Food Integrity Now

Real Dirt: Confessions of a Reforming Industrial Farmer is the first book to tackle the choices from the perspective of a farmer who has been both a conventional farmer and a certified organic farmer. It is an exploration of the decisions and issues faced by Harry Stoddart as he transformed his farm from a conventional cash crop and confinement hog operation into a certified organic, grass-fed beef and lamb, and pasture pork and poultry farm. Stoddart discusses his journey away from conventional farming, where he used genetically modified organisms, resistance building doses of antibiotics, pesticides and confinement animal housing. He explains how he gradually transitioned his practices to certified organic and then moved beyond organic to a system he believes provides a starting point for sustainable agriculture. He now subscribes to the sustainable farming methods created by Joel Salatin. He pulls back the drapes on an industry clouded by myth, stereotype and empty rhetoric. Harry reveals that one of the reasons he wrote this book was to create a conversation between the conventional farmer and the organic farmer. He is a proponent of consumer involvement with their farmer and challenges eaters to choose a sustainable future for their children and grandchildren. Show Notes: The Book: Real Dirt: Confessions of a Reforming Industrial Farmer Stoddart Family Farm Our show today was brought to you by BioLumina. This product protects, cleanses and repairs the effects of radiation as well as being the only food other than mother's milk that you can live on. Click on the link below to learn more: www.newphoenixrising.com/beingwell  Click on the link below to listen to the show:  

Have you looked up into the skies lately? It may be wise to do so. Dane Wigington has an extensive background in solar engineering and was a former employee of Bechtel Power Corp. He has devoted the last ten years of his life studying climate change, weather modification and geoengineering. He is the lead researcher for geoengineeringwatch.org. He assisted Michael Murphy in both of his movies, "What in the World are They Spraying?" and "Why in the World are They Spraying?" Wigington shares the latest information about what many refer to as "chemtrails."  He and many others conclude that the spraying of chemicals into our atmosphere is causing a cataclysmic effect on our planet. His message is one of urgency and as he says, of "dire" importance. Wigington also talks about the reasons why this wide-scale operation is being carried out and how the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence will soon expose those perpetrating this crime against humanity. Be open--listen up and decide for yourself!

There is a national campaign going on right now against Walmart. Walmart is supporting animal abuse by selling pork from factory farms who continue to use gestation crates, which are banned in many countries and several states. Shocking hidden-camera video of animal abuse recorded at a Walmart pork supplier revealed: pregnant pigs confined for nearly their entire lives in crates barely larger than their own bodies, pigs suffering from bloody open wounds and infections, and conscious piglets being slammed headfirst into the ground and having their testicles ripped out and tails cut off without painkillers. Phil Letten, National Campaign Coordinator for Mercy for Animals, discusses the campaign and their mission to get Walmart to quit buying pork from these type of suppliers. His message about the cruel treatment of pigs has gained national attention and a story that needs to be told. Click on this link to view the hidden-camera video: Click on the link below to listen to the interview:    

Many Americans feel that Proposition 37 (mandatory labelling of genetically engineered foods "GMOs" in California) is one of the most important issues on the ballot. Dr. Cathie Lippmann, medical doctor, Board Certified Psychiatrist and Founder of the Lippmann Center for Optimal Health in Beverly Hills, CA, discussed her thoughts on Proposition 37 and genetically engineered foods. Dr. Lippman became concerned about GMOs a few years ago and talks about their effect on human health. She articulates the potential effects of GMOs and their correlation with allergies, gastrointestinal disease, infertility and other diseases. Dr. Lippmann supports Proposition 37 which is on the ballot this Tuesday, November 6 in California. More than 50 countries around the world already have mandatory labelling of genetically engineered foods. Press the play button below to listen in! Show Notes: Correction: Michael Taylor is the Food Safety Czar not Michael Thomas

I had the privilege of spending the day with Joel Salatin, a third generation alternative farmer, author, and the articulate farmer who appeared in the movie, Food, Inc. Salatin is a full-time farmer at Polyface Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and has authored nine books, four of them being how-to type books about organic farming. He was the featured farmer at the 2012 Follow the Farmer event at A Joyful Noise Farm in Black Forest, Colorado. Salatin's mission and primary goal is restoring health, wealth and respect to food and farming. A wordsmith, he describes his occupation as “mob-stocking hervbivorous solar conversion lignified carbon sequestration fertilization.” I really enjoyed his sense of  humor and passionate conviction to integrated farming practices. Salatin stated, "We practice an integrated system rather than segregated. Animals are near their feedstuffs so that the manures can fertilize the plants that grew the food. The numbers are kept low enough for the farm’s ecology to metabolize the manure and compost rather than it becoming a toxic problem due to over-abundance." Salatin started out the day by saying "one thing we are not going to talk about today is what we can't do. Let's talk about what we can do." I quickly learned that he was all about creating solutions. One of my favorite quotes of the day, and believe me there were some great ones, was "the only problem I sees is a constipation of imagination in the world!" We walked around A Joyful Noise Farm and Salatin talked about everything from chicken poop to rejuvenating the soil through disturbance and rest by rotation of animals. I almost felt like at the end of the day, I could become a farmer with what I had learned from him in one day! Don't worry, I am not going to quit my day job yet. At the end of the day, I sat down with Joel for a brief interview and asked him two very important questions.

Olive oil is a very ancient oil and is a staple in many cupboards of kitchens in North America and abroad. Tom Mueller, New Yorker contributor and author of  Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, shares how many of the bottles labeled "extra-virgin olive oil" on supermarket shelves have been adulterated and shouldn't be classified as extra-virgin. The term "extra-virgin olive oil" means the olive oil has been made from crushed olives and is not refined in any way by chemical solvents or high heat. Mueller chronicles how resellers have added lower-priced, lower-grade oils and artificial coloring to extra-virgin olive oil, before passing the new adulterated substance along the supply chain. His research shows that  50-70 percent of the olive oil sold in the United States is, in some ways, adulterated. Mueller's passion for good olive oil has prompted his grassroots efforts to bring awareness to the world, not only about the fraudulent industrial oils, but to shine the spotlight on those olive oil makers who are making real extra-virgin olive oil. He updates his website truthinoliveoil on a regular basis and shares his findings on the good, bad and ugly of olive oil. Extra Virginity  is not only very informative, it is an enjoyable read learning about the cast of characters whose lives have taken them across the globe in their quest to create really great olive oil. His book and this interview will change the way you buy olive oil! Show Notes: Tom Mueller's website Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil

What is happening to our bee population? How do systemic pesticides called neonicotinoids affect our bee population? June Stoyer of The Organic View discusses these questions and the fate of the bees if something does not change. In the United States, neonicotinoids, a systemic class of pesticides, coat a massive 142 million acres of corn, wheat, soy and cotton seeds. They are also a common ingredient in home gardening products. These pesticides are of particular concern because they kill sucking and chewing insects by disrupting their nervous system. Evidence has linked Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a phenomenon where bees fail to return to their hives leading to massive decline in bee colonies. Stoyer's message is one of critical urgency for everyone about our disappearing bees. Show Notes: The Organic View Colony Collapse Disorder Neonicotinoids

Jana Tompkins "This can't possibly be happening!" thought Jana Tompkins when she first felt the lump in her breast. I live a healthy lifestyle, I eat a vegetarian diet and exercise an hour every day. No one in my family has ever had breast cancer. What did I do wrong? These feelings are similar to the ones many women experience who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Jana shares her journey before, during and after her diagnosis and discusses the alternative approach she took to healing. She made a choice to address this issue not only from a physical perspective but also from a mental, emotional and spiritual viewpoint as well. Through all her research Jana learned that although her previous lifestyle was thought to be healthy, there were things that she was doing that really did not support her good health and actually increased her potential for breast cancer. She also learned how to navigate all the choices and decisions that were being presented to her. Learn what alternative therapies assisted Jana through this journey and what food changes she made that has supported her being cancer free. Show Notes Jana Tompkins - Patient Navigator Progressive Health Center Rocky Plains Quality Meats Harold P. Freeman Institute for Patient Navigation

What are Solar Flares? They are brief eruptions of intense high-energy radiation from the Sun's surface. Strong flares can interrupt electronics and they can affect you too. Jacqueline Lloyd has been studying energy and solar flares for years. Lloyd connects the dots on how solar flares affect the Earth's energy field and our own person energy field. She combines her knowledge of the science of solar flares and her understanding of energy to help us further understand their impact on the Earth. Her studies also include observations of human behavior during strong solar flares and how to use this energy to heal unresolved emotional issues. Lloyd discusses the importance of being prepared for what scientists are predicting to be an active couple of years for strong solar flares. Show Notes: Receive Free Solar Alert Learn More about Solar Flares Being Prepared