American Family Farmer

Host/Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com offers news about how the wet weather and the new trade deal are related. Then, news about how drug addiction is increasing on Family Farms. Next, Doug welcomes Baker/Family Farmer, Shana Amsterdam. https://www.facebook.com/pg/talkingbreads/about/?ref=page_internal She and her husband Joe are the Owners/Bakers at Talking Breads Bakery, in Shermansdale, Pennsylvania. They are dedicated to providing a wide variety of breads using only the highest quality, freshly milled, organic whole grain, whole wheat, rye and spelt flours. They strive to support local farms and mills for baking ingredients. They practice organic and sustainable agriculture, and believe in farming methods which will ensure soil fertility. Finally, Doug talks about the farm equipment that he owns and has owned.

Host Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has good news for American Family Farmers about trade opportunities in England, Scotland and Ireland, due to The President's new trade deals. Next, Doug welcomes Lucille Benoit https://keepthecows.com/. Few have had the milk stool in the barn that she's been privileged to have for more than 30 years. She has known good cows, bad ones, clean ones and messy ones, the ones who are the best and brightest and the ones who have died from incurable diseases. In addition to working on dairy farms, Lucille has been an award-winning journalist working for New England newspapers telling the stories of the real struggles of farmers. She is author of a new book, "Come, Bos," that contains stories based on the people and animals she's met and loved in her more than 30 years working with Dairy cows. Finally Doug opines about the state of farming in China.

Host Doug Stephan https://eastleighfarm.wixsite.com/eastleighfarm has good news for Family Farmers coming from The White House. Next, Doug welcomes Gerit Quealy, https://www.botanicalshakespeare.com/ author/editor of Botanical Shakespeare from HarperDesign /HarperCollins. As a journalist, she has covered everything from lipstick to Shakespeare. The book is a one-of-a-kind color compendium of the ALL the named plants that appear in the entire canon attributed to William Shakespeare, accompanied by the all the quotes that contain them. Finally, Doug opines about the effects of bees on our lives and why so many are dying.

Host/Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has news about the Tester-Hagen Amendment http://farmandranchfreedom.org/analysis-of-the-tester-hagan-amendment/ and what it takes to qualify for assistance. Next, Doug welcomes Jennifer Fahy, Communications Director for Farm Aid https://www.farmaid.org/ . Jennifer has been with Farm Aid since 2002. She loves to spread the word about good food from family farms and the important work of Farm Aid. According to Jennifer, the best part of her job is the intersection of people she gets to work with, from fellow staff and the Farm Aid board of directors, to farmers, activists and members of the media. Farm Aid’s mission is to keep family farmers on the land. Finally, Doug answers the question that we are spending $-millions on to define: What is REAL MEAT?

Host Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarms.com has news about how the Family Farm is in trouble. Next, Doug welcomes Darla Tyler-McSherry who started "Ask In Earnest" www.askinernest.org after her father died of an apparent suicide. "I believe that my dad was born to be a farmer. He spent his entire life working the land, caring for the animals, providing for his family, and providing food for countless people over the course of his lifetime. Like all other farmers, he experienced numerous challenges—drought, crop disease, insect infestations, hailstorms, unpredictable markets, blizzards, breakdowns during harvest, and the long days with the hot prairie winds blowing on his neck. "I could never picture him doing anything else." The single most important concept that Darla wants to share with others is to listen carefully to farmers and to ask in earnest to help prevent suicide in farming. Resources are available to help. Finally, Doug opines about the big farms versus the small farms, and the breakdowns of net p

Host Doug Stephan begins with the latest Farm News from around the world. Next, Tobias Peggs, co-founder and CEO of Square Roots Urban Farming www.squarerootsgrow.com Joins Doug to explain how farmers are learning how to grow crops, yea-round in an urban environment. Finally, Doug talks about "Agri-Tourism."

Farmer/Host Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has news about an illegal farm worker who killed an Iowa college student. Doug believes that there is no reason to hire illegals. Next, Doug discusses a new web site for sharing ideas for helping small dairy farms: www.dairyproposals2018.com . Next, Doug welcomes farmer Martha Boneta www.marthaboneta.com . Martha is a farmer at Liberty Farm in Paris, Virginia. Growing up, her family always had kitchen gardens and it was Martha’s childhood dream to be a Virginia farmer and that dream became reality over 9 years ago. She has been a victim of Government Harassment. Martha speaks all over the country on property rights, farming, environmental, and energy issues. She is a supporter President Trump's focus on helping the Family Farm. www.marthaboneta.com/media/ . Finally, Doug opines about The Department of Agriculture and how they seem to be hurting the family farm. Why have we allowed a Chinese company to purchase the largest pork producer in The United States? D

Host/Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has news of the farmer who was recently awarded $289,000,000 in a lawsuit against Monsanto Chemical. After 30-years of using their product Round-Up, he is dying of Cancer. Another Farmer has been fined $2-million for having a Birthday Party on her farm. Next, Doug welcomes Cody Hopkins, General Manager of Grass Roots Farmers Cooperative www.grassrootscoop.com . Cody, an Arkansas native, brought ten years of experience developing and growing a vertically integrated, sustainable livestock farm—Falling Sky Farm before organizing the cooperative. He describes how it works and how the farmers benefit. Finally, Doug opines about why The Government is the farmer's Boogieman.

News of an Illinois fifth generation Family Farm, who's crop value has decreased 25%, because of the Chinese Tariff wars. Next, host Doug Stephan learns the secrets of running a successful Third Generation Family Dairy Farm, from Randy Sowers. South Mountain Creamery https://southmountaincreamery.com/ in Middletown, MD. Randy and his wife Karen started farming in 1981. They rented the land and took out a loan to buy 100 cows. Today the Sowers family owns and farms 2,200 acres. SMC milks 550 head, raises over 100 beef cattle each year and 16,000 laying chickens. They currently employ over 75 people. Finally, Doug opines about how The President plans to protect farmers from the Trade Wars.

Host Doug Stephan http://www.eastleighfarm.com has news about wild-caught seafood farmers. Next, Roger Johnson, President of The National Farmers Union http://www.nfu.org joins Doug to discuss the $12-Billion Dollars that's earmarked to help farmers, due to the Trade Wars. Where is the money going to go? Johnson was elected to lead the family farm organization at NFU’s 107th anniversary convention in 2009. He has since expanded the education department by providing more programs for beginning, college-aged and women farmers, increased the number of Farmers Union state divisions, and developed a strategic plan for the organization. Finally, Doug opines about Social Media and how important Farm Safety can be.

First, Host/Farmer Doug Stephan talks about his personal farm, Eastleigh Farm http://www.eastleighfarm.com . Next, the news from The White House, that President Trump wants more aide for needy farmers. Doug wonders who will decide who the "needy" farms are. Doug Welcomes Steve Nygren from Serenbe http://www.serenbe.com . Serenbe’s is an "AGRI-HOOD," consisting of a community of hamlets that have complementary commercial centers focused on the elements of a well-lived life: arts for inspiration, agriculture for nourishment, health for wellbeing and education for awareness. Fresh food is one of Serenbe’s natural assets, with a 25-acre organic farm. It's a place you can enjoy for a meal, a weekend or call home for a lifetime. Finally, Doug opines about NAFTA; it's good provisions and its many bad ones.

Host Doug Stephan begins with news about The Trade Wars and how they are affecting the Family Farm, especially Pork Producers. Next, Doug welcomes Dr. John Bolten, who is serving as the Associate Program Manager of Water Resources for the NASA Applied Sciences Program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/ His research focuses on the application of satellite-based remote sensing and land surface hydrological modeling for improved ecological and water resource management. John is involved in the scientific community and regularly gives seminars and tutorials on his recent work and the activities of NASA’s Applied Sciences Program related to water resources management around the globe. Finally, Doug opines about the New Farm Bill that Congress seems to have a lack of interest in.

Host Doug Stephan begins the podcast with news you can use on your ranch or farm, including the new Farm Bill that the House and Senate are hammering out. Next, Doug welcomes Margo Hale, Southeast Regional Office Director for NCAT, the National Center for Appropriate Technology. http://www.nact.org For over 40 years NCAT has been promoting sustainable living. They are a national nonprofit that provides research-based technical assistance and information in the fields of sustainable agriculture, sustainable energy, and community development for small-scale intensive farming, urban farming, and local foods; assistance to small farmers, beginning and new farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, and veterans wishing to become farmers. Finally, Doug offers new news about Farm Aid 2018, taking place on September 22nd and he opines about across-the-board drops in Farm Income.

Host Doug Stephan reviews news about Replenishing the Soil, Deforestation and the threat Amazon.com poses with box usage. Next, Doug welcomes Dr. Neil I. Fox https://www.cafnr.missouri.edu/person/neil-i-fox/ , Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science at The University of Missouri. He has researched a number of threads which include: The use of radar in the estimation and very short-period forecasting (nowcasting) of rainfall. The representation of rainfall in models of runoff, soil detachment and stream flow. Observation of winds at heights of interest to wind energy development and their relationship to the characteristics of the low-level jet. They discuss the hidden dangers of Severe Weather. Finally, Doug gives an update on Willie Nelson's "Farm Aid" and finally Doug opines with very little optimism over the proposed Farm Bill. He suggests that there needs to be a whole new pricing structure that is more favorable to the small Family Farm. 

Host Doug Stephan tells a story about of a couple in their sixties, who left conventional careers to begin a successful business raising livestock. Next, Val Dolcini of The Pollinator Partnership http://www.pollinator.org joins Doug to discuss "Bee Friendly Farming." Val was formerly Administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency, is a fifth generation Californian, a passionate supporter of American farmers and ranchers, and a firm believer in the promise of our nation's rural places.  He is currently the President & CEO of the Pollinator Partnership, an organization dedicated to the support and protection of pollinators throughout North America. Finally, Doug's commentary this week is about "The Music in Mowing and Hay Bailing."

In Agri-News, Host Doug Stephan outlines new proposals to help Dairy Farmers and other farming http://www.farmbill.org . Next, Doug welcomes Scott Farber who leads a team working to improve food and farm legislation, chemicals policy and a host of other issues important to EWG and its supporters. http://www.egw.org Prior to joining EWG, Scott was vice president for federal affairs for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, where he spearheaded efforts to enact the Food Safety Modernization Act, which sets new food safety standards for food manufacturers and farmers. From 2000 to 2007, he was a food and farm policy campaign manager for the Environmental Defense Fund, leading efforts to reform farm policies in the 2002 and 2008 farm bills. They discuss how it's time to put the consumer back in control. Finally, Doug opines about this year's Tick Season.

First, the farm news, with Host Doug Stephan covers how much the average farmer makes annually, Family Dairy Farmers in danger of becoming extinct and why, and Canada's interest in opening the doors to American Dairies. Next, Chris Kerston of the Savory Institute http://www.savoryinstitute.org joins Doug about their work. Chris ranched full time for nearly 15yrs before joining the Savory Institute. With a longstanding passion for regenerative agricultural and better food distribution systems, he has dedicated his life to helping connect ranchers with consumers in ways that create synergistic value for both sides. The Institute facilitates the realization of a life of enduring returns for the land and all who depend on it. They develop tools and enhanced curricula, inform policy, establish market incentives, increase public awareness, and coordinate relevant research, cultivating relationships with aligned partners. Finally, Doug opines about the misconception about Raw Milk.

Host Doug Stephan begins with news about the first death lawsuit against Monsanto over use of Round-Up. Next, Doug's special guest is Daniel Morash of California Safe Soil http://www.calsafesoil.com. CSS provides a full-cycle process to assist supermarkets to recycle their organics, improve store hygiene, and reduce costs, in addition to helping agricultural customers save money, increase crop yield, and reduce nitrate runoff. They produce a safe, low cost, high volume, and high-quality liquid fertilizer product, Harvest-to-Harvest™. Finally, Doug talks about the benefits of having your own backyard garden.

Host Doug Stephan shares news about the skyrocketing demand for Organic Foods and Organic Milk, and how Government agencies are trying to set the standards. Next, Doug meets Lydell Steiner of TILMOR http://www.tilmor.com. TILMOR is fourth-generation family farm (certified organic since 2006), with more than 50 years of experience designing and manufacturing turf and agricultural equipment. While operating the farm, they needed reliable, appropriately-sized, affordable tools and equipment for their smaller acreage—and they couldn’t get them. Agricultural equipment manufacturers were focused on large, industrial farms, and they were left with purchasing and trying to maintain older equipment. That is how TILMOR was born. Today, they are committed to developing tools and equipment that are designed, built, and distributed for the farmers who are supplying our communities with the fresh, locally-grown goodness we’ve come to know and love. Next, Doug shares a little poem about Dairy Farming and then he opines abou

Host Doug Stephan reveals a recent study which indicates that the number one cause of concern in the world is Animal Welfare. Next, Doug talks with Government Relations Representative for the National Farmers Unionhttp://www.nfu.org, Matt Perdue, who is an advocate for family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in Congress and the executive branch.  He focuses on climate, conservation, energy, health care, rural development, and transportation. In April, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced legislation to provide mental health resources in rural America to address the alarmingly high rate of suicide amongst farmers and ranchers. The bill, FARMERS FIRST encourages Rural Solutions for Immediate Response to Stressful Times. Finally, Doug opines about the FARMERS FIRST Bill.