001: Boosting a Healthy, Accessible Local Farm-to-Table Revolution with Andy Naja-Riese

Essential Ingredients Podcast

English - September 05, 2023 13:00 - 30 minutes - 25.1 MB - ★★★★★ - 127 ratings
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Previous Episode: 034: Advocating for the Plate— A Palate’s Plea with Nina Curtis

Next Episode: 002: Revolutionary Bioengineering Breakthrough— A Solution to the Decontamination Dilema with Steve McDaniel

“Sometimes, we can only make the choices when they're available to us.” —Andy Naja-Riese

With six successful seasons behind us, we are thrilled to announce that Season 7 is live and ready for you!

A hearty thanks to you for staying with us through the previous six seasons and continuously supporting the program. For us, you are not just our listeners. You are an integral part of this community.

With lots of surprises and fresh series to pique your interest, we assure this season will be a unique experience. Our aim is not just to bring changes to the food system, but also to be a trusted ally for all respected founders and leaders out there.

We are setting the ball rolling for this season with our former guest, Andy Naja-Riese, the CEO of the Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM). A non-profit organization, AIM strives to educate, inspire, and connect diverse communities, dedicated farmers, and producers to strengthen local and regional food systems.

Join Justine and Andy as they continue their enlightening conversation on bolstering local farmers and promoting a superior food system. Take the plunge as they discuss the challenges in the local food system, the struggles of every farmer, addressing the climate crisis and food insecurity with agricultural techniques, eating by the season, and how market matching can help in ensuring the affordability of local produce. After all, the end goal is improved food accessibility.

Meet Andy:

Andy Naja-Riese brings 17 years of experience in community food systems, public health, and food equity programs & policy. As Chief Executive Officer, he leads AIM's major programs, partnerships, strategic planning, advocacy, and fundraising, including a capital campaign for AIM’s Center for Food and Agriculture in collaboration with AIM’s Board of Directors. Andy joined AIM in 2018 after spending 10 years working for the Federal government, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.

Andy is currently the Co-Chair of the Marin County Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Collaborative, serves on the Steering Committees of the Marin Carbon Project and Marin Community Health Improvement Plan, sits on the National Farm to School Network's Advisory Board, and represents AIM on the California Food and Farming Network & Food and Farm Resilience Coalition. He received the 2022 CVNL Heart of Marin Award for Excellence in Leadership and the 2023 Farmers Market Champion of the Year award from CAFF. He earned his master’s degree from the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health and his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

He lives with his husband and dog in Sonoma, where he enjoys backyard gardening, cooking farmers market hauls, eating bagels, and enjoying Northern California’s natural beauty

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Episode Highlights:

02:02 Creating Change One Purchase At A Time