The Stories Changing Food: What story changed the way you think about food, farming, or the environment? Maybe it was from listening to one of our brilliant guests—all communicators creating vital discussions around our current food and farming system. Plus, we have a very special guest for the outro, so please listen to the end!
Host, producer: Richard Tufton
Co-host, producer: Claire Mackenzie
Editor: Meg Chatham
Score: Matt Griffin (poet & farmer) Instagram: @neidpath_farms
Abby is a soil health advocate, part-time farmer, and co-founder of Vidacycle, creators of Sectormentor and Soilmentor—practical tools that help vineyards and farms track and build soil health (including the Regen Platform developed with Nicole Masters). She is also the co-creator of Farmerama Radio, an award-winning podcast sharing the voices behind regenerative farming. Splitting her time between her family farm in Chile and international farm visits, Abby was named one of the ‘50 Next’ young people shaping the future of gastronomy by The World’s 50 Best.
Based in the east of England, Ben is a writer, podcaster, and rural communications specialist. As the founder of RuralPod Media, his passion is telling rural stories and building an extensive network of agricultural contacts across the UK. His podcast portfolio includes the Meet the Farmers Podcast and Rural Business Focus.
A Western South Dakota native raised on a cow-calf operation, Clay recently relocated to West Central South Dakota. Alongside managing a small ranch with his family, Clay pastors Prairie Home Church—an independent congregation that has met on the prairies for 110 years. Over the last three years, Clay has used his platform to learn and implement paradigm-challenging agricultural practices.
Ffinlo is the Editor-in-Chief of 8point9.com and has worked in farming, land, and food policy for over 20 years. As Chief Executive of Farmwel (2016-2022), he provided evidence to UK parliamentary committees and advised ministers on agricultural climate gases. He founded the Food & Global Security Network, published Soil Health: A security threat profile ahead of COP26, and delivered the highly popular TEDx Talk, \"We can't solve the climate crisis without cows.\"
A food journalist for over four decades, Sheila moved from editing Food Monitor magazine in New York to BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme, where she now serves as presenter. Throughout her career, she has produced groundbreaking, early coverage on BSE (mad cow disease), the rise of GM foods, the organic movement, and the globalization of the food supply via the WTO—shining a light on these critical subjects long before they entered the mainstream media.