One Bite is Everything

Guest: Dana Cowin — Former Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine, host of The Progressive Hedonist podcast, and food media trailblazer.

Summary: To kick off One Bite is Everything's partnership with Heritage Radio Network, host Dana DiPrima sits down with the iconic Dana Cowin to talk about the transformation of food media, the chefs and farmers changing the world, and what it means to be a "progressive hedonist." From her years at Food & Wine to her latest gatherings around potluck tables, Dana Cowin shares wisdom, wit, and powerful stories that remind us how food can be both joyful and world-changing.

Topics Covered:

• Evolution of food media from 1995 to now
• Behind-the-scenes of Food & Wine's most iconic moments
• Noma, new cuisines, and redefining fine dining
• Chefs as change-makers and food equity
• Supporting farmers, community, and culinary culture
• The meaning behind "Progressive Hedonism"
• Independent media, joy-forward activism, and the future of food storytelling

Takeaways:

• Food is never just food—it carries culture, memory, power, and potential.
• Media shapes how we see food, and now more than ever, independent voices matter.
• Change doesn’t have to be sacrifice—it can come through joy.

Links:

This week’s episode of One Bite is Everything takes you on a revealing journey—right into your own kitchen. Having done this herself to some astonishing revelations, host Dana DiPrima walks you through a simple but eye-opening Kitchen Audit to find out just how far your food is traveling before it hits your plate.

You’ll explore three key spots:

• The Refrigerator (fresh foods & drinks)
• The Pantry (dry goods & snacks)
• The Spice Cabinet (sneakiest miles of all)

This isn’t about guilt or throwing anything out—it’s about awareness. Discover a few surprising food facts, audit your kitchen, and start shifting your habits one bite at a time.

🎧 Listen now, and don’t forget to share your audit results with @XOXOFarmGirl on Instagram or just email us at hello@onebiteiseverything.com.

Links & Resources:

Egg shortages, skyrocketing prices, and farms in crisis—avian flu has made its way back into the headlines, but what’s really happening behind the scenes? In this episode, we sit down with Michael Rhys, CEO & Co-Founder of Barnwell Bio, to explore how biosecurity technology is transforming the way we detect and prevent disease outbreaks in agriculture.

Michael shares insights on why avian flu isn’t just a poultry problem, how farmers are navigating the crisis, and what changes—like vaccines and new regulations—could reshape the industry. Plus, we discuss the bigger picture: What happens when this crisis passes? Will we actually invest in long-term solutions, or just wait for the next disaster?

If you’re curious about food security, farming innovation, or just wondering why your grocery bill keeps climbing, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How avian flu spreads—and why it’s so hard to contain

✅ The hidden challenges farmers face in protecting their livestock

✅ How Barnwell Bio is using waste monitoring to catch outbreaks early

✅ What role vaccines and government policy play in the fight against disease

✅ The real risks (and media myths) about avian flu in humans

Guest Bio:

Michael Rhys is the CEO & Co-Founder of Barnwell Bio, a company pioneering new ways to track and prevent disease in livestock. Previously, Michael and his team helped build the COVID-19 wastewater monitoring infrastructure, providing critical data for public health during the pandemic. Now, he’s applying that expertise to agriculture, helping farmers stay ahead of disease threats before they turn into full-blown crises.

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February 2025 Food Policy Recap: What You Need to Know

Your food is changing, and the policies behind it could be making things worse.

From rising grocery prices to a sudden freeze in farm aid, February brought major shifts that impact what you eat, how much you pay, and where your food comes from. In this episode, we break down the most critical policy changes and what they mean for you as a consumer.

What We Cover in This Episode:

🚜 USDA Spending Freeze – Billions in farm grants and loans were suddenly put on hold, leaving small farmers in crisis.

🥚 Egg Prices Are Soaring—And It’s Not Just the Bird Flu – The government is investigating potential price manipulation by major egg producers.

🌍 Trade Wars Are Making Food More Expensive – New U.S. tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China have led to retaliatory tariffs, driving up costs for farmers—and your grocery bill.

🧪 The Fight Over Pesticides – Big chemical companies are lobbying for legal immunity over controversial herbicides like glyphosate. If they win, pesticide regulations could weaken even further.

Listen to More on Farm Policies & Subsidies

Farmers are the backbone of America, but are they being left behind in Washington? In this re-released conversation with Sharon McMahon, better known as America’s Government Teacher, we explore how farm policy is shaped, why farmers feel invisible in the political process, and how shifting power structures impact our food system.

Since this episode first aired, we’ve seen budget cuts, trade disputes, and major agricultural policy shifts unfold—making this conversation even more relevant today.

In This Episode, We Cover:

✅ Why the Farm Bill is stuck in political gridlock (and what’s at stake)

✅ How farmers have been erased from government and political influence

✅ The rise of corporate agriculture and its impact on family farms

✅ Why politicians prioritize viral moments over real policy solutions

✅ What needs to change to give farmers more power in Washington

Why This Matters Now:

With new USDA leadership, budget freezes, and controversial farm policies rolling out, we’re at a turning point for American agriculture. Understanding these forces is critical—not just for farmers, but for everyone who eats.

Next Episode:

Next week, we’ll break down the biggest political moves from February that are actively reshaping food and farming—from USDA budget cuts to farmworker deportation fears, climate policy rollbacks, and new trade tariffs.

How You Can Help:

📣 Share this episode with a friend who cares about where their food comes from.