In the U.S., 90% of the $4.5 trillion spent on healthcare goes toward managing chronic disease, yet Physicians receive an average of just 19.6 hours of nutrition education. It’s time for a new approach to healthy living, from the ground up.. Prestigious agriculture research and education nonprofit, Rodale Institute is a global pioneer that integrates regenerative organic agriculture and healthcare, for a future where food is medicine. Nadine Clopton is Rodale’s Program Manager of Regenerative Education. www.rodaleinstitute.org

Nutrition security alongside food security will ensure healthy and active lives. Achieving nutritional security is being achieved through nutrition-sensitive farming, diversified food production and community sensitization.  Nate Blum is an agricultural expert and the CEO of the Sorghum United Foundation, dedicated to advancing human and animal health, as well as climate-smart agriculture. www.sorghumunited.com

As egg prices reach record highs, more homeowners are turning to backyard chicken farming as a sustainable and cost-effective solution. This surge in prices has led to a growing trend of individuals raising their own chickens to ensure a steady supply of fresh eggs. Kim Pezza is an expert in sustainable living and the author of Backyard Farming: Raising Chickens as well as other books in the Backyard Farming series to help us achieve greater self-sufficiency in our own backyards.

Farms of all sizes and types, from conventional to organic, need  continually improving technologies if they are to meet their obligations to Mother Earth and their own bottom line. Gary Wickham. is the founder and CEO of Ireland based MagroTec. Farming utilizes applications of materials through spraying.  Whether those materials are organic or traditional the goal is to use as little as possible and avoid drift to non targeted areas. MagroTec uses permanent rare earth magnets to expose  fluid to static non-uniform magnetic fields under appropriate flow conditions. This affects the physical properties of the fluid that determine  spray droplet formation, droplet dynamics, and droplet adhesion.Large farms are early adapters but as the technology advances it will be better for smaller operations, for the climate and for eaters. www.magrowtec.com

Food is a universal language and the key to bridging our deepest divides can be as simple as sharing a meal. In her newbook, Table for 51: Lessons Learned from Sharing Meals Across America, Shari Leid embarks on a  journey to connect with people from all walks of life—demonstrating how food can serve as a powerful bridge  across political and cultural divides.Shari’s 50 States Project took her to all corners of the U.S., where she intentionally satdown to meals with individuals of diverse ages, races, political beliefs, and socioeconomicbackgrounds. By focusing on the shared humanity of breaking bread, Shari bypassedcontentious topics and created safe spaces for vulnerable, bias-free conversations. Her story is a timely and powerful reminder of how intentional acts of connection can bring people together, even in today’s polarized climate.

Can anyone farm? It doesn’t take large acreage to grow food in your own back yard, next to your restaurant, in a community gardens, school yard, or a small space adding income to an existing small farming operation. Shiv Shakti is founder of Shakti Farm Design in Bend Oregon. He creates sustainable, energy-efficient greenhouses that integrate regenerative agriculture and permaculture principles. Utilizing soil and sun in small spaces with modest investments, almost anyone can farm. shaktifarmdesign.com

Tariffs are taxes that may increase food costs and decrease farm incomes. President Trump has signed executive orders imposing duties on imports from Canada, Mexico and China. The president has also threatened tariffs on imports from other countries, as well as across-the-board tariffs aimed at specific sectors.As the largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, the United States will face retaliatory tariffs and other barriers in retaliation for the recent actions, with a big impact on domestic farmers and ranchers, food manufacturers, restaurants, retailers and consumers.Former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Ron Baumgarten.is now of counsel with law firm BakerHostetler, specializing in international trade law and negotiations,

You don’t need to be in the country to farm. It can start on a vacant lot. Three Sisters Gardens’ in West Sacramento is giving back to the community by inspiring and empowering youth through urban farming. Like the Three Sisters legend of companionship planting, Three Sisters Gardens founder Alfred Melbourne believes that communities can heal and thrive when all components, the youth, adults, and elders, work together. The program fosters pride, cultural preservation, and also a deeper connection to Native American heritage. Young leaders become agents of change, promoting access to fresh produce, community well-being, sustainable urban environments and a brighter future. 3sistersgardens.com

Grazing is getting attention for a natural mitigation of fire hazards. Herbicides can run off, are dangerous to handle, and lead to genetically resistant weeds.  Power equipment burns fossil fuel and produces CO2.  Goats go where people can’t, eat what most animals won’t, and leave behind nothing but fertilizer. Today goats offer an added enterprise to farms and beginning farmers to capitalize the demand for both targeted grazing and goat meat from the growing population of people from parts of the world where goat meat is preferred.Aaron Steele is the found or of Goats On the Go and the author of the new audio book Goats for Good that is available at www.goatsonthe go.com and available through podcast apps.

McDonald’s operators in Michigan supply their Happy Meal  customers and support Michigan farmers  by purchasing 14 million pounds of state grown apples annually.There are are over 500 locally-owned McDonald’s restaurants with over 80 Owner/Operators in 90% of Michigan counties. They support Michigan by purchasing 135.9 million pounds of corn, 54.9 million dozen eggs, 22.2 million gallons of milk, 14 million pounds of apples, 5.6 million pounds of butter, 3.4 million pounds of pork, , 3 million pounds of beef, 1.2 million pounds of cheese, and 625,000 pounds of blueberries. Mike Maynard is a 2nd generation owner/operator from southern central Michigan (Coldwater, Battle Creek area) with 12 stores owned between his mom and dad, Jim and Laura Maynard, and Mike and his wife Jessica.