Mexican regulations require an agave spirit to fall between 35% and 55% alcohol by volume (ABV) to qualify for certification as mezcal. But in the USA, the TTB requires that same spirit to be a minimum of 40% ABV to qualify as mezcal. Why? Well, who knows? Not us! But...

There’s a lot of moral outrage around the harvesting of agave that hasn’t yet reached maturity. But … when exactly is agave mature? By whose standards? And if the agave is getting harvested before it can produce seeds — which is always the case when you’re using the agave to...

Aarón Sánchez and Zarela Martínez talk to their fellow HRN host Carlos Yescas all about Mexican cheese.

On today's episode of Cooking Issues, we remember Dave's editor extraordinaire, Maria Guarnaschelli, whom we lost this weekend. We are honored to be joined by her daughter, Alex Guarnaschelli, as well as a variety of authors who worked with Maria; Rick Bayless, Kenji López-Alt, Jim Lahey, and Harold McGee. Together...

After digging into the history of American Humane, the science behind its farm certification standards, and the details of how Springer Mountain Farms meets those standards day after day, it’s time to look towards the future. In this final episode of Behind the Label with American Humane, President and CEO...

What do American Humane Certified standards look like in action at an actual broiler farm? In this episode, American Humane president and CEO Robin Ganzert is back, along with Ken Martin, Springer Mountain Farms’ broiler production manager. Martin shares his on-the-ground and in-the-barn perspective on how farmers in Springer Mountain...

The American Humane Certified standards for farm animals are grounded in scientific research. That starts with the Scientific Advisory Committee, a panel of experts with various specialties, from veterinary science to ruminant nutrition. In this episode, Dr. Joy Mench, an animal welfare expert who is a professor emeritus at UC...

Some farmers are looking for ways to share information about how they treat their animals with their customers. To do that, many turn to American Humane's Farm Program. In this second episode of Behind the Label with American Humane, president and CEO Robin Ganzert and director of Farm Program Operations...

Farm Forward is the rare animal rights group that doesn’t advocate for veganism. Instead, its programs focus on ending animal suffering on factory farms and developing agricultural systems and markets that prioritize animal welfare. In this episode, host Lisa Held talks to executive director Andrew deCoriolis about the organization’s work—from...

Rodney North and Equal Exchange have been providing alternative markets for food goods for small farmers across the world. Mariana Cotlear sits down with Rodney to talk about the true definition of fair trade, economics, and the history of Equal Exchange. Find out how the organization was founded around importing...