How do philosophers, animal welfare scientists, and farmers differ in their understanding of what a good future for farmed animals looks like? TABLE researcher Tamsin Blaxter discusses the complex relationships between humans and non-human animals and how these connections shape our food choices. We talk about who gets to speak with authority on these topics, the connections between scientific research and animal welfare regulations, and our own experiences with eating and not eating meat. Read TABLE explainer: Animal welfare and ethics in food and agriculture (2024)Register/watch TABLE event Rethinking animals in agriculture: welfare, rights and the future of food (10 September 2024) For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode70GuestsTamsin Blaxter, Writer and researcher at TABLE, University of OxfordEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Philosopher and environmental researcher Ville Lähde (with the Finnish BIOS Research Unit) argues that we need to understand biodiversity differently at a fundamental level in order to preserve it. Biodiversity loss is much more than the list of extinct and endangered species. In our conversation, we talk about the myriad food systems and their different relationships with biodiversity, what are the hidden costs of simplifying biodiversity, and why Ville feels closest to biodiversity when working with his compost pile.For transcript and more resources, please visit https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode68Read the Life Matters Everywhere essay

The idea that more natural food – food which hasn’t been transformed by human and industrial intervention – is best for us is a powerful one. Psychologists have found a strong preference for that which is “natural”, even when people differ in what they understand that term to mean. But naturalness is a muddle – we are often signalled by advertising to see heavily manufactured foods as “natural”; the pioneers of cereal manufacturing were the greatest advocates of “natural” food in the early 20th century; and it’s rare that crops, which have been manipulated by human breeding over millennia, are seen as “unnatural”.  If naturalness is a slippery idea, though, it is still undeniably compelling. At the moment, nowhere is the preference for naturalness when it comes to the food we eat more prevalent than in concerns expressed over ultra-processed foods (UPFs). But does the idea that naturalness is inherently best set up a misleading dichotomy between nature and technology that doesn’t serve the interests of a more sustainable and equitable food future? Does a narrow focus on processing itself misplace bigger questions of power and agency on the one hand, and unhelpfully dismiss scientific techniques on the other?TABLE writer and researcher Hester van Hensbergen explores these questions in our latest explainer, Nature Knows Best? Naturalness in the Ultra-Processed Foods Debate. She reads it out loud for you on the podcast.You can find the written explainer here.

It feels like one of the biggest questions of our time: what do we do about meat? Rather than choosing either extreme – business as usual, or ruling out meat altogether – some people suggest the best approach is one of ‘less and better meat’. But how much less is ‘less’? And which meat is ‘better’? How do we even begin to answer these questions?"Less and Better?" is an eight-part podcast series co-hosted by Katie Revell and Olivia Oldham at Farmerama Radio. Listen to the rest of the series here or wherever you get your podcasts.More info, resources and transcript can be found here.

500 scientists from 60 countries gathered at the 5th Global Food Security Conference in Leuven, Belgium. Instead of saying, "you had to be there," we bring you voices and reflections from the conference. Host Matthew Kessler recorded dozens of interviews, asking experts what key messages they want to deliver to those with the power to change food systems, what are the economics of food systems transformation, and which solutions to make food systems more resilient deserve more attention. This is Part 3 of a 3-part series, featuring six of the seven women scientists from the Global South awarded the 2023 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards. This year's focus was on Food security. This episode was made with the support from ‘shout it out’, an instrument of the Global Minds program.For more info and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode65Help nurture food debates and take TABLE's 2024 surveyWatch the video featuring the Award Winning scientistsGuestsCarla Fabiana Crespo Melgar, Researcher at Universidad Mayor de San AndrésEugenie Kayitesi, Prof at University of PretoriaYeyinou Laura Estelle Loko, Researcher at the National University for Science, Technology and Mathematic in the Republic of BeninMunkhjargal Tserendorj, Researcher at Mongolian University of Life SciencesRenuka Attanayake, Prof at University of KelaniyaHaneen Dwaib, Chairwoman of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Palestine Ahliya UniversityConference OrganizersElsevierKU LeuvenWageningen University and ResearchTABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.

500 scientists from 60 countries gathered at the 5th Global Food Security Conference in Leuven, Belgium. Instead of saying, "you had to be there," we bring you voices and reflections from the conference. Host Matthew Kessler recorded dozens of interviews, asking experts what key messages they want to deliver to those with the power to change food systems, what are the economics of food systems transformation, and which solutions to make food systems more resilient deserve more attention. This is Part 2 of a 3-part series, made with the support from ‘shout it out’, an instrument of the Global Minds program.For more info and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode64Subscribe to TABLE's newsletter FodderGuestsDavid Laborde, Director of the Agri-food Economics and Policy Division at FAOCharlotte Janssens, Researcher at KU LeuvenKoen Deconinck, Economist in Trade and Agricultural Directorate at OECDSteven Lord, Researcher at U OxfordPurnima Menon, Sr Director for Food and Nutritional Policy at IFPRIEwout Frankema, Prof at Wageningen UConference OrganizersElsevierKU LeuvenWageningen University and ResearchTABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.

500 scientists from 60 countries gathered at the 5th Global Food Security Conference in Leuven, Belgium. Instead of saying, "you had to be there," we bring you voices and reflections from the conference. Host Matthew Kessler recorded dozens of interviews, asking experts what key messages they want to deliver to those with the power to change food systems, what are the economics of food systems transformation, and which solutions to make food systems more resilient deserve more attention. For more info and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode63Subscribe to TABLE's newsletter FodderGuestsMartin van Ittersum, Conference co-chair, Professor at Wageningen UniversityTessa Avermaete, Conference co-chair, Project manager at KU LeuvenRamya Ambikapathi, Scientific committee member, Senior Research Associate at Cornell UGerard Govers, Programme committee mebmer, Vice-rector of Science, Engineering and Technology and Vice-rector of Sustainability at KU LeuvenJoanna Trewern, Conference keynote, Director of Partnerships and Institutional Engagement at Pro Veg InternationalMaitre d’hotel at Coeur Catering, responsible for food served at the conferenceConference OrganizersElsevierKU LeuvenWageningen University and ResearchTABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.

hat influences the meals we enjoy today? Meal historian and cultural researcher Richard Tellström from Stockholm University suggests that the surrounding natural environments and ecosystems only play a minimal role. Instead, he argues that our choices are primarily shaped by cultural, political and economic forces. This episode dives into the dramatic shifts in Swedish diets over the past century, highlighting how changes such as new food preservation methods in the 1970s, Sweden's entry into the European Union in the 1990s, and shifting cultural trends throughout have redefined what's fashionable, and therefore possible, to eat. This is the second installment of a two-part series, following our first episode with archaeological chemist Amy Styring who investigates what our ancestors ate during periods of significant societal transitions. Listen to Part 1.For more info and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode60GuestsRichard Tellström, Associate Professor at Stockholm UniversityEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Sofia Wilhelmsson researches a very specific and stressful time for farmed pigs: the loading and transport of pigs on their way to slaughter.  She not only considers the welfare of the animals, but also the well-being of the pig transport drivers. In our conversation we chat about the relationships that humans have with animals; what food systems actors have the most power in the pig production system; and whether we can add incentives for animal welfare and human well-being in our food systems.For more info, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode54Interested in more podcasts about the future of meat and human-animal relations, Meat the four futures (Table, 2023)Barbecue Earth (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2024) 

Imagine a world where nature reclaims its place in the landscape.  What would that mean for food systems? Walter Fraanje joins Feed co-hosts to talk about his new publication, "Rewilding and its implications for agriculture" co-authored with Tara Garnett. The explainer introduces the concept of rewilding, compares different rewilding strategies across the globe, explores their relationship with agriculture and unpacks some of the related controversies. We ask Walter how does rewilding differ from conservation, why might a farmer or fisher support or be against rewilding, and what does it mean to rewild your imagination?Read the full explainerFor more info, please visit: 

Food systems are finally getting more attention at global climate conversations. But who is at the table shaping our food futures?  We caught up with Jessica Duncan, Associate Professor on the Politics of Food Systems Transformations at Wageningen University, to hear her thoughts and concerns about COP 28.Then we re-air our conversation with Jessica Duncan from May 2021, where we talk about dialogue and participation in food policy, why we shouldn’t always be seeking consensus, and the importance of bringing local actors into global policy conversations. We unpack Jessica and Priscilla Claeys' 2020 report Covid19, Gender and Food systems and discuss what is gained by "viewing the crisis from below".For more info and transcript, visit here. 

Is CRISPR the solution to controlling the pest plaguing California’s wine industry? In this episode of A CRISPR Bite, we take you to a lab where researchers are using CRISPR technology to genetically modify a frightening insect called the Glassy-winged sharpshooter responsible for spreading a bacteria and killing vines.CRISPR bites is five-part podcast series hosted by food anthropologist Dr Lauren Crossland-Marr. We're excited to share one episode from the series with you today.Listen to A CRISPR Bite, check out show notes, transcripts and more information on the podcast's website here.  For more info and episode transcript, visit here.

There are over 2,000 types of insects that people eat across the world. Some of these species could have the potential to be cultivated at scale using less land, less water, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions while supplying a nutritious protein source to many. But what does scaling insect production look like, and will people actually eat them?In this bonus episode, we dive deep into the world of insects as a potential food source. We visit a Swedish mealworm factory to understand the production process, and speak to researchers in Ethiopia and the Netherlands about the environmental benefits, ethical considerations, and likelihood of Europeans eating insects in the future.--For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode9Meat: the four Futures project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizSubscribe to: TABLE’s newsletter FodderMusic by Blue dot Sessions.

The yield gap refers to the difference between the potential agricultural yield that could be achieved under ideal conditions and the actual yield that farmers harvest. In sub-Saharan Africa, the yield gap is in some cases 80% meaning that farmers have the potential to double, triple or even quadruple their harvests.The causes of the yield gap are debated and so are the solutions to narrow it. In this conversation with Martin van Ittersum, a professor at Wageningen University, and Klara Fischer, an associate professor and senior lecturer at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, we discuss if increasing yield is the right entry point for reducing hunger in the region; if bottom-up or top-down interventions lead to a more resilient food system; and at what time-scale (short- or long-term) should we be focusing food systems solutions?More info, resources and transcript found at: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode48

Presenting the Meat: the four futures series final episode.--Over the last few months, we explored what the future of meat and livestock could look like. We’ve talked about how our values, ethics and where we live in the world can impact our desired futures for meat. And we did a deep dive into four potential futures - efficient meat, alternative “meat”, less meat and no meat.To wrap up the series, we hear comments and thoughts from the listeners, and podcast host Matthew Kessler shares some personal reflections on what he learned about the future of meat and livestock after making this series.--Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode8Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

We continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with episode 7.--We've heard four distinct visions for the future of meat and livestock. But realistically, won't they all play a role? As we wrap up the series in the next two episodes, we’re going to review what’s in conflict between the four futures and how parts of them might co-exist.In this episode we ask three experts to consider different arguments presented by the four futures as they relate to health, biodiversity and animal ethics. We ask a professor of diet and population health if it’s better to eat some, a lot, or no meat; we ask a biodiversity expert about how the different futures would help biodiversity to recover; and we ask an animal ethicist about the morality of eating animals and to interrogate the ethical cases put forward by the four futures.--Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode7Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

We continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our fourth and final exploration of four different futures for meat - Plant based no meat.--Should we remove animals from agriculture and our diets altogether? What if all the land that produces animal feed now could instead produce human food--or be rewilded? Would this be a planet friendly future--or impoverished and unnatural? In this fourth and final scenario: the plant-based no meat future, we explore the motivations, the evidence and the arguments for adopting a diet that centers and celebrates plants. We visit a vegan restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden; a vegan food tech company in Lagos, Nigeria; and an animal free farm outside of Reading in the United Kingdom.But is dietary change at a societal scale unrealistic? Is this the most sustainable, ethical and efficient approach to eating and producing food? We explore all this and more.--Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode6Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

We continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our third exploration of four different futures for meat - Less meat.--What if we had a more compassionate approach to farming animals, where we raised and ate fewer animals - and so meat cost more? We speak with farmers, researchers and campaigners who don’t see farmed animals only as producers of meat and milk, but instead highlight their ability to manage landscapes and to recycle waste and nutrients. They cannot imagine sustainable cropping systems without livestock.Is this less meat future a win-win-win for animals, people and the planet, or is it an unrealistic and elitist vision?--Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode5Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

We continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our second exploration of four different futures for meat - Alternative "meat".--What do some entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, animal activists, and environmentalists have in common? They each envision a future where meat alternatives can tackle the environmental impacts and animal suffering caused by global livestock production.But in this futuristic vision of replacing livestock with plant-based substitutes and cultivating meat in labs from animal cells - are we living in a utopia or a dystopia? We speak with scientists, investors, and CEOs from across the world to better understand the motivations, scientific basis, and evidence that either support or raise concerns about the future of alternative "meat".--Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode4Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

We continue featuring the Meat: the four futures series with our first exploration of four different futures for meat - Efficient meat 2.0.--Today we farm and eat meat at a scale not matched in human history. We raise 80 billion animals a year for food at a really low cost to the consumer.  Here we look at how technology, research, and innovation have made animal agriculture much more efficient. Do you see efficiency improvements in animal agriculture as essential for feeding a growing population?  Or do you think we should eat less meat, switch to plant-forward diets or create competitive meat alternatives?We speak with agriculture economists, pig farmers, poultry geneticists, and others who make the best case for an efficient meat future.--Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode3Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

Today we are presenting the second episode in the Meat: the four futures series.What are your first thoughts when you see a piece of steak on a plate or a big pot of chicken soup - healthy meal? piece of animal flesh? comfort food? In this episode we explore how our values, ethics and where we live impacts our relationship with meat and livestock.We dig into the history of the diet  humans evolved to eat, visit Burkina Faso and India to hear two different solutions to meet the surging demand for meat across the global South, and talk about the ethics of eating animals in the West, where we’re often distant and detached from where meat comes from.---Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode2Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizSubscribe to the newsletter: https://tabledebates.org/meat/newsletterAdd your voice to the podcast: https://tabledebates.org/meat/contributeMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

Here we present the first episode of a podcast that Feed co-host Matthew Kessler has been creating with TABLE and the SLU Future Food over the last year: Meat the four futuresFood has this incredible ability to bring people together. But it can also divide us. And how can it not? The same foods that some find so nutritious, that give us such a strong sense of who we are - are also believed by others to be at the center of so many existential concerns - global malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality. Meat sits at the center of this controversy. But is it the problem or the solution? Well, that’s complicated. Meat: The Four Futures aims to bring us together on a journey where we can examine our past and our future, our decisions and the science that informs them.The Meat the four futures podcast will explore four competing visions for meat and livestock: 1) Efficient meat 2.0, 2) Alternative "meat", 3) Less meat, and 4) Plant-based no meat. In this episode we set up the series and unpack the promises and pitfalls with each future.--Visit the episode page with more resources: https://tabledebates.org/meat/episode1Project webpage: https://tabledebates.org/meatTake the values-based quiz: https://tabledebates.org/meat/quizSubscribe to the newsletter: https://tabledebates.org/meat/newsletterAdd your voice to the podcast: https://tabledebates.org/meat/contributeMusic by Blue dot Sessions and Epidemic sound.

Why does agricultural research often fall short of addressing food insecurity challenges in sub-Saharan Africa? In this conversation with Ken Giller, we explore this wicked problem from a systems perspective examining the diverse drivers and experiences of smallholder farmers and the socio-ecological systems in which they are embedded.Ken provides a nuanced look at agroecological solutions and argues that relying solely on nature-based solutions would be inadequate to address food security problems in Africa. We also talk about the huge diversity of farmers that can be found under the banner of smallholders, an in-depth examination of the “yield gap,” and what gets lost when translating research into practice.For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode1-rebroadcast

In our discussion, data scientist Vincent "Vinny" Ricciardi challenges the assumptions and evidence that are built into food systems debates. We talk about a few of the recent papers that Vinny co-authored, including one that asks how much of the world’s food supply is produced by smallholder farmers, a 50-year meta-analysis that compares how do small and large farms size up in terms of yields and biodiversity impact, and whether smallholders actually have access to broadband to become part of a data driven farming future.This episode originally aired on 3 June 2021.Transcript availableRegister for the COP: Plating up the future of meat event

TABLE staff member Walter Fraanje joins Feed co-hosts to talk about his new publication, "Rewilding and its implications for agriculture" co-authored with Tara Garnett. The explainer introduces the concept of rewilding, compares different rewilding strategies across the globe, explores their relationship with agriculture and unpacks some of the related controversies. We ask Walter how does rewilding differ from conservation, why might a farmer or fisher support or be against rewilding, and what does it mean to rewild your imagination?Read the full explainerRegister for the Uppsala Health Summit

Tamsin Blaxter, researcher and writer at TABLE, joins Feed co-hosts to talk about her forthcoming publication: "Parsing Grindadráp". Grindadráp is a Faroese whaling practice that's understood both as important to local food cultures, and as barbaric, primitive and cruel. In this chat, we use grindadráp as a case study to explore: what is animal sentience? What's different about killing whales versus farmed animals? Where do older food traditions fit into the present? How does international media coverage impact local debates? And lastly, what does the evidence say about whether this is a sustainable practice?Read Tamsin Blaxter's blog Parsing Grindadráp hereFor more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode26

In this mini-episode, TABLE staff member Helen Breewood joins Feed co-hosts to talk about her new publication, "What is ecomodernism?" The explainer describes the values, goals, and practical solutions promoted by ecomodernists; what they would mean for land use and the food system; the history of the ideas that underlie ecomodernism; and the main contestations around the values and evidence underpinning ecomodernism. We ask Helen about the explainer, the challenging review process, and how she changed her views on the topic.Read the full explainer here.Register for the online event here.

In our conversation with social anthropologist Elena Lazos Chavero (National University of Mexico), we discuss how her research interests were formed around rainforest conservation, food systems and indigenous rights in Veracruz, Mexico. Elena explains how local and global food systems as well as urban and rural communities are highly dependent on each other. We also explore what the food sovereignty movement in Mexico stands for today.This episode originally aired on 19 April 2021.For more info and transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode7-rebroadcast

Has the increasing commodification of food and financialization of the food system left us more vulnerable to food crises? We speak with Jennifer Clapp about the 20th century history of food policy that led us to this moment, how the Covid-19 food crisis is different than previous ones, and how diversity, in all of its forms, is essential to building a resilient food system.This episode was originally broadcast on 25 March 2021.For more info and full transcript, please visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode5-rebroadcast

On 8 December 2021, TABLE hosted an open-ended discussion about power in the food system with representatives from civil society, academia, media and the private sector.  At TABLE we recognise that our own biases and perspectives will influence how we think about power in the food system so the purpose of the event is to hear a range of different views and understandings of power. This kick off event helps us think about who and what shapes, controls and influences past, present and future food systems. Event panelists:Media: Eddy Wax - Reporter covering food and agriculture for POLITICO in Brussels.Academia: Wendy Godek - Professor of Politics and International Relations with focus on Latin American food and agriculture politicsCivil society: Shefali Sharma - Director of Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) EuropePrivate: Sahil Shah - Co-founder of agri-tech company Sustainable Seaweed and policy consultantModerator: Matthew Kessler, Project coordinator forTABLE at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.We're curious to hear your views about power in the food system. Continue the conversation on our community platform.