Weekly Picks: Transparency in Malt, Meat, and Delivery Supply Chains
This week HRN's shows shed light on convoluted supply chains. Get a breakdown of the scandal with Belcampo beef, explore the world of craft malt, and tune into an investigation of the current food delivery ecosystem. Plus, gain insight into a new study about why cover crops won't solve climate change and hear from a chef-sommelier duo in NYC about what farm-to-table means to them.
Whether you're buying fresh produce or visiting a butcher, eating at restaurants or ordering in, these episodes will make you a more informed eater.
Beer Sessions Radio Episode 590: Transparency and Storytelling in the Craft Malt Supply Chain: Hear from Phil Neumann and Kether Scharff-Gray from Mainstem Malt in Walla Walla, WA; Brandon Howard from Amalga Distillery in Juneau, AK; and Emily Hutto from Rad Craft Beer. Brandon introduces listeners to Alaskan grown barley, starting with the legendary “Failed Barley Experiment.” Kether then gets us up to speed on the Mainstem “hub,” which extends way beyond just a malthouse. Phil explains why Mainstem is a bit of an odd duck in the craft malt community, and what supply chain management looks like day-to-day.
Then, it’s Emily’s turn to piece the puzzle together, projecting Mainstem and Amalga’s vision and relationship out into the world. After the break, Phil explains what it means to be “Craft Malt Certified,” and the resources the Guild provides to make storytelling easier. American farmers are essential to both the story and the malting process, and Brandon speaks to how important it is to be the stewards of the story. To wrap things up, the gang talks about crowdfunding, scaling exports, and judging craft malt quality professionally.
Meat and Three Episode 121: (Mis)Labeling: Branding, Buzzwords and Belcampo: Have you ever heard the saying you should never judge a food by its label? Probably not since labels are supposed to give you useful information about the food within. What happens when that doesn’t hold true? We’re looking at instances where labels mislead consumers; whether that’s claims of environmentalism, beautiful imagery used to obscure real practices, or food deliberately put in the wrong package. Tune in to learn when companies are lying to you and get some ideas for shopping more sustainably.
Tech Bites Epiosde 242: Delivery Series: How it Works: The show launched a three-part series examining the current food delivery ecosystem; exploring apps, restaurants, delivery workers, and consumers. The arc shines a light on the real-world costs of delivery and convenience. In the first episode, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Claire Brown, senior staff writer at The Counter and Elaine Russel, who manages the grocery-tech focused Albertsons' fund at Greycroft. They discuss how third-party delivery apps really work and who is profiting.
The Farm Report Episode 422: Why Cover Crops Are Unlikely to Delivery Climate Benefits Anytime Soon: Cover crops are good for soil health, water quality, and climate resilience, and while more farmers are planting them compared to a decade ago, the number of covered acres is still miniscule compared to the amount of cropland that goes bare each winter. Now, a new analysis from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that in crucial Midwest states, increases in cover crop planting might be plateauing. In this episode, EWG director of spatial analysis Soren Rundquist joins host Lisa Held to talk about the report, its significance, and how spatial data can contribute to our broader understanding of agricultural climate solutions.
Inside Julia's Kitchen Episode 130: Meet Dustin Wilson and Austin Johnson: Host Todd Schulkin welcomes chef and sommelier duo Austin Johnson and Dustin Wilson of One White Street, a new farm-to-table restaurant in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood. They talk about how they joined forces and the restaurant’s dedicated farm in the Hudson River Valley. Plus, we’ll get a double Julia Moment.
