish’ – a bespoke consulting company with a mission to educate, teach, and train people on the benefits of using food to heal your body and optimize your health.  Jay has always been on the forefront of using optimal health techniques, and bio-hacking his nutrition to achieve remarkable results in his career.
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In our 40 minute discussion we learn more about what it was like to work with Tony Bourdain.   We discuss numerous food categories where cold-firing – or living microbes – are used to value-ad food stuff.  From beer, miso, bread, pickles, salami, kombucha, cheese and more – we hear from Jon about the combination of art and science used in fermentation, and how his recent film explores how these offerings impact our lives, our health and that of the makers.  TuneIn to learn more about this culture of food.

 

 



co-host:

Jay Vilar

  • Founder of Nourish
  • A focus on Nutritional Therapy
  • Rodale Institute Fellow
  • Host of  ‘listen to your mother’ show

@twitter


Ep. 71: Marc Oshima – CMO & co-founder of AeroFarms ||

On Sourcing Matters episode 71 we welcome Marc Oshima, co-founder & CMO of AeroFarms. An award-winning marketer and passionate about food, Oshima has led the marketing for major supermarket chains and specialty food retailers. With his B.A. from Columbia College and M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, Marc is also Board Co-Chair of Chefs Collaborative, a 25 year old non-profit improving our sustainable food systems, and a member of the United Fresh Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council.
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AeroFarms is a leading clean-technology champion, building and operating state-of-the art indoor vertical farms in major cities around the world. Helping set new culinary standards for freshness and flavor, AeroFarms has been recognized as a Global Cleantech 100, Inc.com’s Top 25 Disruptive Companies, Winner of the World Technology Award for Most Impactful Environmental Company, and Finalist for The Circular Awards of The World Economic Forum.
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It’s argued in Dickson Despommier’s book – ‘Vertical Farming – feeding the world in the 21st century’ that by 2050 – 80% of the world’s population with live in Urban environments.  So, why should we continue to ship our food from remote Rural environments that often use antiqued and wasteful techniques – which are increasingly susceptible to disruption and risk?  TuneIn to hear what one of the market leaders has to say about this future of food production – local, abroad and beyond.



Ep. 70: Elizabeth Whitlow – Executive Director of Regenerative Organic Alliance ||

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On Sourcing Matters episode 70 we welcome Elizabeth Whitlow – Executive Director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA).   In early 2018, the ROA was formed as a non-profit cohort of organizations and businesses led by Rodale Institute, Patagonia, and Dr. Bronner’s.  These vested founders began the process of developing a Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) – a unique, high-bar agricultural standard that leverages the foundation of USDA certified organic – and elevates it steps further.
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The goal of regenerative organic agriculture is to offer practical solutions to the world’s biggest social and ecological challenges. We’ve learned that we’re beyond the point of sustainability and we need to regenerate the soil and land that supports us, the animals that nourish us, and the farmers and workers that feed us.  This has developed into a call to action of the ROA and defined a path forward where we’re all part of the solution.
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In our 45 minute conversation we discuss the iterative approach that Elizabeth and her supporters are taking in rolling-out the ROC standards.  We learn how the industry can begin to better incentivize on-ramping of more producers and suppliers that will implement elevated production standards to source differentiated food for the benefit of human, animal and planetary health. We assess the roles of the different stakeholders, and how that all comes to fruition through the actions of consumers.  We discuss how these new high-bar standards relate to Soil Health, Animal Welfare & Social Fairness, and what that means for broader audiences of both farmers and eaters.
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Elizabeth Whitlow has dedicated her career in regenerative agriculture to further the impact of high-bar certifications. Prior to taking the helm at the ROA, in her most recent role as EarthClaims’ director of certification she oversaw a team working to provide private, third-party verification services for animal welfare, grass-fed claims, antibiotic-free and customized audits to support specific marketing claims. Prior to EarthClaims, Elizabeth was a fellow at the Leadership for a Sustainable Future. Elizabeth also spent 16 years with California Certified Organic Farmers in roles ranging from reviewer, senior inspector, and livestock specialist to inspection operations manager.

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TuneIn to hear what the future food system can actually turn into;
and who’ll be leading the charge.

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