Ep. 36: Shauna Sadowski – reconnecting with roots

Ep. 36: Shauna Sadowski – Head of Sustainability, Natural & Organic Operating Unit at General Mills ||

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On episode 36 we welcome Shauna Sadowski – Head of Sustainability, Natural & Organic Operating Unit at General Mills. “The way we manage agricultural lands is driving many environmental and social challenges and I seek to create solutions that account for a more balanced, triple-bottom line (people, planet and profits) outcome. I care deeply about the food that ends up on your plate and work to create a healthy and balanced system for people and the planet” explains Sadowski about our role in properly managing natural resources to feed ourselves moving forward.

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Throughout the 45 minute conversation Shauna shares some interesting anecdotes of situations that have arisen in her time at as VP at Annie’s, and most recently while managing the organic allotment of General Mills’ vast arsenal of products.

“I believe that food companies have an opportunity and a responsibility to play a significant and positive role in creating a more sustainable food system. I work cross-functionally and throughout the industry to create programs that enable transparency to the farm and a deeper understanding of how our agricultural and farming systems connect to the foods we eat.”  

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Earlier this year Annie’s and General Mills launched a wireframe for their regenerative scorecard.  The objective of the scorecard tool is to encourage producer commitment and consumer awareness to soil health.  It seems a shared language would be a big win for food values.  Now, heading up Sustainability and Organic brands for a fortune 500 company with 38,000 employees – Shauna continues to demonstrate her commitment to moving the industry more regenerative through creatives approaches that bridge a production divide.    It’s interesting stuff – have a listen:

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@SJSadowski

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Ep. 35: Dr. Jonathan Lundgren – Standing Tall

Ep. 35: Jonathan Lundgren – founder of Ecdysis Foundation & Blue Dasher Farm lab ||

After 11 years at the USDA, responsible for his own lab and a good sized staff, the career of this well-regarded scientist and author began to fall apart when he published research that cautioned against the use of pesticides approved by the federal agency.  How deep into the pockets of the USDA that big business reached, and to what extent science is compromised is surprising hear about.

A whistleblower case was filled against the USDA – stating the actions of USDA leadership suppressed his voice; compromised his science.  Penalized for these actions, Dr. Jonathan Lundgren was soon forced out of the USDA as retaliation against those scientific findings, and mostly for not backing down. For episode 35 you get to hear how this brave and honorable scientist is setting a path forward for a more just, prosperous and well informed tomorrow.

 

Dr. Lundgren had done extensive research into the pesticide Neonicotinoid (neonics), and their impact on bees. Lundgren discovered that one kernel of GMO corn has enough neonics to kill 360,000 bees. These potent neurotoxin synthetics are now the most used pesticides in the world. Used on mass and vast scale stateside – his research showed that we were wiping out 150% (after re-queening ) of our hives annually.

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Lundgren stood tall and let the pieces fall as they may. “The planet is facing some pretty serious issues right now, and we need people to stand-up and do the right thing for the right reasons.”  Lundgren states in explaining his actions.  So, if not Jonathan, than who was going to step forward, and risk their career for something they’d believed in; for something that is true and just?  As it turned out, Lundgren proved to be a pioneer in his efforts.  The USDA was later hit with 200 additional cases by whistle blowing scientist who corroborated Lundgren’s claims that the agency tampered or muzzled their findings. The ripple effect of Lundgren’s actions are being witnessed in realtime throughout broader federal agencies where scientists, public servants and concerned systems thinkers are standing tall for what’s right.

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Today, Dr. Jonathan Lundgren is the founder and director of the Ecdysis foundation.  He’s set on changing the minds of farmers around the world backed on the research he does at the Blue Dasher Farm Lab. Through the support of his community and supporters Lundgren crowd-funded his research lab focused on the future of regenerative agriculture.  In our 35 minute conversation we cover subjects including planetary stability, professional science, future food & farming, and much more.  Have a listen you what this truthteller has to say.

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@buglundgren

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Ep.34: Dr. Daphne Miller -ft. Jennifer Hashley – Preventative Care

Ep. 34: Dr. Daphne Miller – author of farmacology  -ft. co-host: Jennifer Hashley of the New Entry Farm project ||

On Sourcing Matters ep. 34 Jennifer Hashley joins me for an interesting discussion with physician and author Dr. Daphne Miller.  We get under the hood connecting soil, human & planetary health.  Dr. Miller offers these reasons why physicians must become involved in future food and agriculture:

  • The frontline of knowledge – “Doctors can tailor agriculture to be health centered.”
  • Access to resources – “Health care has the deep pockets in this county. If we started to do the math on the true cost of our food system to health – this spending at the end-effect of our care could be better invested earlier on (in food & soil).”
  • Advocacy – “People in health care are excellent advocates in changing things.”  Dr. Miller cites emissions, car safety, Tobacco – all environments where Drs. were agents of change uniting communities and eventually our society behind a precautionary principle. “We need people in health to weigh-in on the food system.”

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Dr. Daphne Miller is a practicing family physician, author and Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California San Francisco. For the past fifteen years, her leadership, advocacy, research and writing have focused on the connections between food production, ecology and health.
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Miller founded WholeFamily MD, San Francisco’s first integrative primary care medical practice, in the Fall of 2001. Her mission was to reclaim the heart of medicine by focusing on her patients rather than on the business and red tape of medical practice.  Over the ensuing years the practice has grown, but Dr. Miller has not strayed from her early vision.
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When she is not seeing patients or teaching, Dr. Miller writes books and articles related to food, farming, the environment, and health. She has authored two best-selling books: The Jungle Effect: The Healthiest Diets from Around the World, Why They Work and How to Make Them Work for You (HarperCollins 2008) and Farmacology: Total Health from the Ground Up (HarperCollins 2013).
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Miller is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Medical School and completed her family medicine residency and an NIH-funded primary care research fellowship at UCSF. She is also a Bravewell Fellow with the University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine. Since 2005, she has consistently been elected by her peers for inclusion in Best Doctors in America.
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@drDaphneMiller

co-host:

Jennifer Hashley

  • Founder of Tufts New Entry Sustainable farming project 
  • Owner of Pete & Jen’s backyard birds
  • Evangelist | Activist| Innovator
  • Eisenhower Fellow 2016

@JHashley