After growing up on a small dairy farm without running water and electricity and milking cows by hand, Dr. Ikerd initially supported the industrial food system, just to realize years later that it was having a severe impact on our environment, health and economy.
Dr. Ikerd is hopeful that the way we farm can change. “We changed it in the past and we can change it in the future. We can fundamentally transform and change our whole food system.”
In this episode, Dr. Ikerd talks about:
– Lessons learnt from the past, especially the 1980s farm crisis and the current lessons we are learning from the COVID-19 pandemic.
– The industrial food system operating as an assembly line.
– Food insecurity and how sustainable, regenerative agriculture can change rural communities.
Dr. Ikerd emphasizes, “The only way that we can actually deal with the problems and we can create a healthy sustainable food system is to fundamentally change the system”.
For more information about Dr. Ikerd’s work, visit his homepage at www.johnikerd.com.