Sourcing Matters.show

On episode 25 we welcome Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts 6th District.  Since taking office in 2015, Rep. Moulton has been introducing innovative policy and ideas to benefit those he represents, and the region he’s from.  Probably best known on a national level for his voice of resource in addressing gun violence and just ownership laws, to many of his constituents North of Boston – he’s well known as a jobs creator and champion of a modern fishery. I first connected with Moulton’s team a few years back when they hosted Monica Jain and the Fish2.0 Northeast Hub near their offices in Salem, MA. Since then, Seth Moulton has taken his commitment to responsible fisheries and regenerative ocean farming back to DC with the introduction of the 2017 “The Young Fisherman’s Development Act”.  This bi-partisan bill co-authored with Republican Don Young of Alaska looks to empower those working on waterfronts and oceans of tomorrow. You see, too often folks look at US fisheries, especially in the Northeast, as a

On Sourcing Matter episode 24 we welcome Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine's 1st District.  A lifelong advocate for better food and equal rights - since her first day in office Congresswoman Pingree has been a dogged supporter of the local food movement, of the farm worker, and for improving access to nutrition for more US families. Having the opportunity to connect with Rep. Pingree a week after returning from a visit to the southern US border where she witnessed firsthand what's happening in our modern day internment camps - we begin our conversation correlating how these policies are impacting the agricultural work force; and their kids!  In our 1 hour conversation we also chat about SNAP and the 2018 Farm Bill.  We share appreciation for the many bounties of Maine. And, we discuss how nutritious food can be preventative health care for each and every American citizen. Chellie Pingree currently serves on the Congressional Committee of Appropriations, the subcommittee of Agriculture, and that of the

Wine is more than just any libation, it’s an experience steeped in history. It’s part of ritual and beliefs; it ties us with friends, family, cuisine, and for many – with their lineage. From the highest-end vintages that are matured & aged for decades, to the low-end box of wine at the corner store costing a few bucks – this cold fired fermenting extends a full spectrum of offerings that now accounts for a $62B domestic industry.  The success of the industry is tied to its ability to differentiate those offerings throughout that spectrum. From the region it’s from, to an elevated production approach, to the aging process, or its unparalleled cuisine connection that helps develop an ecosystem of aficionados that have become increasingly interested in each of all of these unique factors further connecting the consumer with their drink of choice and its affinities – it matters in wine. Producing Châteauneuf-du-Pape style Rhone wines native to the Southeast Corner of France, today we welcome Partner and Gener

Situated on over 600 acres of preserved coastal landscape in Freeport, Maine – Wolfe’s Neck Center uses its setting to connect people of all ages to the food they eat and where it comes from. As a nonprofit, Wolfe’s Neck Center draws upon a rich history of innovation and experimentation to continue the legacy of this place today. Through regenerative farming, innovative soil health research, and visitor interactions, the land is now used as an educational resource to create a healthier planet for all. Joining for episode 22 of Sourcing Matters we welcome Dave Herring: Executive Director at Wolfe’s Neck Center; and Fiona Wilson, Chair of the Board at Wolfe’s Neck, and ED at Center for Social Innovation and Enterprise, Asst. Prof. at UNH’s Paul College of Business. Our 45 minute discussion ranges from regenerative best practice -to- the current state of milk -to- the business potential of regional production -to- encouraging more connection to nature, and systems, through getting out - and camping.  Fiona and

Did you know that the thin walled produce you eat can be some of the most concerning foods in your diet. From everything we think we know - that just seems counterintuitive. How can Fruit & Veg possibly worse than processed food, high fructose sugar, feedlot beef?  Well, that may come down to the eye of the beholder.  Concerns with neurotoxins and hormone disruptors used extensively in common pesticides throughout conventional production, or that of glyphosate are real and are worthy of scrutiny. On Sourcing Matters episode 21 we welcome Volkert Engelsman, CEO of the EU's largest importer of organic and biological produce - EOSTA of the Netherlands.  Engelsman is a global thought-leader fighting for cleaner food and healthier soils through a unique process of engaging more stakeholders in sourcing.  "When you commoditize products, you anonymize origin and backstory" explains Engelsman in describing why he launched trans & trace technology platform Nature & More to validate the integrity of his su

There’s been a citizens awakening to Ocean Health.  A macro trend in the US, much instigated by a younger generation to the problems we have on a shrinking planet.  On Episode 20 we welcome Dr. Robyn Hannigan, Founding Dean of school of the environment.  Umass Boston & Michael Tlusty, PhD – Associate Professor – Sustainability and Food Solutions at the School for the Environment, Umass Boston. .With over 70% of that shrinking planet being blue, and that ocean acting as the trash receptacle for the past 40+ years – we’re running out of never-never-land to throw away our trash and get away with it now pilling up where we may see it.  In that same half century time period – human population has skyrocketed from 3.5 billion to 7 billion.  Non-biodegradable plastic is now everywhere. Even forming its own landmass! During our discussion I learn about their new state of the art campus on Boston Harbor.  They share how the School of the Environment was “created out of a series of modified environmentally Ocean fo

On Episode 19 of Sourcing Matters we welcome well known chef, and SNAP reformer Michel Nischan to the show.  This 4-time James Beard award winning chef is founder and President/CEO of Wholesome Wave.  As a long-time advocate of better food and proper production, Nischan has dedicated most of his career to fixing a broken system through transitioning intrinsic domestic focus from energy production to nutrient dense sustenance for more.  Nischan's efforts have been nothing but transformative in enacting lasting change throughout the US food system, and in the mind's eye of its consumers. Through the creation of successful programs like the doubling of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/ food stamps) benefits on healthy & nutritious foods, and the Produce Prescription program - Nischan has taken firm control of a political football and is now responsible for reforming a significant part of our national farm bill policy.  Additionally, in conjunction with the James Beard foundation, Nischan work

Today I’m joined by two knowledgeable thought leaders pioneering a better food movement sprawling from coast to coast, and everywhere in-between.  On episode 18 of Sourcing Matters Wendy Millet – Director of Tomkat Ranch research center, and Jill Isenbarger – CEO of Stone Barns Center discuss all important topics ranging from circular economies, holistic management, food & Agtech, and more which have begun casting a long shadow over a quickly changing domestic food landscape. Over the last decade, TomKat Ranch and the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture have materialized into the tip of the spear of domestic regenerative agricultural reform.  Through convening gatherings of industry expertise and consumers alike these unique epicenters of future food have gained a finger on the pulse of what it’ll take to return values back to food, and how to engage tomorrow’s workforce into the diverse rewards and opportunities of reconnecting with the land. Supremely humble and approachable, Millet & Is

Today on Sourcing Matters we explore the oceans with an expert and innovator redefining how we’ll manage this essential regenerative natural resource.  Architected out of an online business competition, Monica Jain founded and is Executive Director of Fish2.0, an ecosystem “where seafood businesses & investors meet”.  Perpetually coaching and facilitating founders amongst her wide net, Jain evaluates a diverse spectrum of concepts ranging from supply chain transparency & traceability – to- next gen gear tech – to- smart and biomimetic fish meal for aquaculture – to – big data efficiencies reducing waste and deadloss.  Now, traveling the globe to instigate innovation throughout future fisheries, Jain uses regional think-tanks and gatherings of industry experts with entrepreneurs to foster growth in a stagnant and often detrimental industry. Culminating with an annual onsite business competition at Stanford – Fish2.0 has quickly become the hub of innovation economies for the best-of-the-best in global f

On Sourcing Matters episode 16 we welcome Jack Algiere, farm manager at Stone Barns Agricultural Research Center.  An insightful guide who has taken the reins in shepherding the future food system more regenerative, Algiere takes great pride and responsibility in his work.  Through a well endowed 80 acre central farm, and an additional 350 acres of pastural lands – Jack and his team manage a multidimensional farm of diverse outputs that fields 150,000 guests a year at their working hub. The goal of this agricultural research and educational epicenter in West Chester NY is to cast a large shadow on consumers and producers alike through better connecting more to natural order through the food we eat.  There are many challenges of this type of agritourism on a working farm, but Jack takes them all in stride – stating: “We can only look ahead.  If people engage in food; if they ask for, and demand more – we can change the food system together.”  Algiere continues, “Where do we learn this stuff?  On the small, bea

Today on episode 15 we welcome Brett Brohl, Managing Director of TechStars farm-to-fork accelerator.  Brett is an experienced entrepreneur, investor, and mentor who is driven by making a difference in the world through helping entrepreneurs succeed. Spawned by the influence of his wife, Brett's interest in food and agriculture has percolated into the creation of this TechStars vertical dedicated to the future of food and proper resource management in feeding ourselves on a shrinking planet.  New England's facilitator of a new Food Economy, Lauren Abda joins the conversation as a first time co-host on Sourcing Matters. Over the past five years an innovation economy has been amassing in food & ag-tech.  Despite maturity and complexity, food systems and agriculture are one of the last giants to remain analog and antiquated.  From last mile delivery, mobile animal processing, big data accurately tracking global fisheries, or provenance of food, on new metrics & KPIs monitoring food values and production e

Spawned from a food truck in Kendall Sq, Ayr Muir has been advancing food systems for the last decade. Now, with 12 restaurants and zero food trucks around Boston & Cambridge – Muir has his sights set on refining a process that can continue to scale without sacrificing commitment to quality. In our chat we cover supply chain integrity and transparency, Clover’s open kitchen concept where food deliveries come through the front door, the diverse values of the whole wheat berry, the experience of finding good coffee, and more innovations Clover has unearthed throughout the years. 18 months ago Ayr Muir made a commitment to his employees. National minimum wage is $7.25, and MA today is $11 pr/hr. Ayr commitment to a fair living wage of at least $15 per, and now has upped the challenge again – explaining “if it’s right for the employees, it’s worth fighting for.”  Muir has monitored similar key metrics of success from day one.  Now, with many lessons under his belt – these sound business decisions seem to be

For the past four years Arion Thiboumery has been progressing the regional food movement of the Northeast. Offering services that range from an advanced kill floor -to- full carcass utilization preserving elevated production standards up & down the value chain -to- value-add sausage, bacon, hams and more – Vermont Packinghouse is a full service provider establishing a new niche in domestic production. Through commitment to unparalleled transparency in their process and products coming through their facility, Arion and his team of 60 are defining new expectations in food provenance through their approach to food animal processing. During a 35 minute chat, host Aaron Niederhelman discusses with Thiboumery a wide variety of subjects including the current state of the industry, bioregions for economic growth, new competition from plant-based cellular meat products and growth plans to scale Vermont Packinghouse’s honed process. Thiboumery  explains that he’s “a recovering academic who decided to get my hands

ep. 12: Bill Buckner, President & CEO, Noble Research Institute On episode 12 of Sourcing Matters we welcome Bill Buckner, President and CEO of Noble Research institute.  As the largest independent private agricultural organization in the US, Noble has recently focused on bridging the worlds of conventional and Organic production through a commitment to land management and soil health that will provide solutions to the vast challenges facing Agriculture, and humanity as a whole. Founded in 1945 in response to the dust bowl, the core competencies of land stewardship and proper resource conservation to prevent future disaster is part of Noble's linage.  Earlier this year they've launched a market exchange for natural resources currently not even given a commodity value. It's the hope of Buckner and his team of 400 at the Noble Research Institute that by adding a new cost basis to soil health, carbon and water - we'll be able to decommoditized food and promote the differentiated values from elevated produc

Ep. 11 Tim Joseph: Founder and owner of Maple Hill Creamery Through the creation of a world-class creamery in upstate New York, Tim Joseph has seen his fair share of learning experiences. Joseph and his growing aggregation of dairy farms have become the tip of the spear in testing and evolving best holistic management practice to maximize the many values of a grassfed production model to benefit animals, land and consumer health. Beginning with the quality of taste of their products, Tim Joseph has become more than just a student of the game in differentiating their products through elevated production standards.  Maple Hill Creamery has become a market leader in advancing consumer awareness in all food animal production. Simplifying the messaging that focuses on the personal benefits of investing in the animals and their living environments has seemed to resonate with more.  Now, leveraging that with extensive research into growing consumer’s interest in their food and the mirroring of the success witnessed

Set on addressing "the greatest problem facing humanity" - Allan Savory has spent a half century teaching us how to better connect with natural order.  Stemming from his early work to remediate desertification in the rangelands of Africa, Savory has developed a model of food animal management that could very well be our savior against climate change, and global instability. It's the proper management of animals that will be an essential part of the solution to address biodiversity loss and reverse the rapid warming of the planet.  As author J. Schwartz writes in “Cows save the Planet”, the disruptive forces of ruminants are actually the “crucible” of change in using soil to rectify climate change. Conventional methodology and associated reductionist theories to the environment, and our health, fail to evaluate that we’re all part of much bigger system that relies on being a link of the living nutrient recycling program. As Allan continues to prove, there are unlikely heroes in solving the most pressing global

Former Minister of Social Welfare & Women’s Development in Kashmir, Farzana Yaqoob joins us for episode 9 of Sourcing Matters. An expert in international conflict resolution, Farzana has spent most of her lifetime fighting for stability in tumultuous environments.  Connecting social, economic and political stability to the Staples of Life – we learn how supremely populated regions with complex backgrounds are dealing with the realities of a shared planet and increased stresses on current systems already overwhelmed in sourcing enough water and food to just sustain. Farzana levers her recent appointment as a World Economic Forum “Young Global Leader” to discover and disseminate solutions to some of these most pressing problems set to plague an increasingly shrinking planet. From addressing the impending realities of climate refugees expected to top tens of millions within a decade, to providing eduction and water access to women & children in the developing world, to spreading the good word of “commona

Can a new American Cuisine link our diversity with better sourcing? James Beard award winning MasterChef known for vertical integration from farm-to-fork Ana Sortun joins me on episode 8 of Sourcing Matters to discuss. Influenced by good quality food from a young age, Sortun doesn’t compromise her sourcing values. Integrating production from their family owned farm run by husband Chris Kurth into her 3 restaurants (Oleana, Sofra, Sarma), via their CSA, and onto the menus of some of the top brass in New England – their unique supply chain elevates expectations for transparency & traceability to the extreme. Now, working with Dan Barber on his new company Row 7 Seeds to push the envelope in cultivating varietals that embrace diversity, flavor and sustenance of natural order over that of supreme control, Ana continues to use her pioneering position in cuisine and sourcing to advance our food system.  An author, teacher, and a nourisher – Ana’s passion to bolster natural flavors prominent in crops produced wi

On episode 7 of Sourcing Matters we welcome Chris Sherman, President of Island Creek Oysters, and 2018 Eisenhower Fellow.  For the past 25 years Island Creek Oysters has been building brand now known for global excellence.  Focused on promoting the many values of shellfish to humans, the Oceans and the planet – Chris and his team at ICO continue to push the envelop in regenerative farming of the sea. Through the vertical integration of their thriving Oyster farms, a successful distribution company and world-renowned retail outlets – these “New American Farmers” have developed a sustainable model of sustenance and jobs for their community in Massachusetts, and the North Atlantic.  Levering these ocean smarts to do greater good, Chis also curates the Island Creek Oyster Foundation, a non-profit which has codified a replicable model of aquaculture for the developing world. Building off their many successes in advancing ocean farming, Chris was recently awarded an opportunity to do more. Later this year Sherman

For episode 6 of Sourcing Matters we welcome Dr. David Nabarro of WHO.  Dr. Nabarro has spent 40 years progressing public, human and planetary health through diverse and far reaching initiatives.  Along with leading efforts to mitigate such epidemics as malaria, bird flu, ebola and cholera throughout the world, in his 20 years at WHO Dr. Nabarro has concentrated much of his powers on global food system reform.  Scaling programs for nutrient security in the developing world and responsible production in the advanced, Dr. Nabarro most recently helped lead the launch and implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) now impacting 1.5 billion around the globe. www.SourcingMatters.show