1 00:00:03,274 --> 00:00:05,294 [music] 2 00:00:11,790 --> 00:00:13,810 [music] 3 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,160 >> Yeah, uh well welcome 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,040 Eliza? 5 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,160 >> Yes. 6 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:21,720 >> Uh okay. Eliza 7 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,520 uh 8 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:26,440 to the show. A pleasure to have you on 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,320 uh Pill Blue Nexus. This is going to 10 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,000 take a different sort of angle from all 11 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,680 the other episodes that I had, but it is 12 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,040 of interest of mine like just uh 13 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:37,080 agriculture and food and everything that 14 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:39,040 goes along with that. And who better to 15 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,960 have on than 16 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,480 a person who created a house plant 17 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,640 business, 18 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:46,400 um 19 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,560 took it to the next level, and now is 20 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,880 running The Farm Link Project. Eliza, 21 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,720 welcome to the show. 22 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,365 >> Thank you for having me. I'm excited to 23 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,000 talk about all things plants. 24 00:00:54,365 --> 00:00:56,080 >> [laughter] 25 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,800 >> So 26 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,400 exactly, and I love plants. I'm a 27 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:02,560 gardener. I think I left this out on the 28 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:04,519 last episode. So um so it's a it it's 29 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,240 let's find a common ground here. Tell me 30 00:01:04,519 --> 00:01:09,080 what what uh what um did you like about 31 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,760 plants to begin with? Like what made you 32 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,960 want to create The Sill? 33 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,760 >> Yeah. 34 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:18,080 Yeah. Um well, great question. I started 35 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:22,480 The Sill when I was 36 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:24,040 26, um which was quite some time ago. 37 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,760 Um and 38 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:30,320 uh that happened to be 2012. 39 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:33,000 And at that time I was um coming out of 40 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:36,080 brand strategy as a primary or initial 41 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:39,200 career. And I was very interested in 42 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:42,240 taking an entrepreneurial uh track. And 43 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:44,840 I was very intrigued by house plants as 44 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,520 a category, believe it or not. It was a 45 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,160 personal experience that I had of, you 46 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,640 know, being in one of my very first 47 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,000 apartments and trying to decorate with 48 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,440 plants and 49 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,000 um you know, trying to make it feel more 50 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,320 homey. And then come to find that there 51 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,880 there a lot of places where I could go 52 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:02,160 shop for plants that were going to be 53 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:03,960 inspiring or convenient or educate me or 54 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,640 kind of offer like anything that one 55 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,080 might come to expect from shopping any 56 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:10,240 other category. 57 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:12,320 And so I decided to create a consumer 58 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:15,200 brand surrounding plants that would do 59 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:18,680 all those things that would be beautiful 60 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:20,920 and educational and convenient. 61 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,720 Um and so we started as a 62 00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:23,560 delivery service 63 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,400 um 64 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,959 that basically 65 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,560 was in my neighborhood because if you 66 00:02:27,959 --> 00:02:31,880 ordered from the website I was going to 67 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,920 be knocking on your door and handing you 68 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,240 the product that you purchased. Um but 69 00:02:33,920 --> 00:02:37,920 we did blow up into a national brand. We 70 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,560 were shipping nationally. We ended up 71 00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:41,240 having having 72 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:44,760 um something like 12 stores in 10 73 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:47,640 different markets and um and now The 74 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:49,959 Sill is a full-fledged uh online garden 75 00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:51,520 center. So you can buy not only house 76 00:02:49,959 --> 00:02:53,400 plants, which is the category we started 77 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:57,720 with, but you can buy apple trees and 78 00:02:53,400 --> 00:03:00,280 hedges and all sorts of things and um 79 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,560 and it was an amazing 80 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:05,560 uh adventure and skill set that 81 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,920 ultimately then led me to FarmLink. 82 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,840 >> That's amazing. So you went from The 83 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:11,120 Sill to like the field or the farm, 84 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,882 right? It's interesting. 85 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,040 >> right. That's great. I love that. 86 00:03:13,882 --> 00:03:16,560 >> [laughter] 87 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:19,360 >> And um I get it. Like were you living in 88 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:21,360 the city where you just uh needed a 89 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:24,040 decoration for the sill, right? Like I 90 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:26,200 I've I've been there. Like I I put the 91 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,760 plants behind the blinds sometimes and 92 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,440 sometimes you have to roll it up a 93 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,760 little bit. So 94 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,280 >> Right. And that's exactly right. Yeah. 95 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,840 In fact, we I would have said, you know, 96 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,360 whatever more than a decade ago that we 97 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,040 specialized in like mini plants because 98 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,120 everyone had mini sills and mini 99 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:40,600 apartments and 100 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,702 >> Yep. 101 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,720 >> definitely um 102 00:03:42,702 --> 00:03:45,519 >> [snorts] 103 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:47,519 >> you know, related to my stage in life 104 00:03:45,519 --> 00:03:49,440 and in some ways that's actually 105 00:03:47,519 --> 00:03:51,280 continues to be true. I graduated from 106 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,720 it and I've moved on to the next 107 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,320 chapter. 108 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,640 >> Speaking of graduation, you mentioned 109 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,760 that you were studying where were you 110 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:01,080 studying? 111 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:04,360 >> Um at NYU. So, I was living in a teeny 112 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:06,640 tiny village apartment like the sixth 113 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,160 floor of a walk-up just to paint a 114 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:08,720 picture. 115 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:09,320 >> Okay, that makes a lot of sense now. 116 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:10,840 >> Yeah. 117 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,800 >> Yeah, that's cool. How do how was your 118 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,720 New York sort of experience going to 119 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,440 school? That must have been awesome. 120 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:19,400 >> It was. I mean, I grew up in Western 121 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:21,400 Massachusetts which informs a lot of the 122 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,280 decisions that I've made in my life in 123 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:26,840 fact because I grew up in a very like 124 00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:29,680 agriculturally based community. 125 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:32,040 You know, I passed a cow field on my way 126 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,200 to high school 127 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,840 and my high school was next to a 128 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:37,360 vocational school which I feel like 129 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:38,960 doesn't exist in the same way anymore as 130 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:42,680 it used to. 131 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:44,720 And so, going to the city was like the 132 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,680 biggest contrast that like I could make 133 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,240 for myself and I loved it. I lived in 134 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,560 New York City for 20 years, but then 135 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:52,600 ultimately left because I needed green 136 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:56,600 grass again and I wanted to be closer to 137 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:59,960 my food chain and I wanted to you know, 138 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:03,400 um reconnect with nature. 139 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:05,520 >> Talk about that move from the city to I 140 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:07,280 would say the country, but you probably 141 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,560 didn't go all the way in the country. 142 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:11,919 >> Well, kind of. I live in the Catskills 143 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:14,480 now which is pretty rural. 144 00:05:11,919 --> 00:05:16,400 My I live in a small Hamlet of about 145 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,919 3,000 people 146 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:20,160 and I now again get to pass cows on the 147 00:05:18,919 --> 00:05:21,560 way to dropping my [laughter] kids 148 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,080 >> off at school. 149 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:26,160 >> But, I would say that what's nice about 150 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,800 where I am versus Massachusetts is is 151 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,840 the proximity to New York City. Is I can 152 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:33,120 still get on a train and in under two 153 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:33,880 hours be in the middle of Manhattan. So, 154 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,040 >> Okay. 155 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,200 >> It's a transition with you know, a bit 156 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:39,040 of a tail. 157 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,160 >> Yeah, so you are a country girl at 158 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,560 heart. 159 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,560 >> I think I am. 160 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,480 >> Yeah. Yeah, I I can totally resonate 161 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,600 with that and that's probably where your 162 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:50,040 love of plants came in. so totally 163 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:52,360 resonate with that. Um, talk about the 164 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,880 Farm Link project. What is it? 165 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:56,280 >> Yeah, so the Farm Link project is a 166 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:58,320 national nonprofit. Um, we are in the 167 00:05:56,280 --> 00:06:00,240 food recovery space, and most people 168 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:04,480 then say, "Well, what does that mean?" 169 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:07,320 Um, we will recover surplus produce all 170 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,960 along the supply chain before retail. 171 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,400 Meaning, a lot of food recovery 172 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,240 institutions might pick up food that's, 173 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:15,800 you know, post expiration or on its way 174 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:18,240 out from a grocery store. We collect 175 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,600 food before it even gets to a store that 176 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,360 would be considered surplus and 177 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,800 therefore might go to waste, and we 178 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,919 redistribute that into the charitable 179 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:28,560 food system. And this all started as a 180 00:06:24,919 --> 00:06:31,400 grassroots movement during COVID uh by a 181 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:33,760 a group of college students. Um, so you 182 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:36,120 know, juniors and seniors in school got 183 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,560 together after they'd been sent home 184 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,840 from their jobs and sent home from their 185 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,400 classes 186 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:41,320 um 187 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,560 to try and get involved and be helpful. 188 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,040 And one of the things that they 189 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:47,640 recognized was that their local food 190 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,919 bank was really in need of fresh food. 191 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,680 And meanwhile, there was all these farms 192 00:06:49,919 --> 00:06:53,280 who had lost their business because 193 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,800 hospitality effectively shut down 194 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:57,919 overnight and were forced to effectively 195 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,280 plow under a lot of their perfectly good 196 00:06:57,919 --> 00:07:00,480 food. 197 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:04,640 So these students started renting 198 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:06,520 U-Hauls and cold calling farms uh and 199 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:09,200 making that connection. And and then 200 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:11,160 they came to realize that while that was 201 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:14,560 somewhat unique to COVID in the 202 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:17,360 pandemic, it is actually a pretty 203 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:20,080 significant um breakdown in our supply 204 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:21,919 chain. Which is to say that there are so 205 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,440 many people in need and there is a 206 00:07:21,919 --> 00:07:26,160 tremendous amount of surplus food in 207 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:28,000 this country, but to actually transport 208 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,360 it, to both coordinate the 209 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,600 transportation of perishable goods, and 210 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,360 to pay for that transportation hasn't 211 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,480 existed in a really material way. And 212 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:39,160 that's where Farm Link has stepped in 213 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:41,360 and and and and we've done so at at 214 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:43,480 quite impressive scale. So in that first 215 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:46,200 year, those college students 216 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:48,680 moved 40 million pounds of food. 217 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:50,720 And we are now moving Last year, we 218 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:53,840 moved 150 million pounds of food, and 219 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:57,160 that's about 100 full truckloads a week. 220 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:59,040 >> Wow, so there's a really big business 221 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:01,120 logistical problem here to make that 222 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:03,120 happen, but it works. 223 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,680 >> It works, and the crazy thing is is it's 224 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,960 not actually all that complex. Uh I 225 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:10,200 think that was what surprised me most 226 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:12,520 when I joined was that actually 227 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:14,919 coordinating and making this happen 228 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:16,919 day-to-day is not the hardest thing. 229 00:08:14,919 --> 00:08:18,880 It's really for us, it's been forming 230 00:08:16,919 --> 00:08:20,840 the relationships over the past 6 years 231 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:23,240 so that when the surplus arises, we know 232 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:25,240 exactly who to call 233 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,600 because we have maybe 24 to 48 hours to 234 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,280 move the food. 235 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:31,240 >> Right. And And talk about the process 236 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:33,320 itself. What happens there? Like what 237 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,360 How does that day look like or those few 238 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,320 days look like? 239 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,240 >> So, 240 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,919 um relationships, as I mentioned, that's 241 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:42,159 like our currency. Like we don't have We 242 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:43,520 don't have assets as an organization. We 243 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:45,960 don't have warehouse space. We don't own 244 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:48,160 the trucks. Our relationships are what's 245 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:50,080 most important. And so, if we have a 246 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:53,000 thousand relationships spanning food 247 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:55,680 donors to receiving agencies, whenever 248 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:58,160 surplus arises, so again, we could have 249 00:08:55,680 --> 00:08:59,839 someone who failed to sell their load at 250 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,880 the wholesale market one day or an 251 00:08:59,839 --> 00:09:03,960 importer um with the same type of 252 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,839 situation or a farmer who lost a sales 253 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,760 order. All of these types of situations 254 00:09:05,839 --> 00:09:08,920 can happen, and they do happen every 255 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:12,320 single day across every single 256 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:14,520 commodity. Um they know to call us, and 257 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:17,839 then, you know, we have to consider who 258 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:20,080 to call next. Um and that is a lot of 259 00:09:17,839 --> 00:09:21,520 decision-making that we have learned 260 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,600 over the course of 6 years of doing 261 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:25,440 this. Often times, it's closest 262 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,800 proximity, right? Cuz we're also trying 263 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,200 to be responsible about this food. It's 264 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:30,880 also timing, 265 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,760 um but it's also understanding receiving 266 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:35,200 uh agency's capacity. Like who can 267 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:37,400 actually take a truckload of food? Um 268 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,880 who's going to absorb and distribute it 269 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:41,800 in a timely manner based on what it is 270 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:44,480 and how much shelf life it has left. 271 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:48,000 Like moving potatoes is very different 272 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:49,720 than moving bananas, as you can imagine. 273 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,040 >> And where does this happen? Is this 274 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:56,160 nationally or is this regional? 275 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:58,560 >> So, most of our food in the United 276 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,400 States that is grown here originates 277 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:03,080 from California. Um 278 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:05,000 pretty obvious. Um that being said, you 279 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,280 know, you probably can appreciate like 280 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,240 apples are grown all along the Northeast 281 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:11,200 and citrus is grown, you know, in 282 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:13,000 Florida. And so there is food and you 283 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:15,000 know, and potatoes are the Northwest. So 284 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:17,160 there is food being grown in all over 285 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:19,240 the place and we can move food from 286 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:21,400 anywhere to anywhere um 287 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:23,360 at scale. We move exclusively full truck 288 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:26,040 loads. And then we do a lot of work with 289 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:29,200 um folks who are importing food um from 290 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:31,200 Mexico or from Canada. Um so in fact, 291 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,360 our reach is really, you know, all of 292 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:35,280 North America to some extent. 293 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:37,920 >> Interesting. Talk about the end result 294 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:39,080 of all of this. Like how has this been 295 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:39,320 received? 296 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,640 >> Yeah. 297 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:44,240 >> Uh yeah, talk talk about the success 298 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,520 stories about what people feel about 299 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,280 this. 300 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,000 >> Well, look, this is like a massive 301 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:51,440 opportunity because not only are we 302 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:53,120 helping feed people, but this food would 303 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:55,960 have otherwise gone to waste, which has 304 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:58,200 a huge impact on our planet because food 305 00:10:55,960 --> 00:11:00,160 rotting in a landfill creates methane, 306 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:02,720 which is not a greenhouse greenhouse gas 307 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,320 that you want in our atmosphere. 308 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,320 So, I would say it's a triple win 309 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:09,560 because you know, we try and support 310 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:11,200 farmers and we try and feed communities 311 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:12,640 and it's very much healing to the 312 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,720 planet. It's one of the best 313 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:18,680 interventions actually to climate change 314 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:20,440 is um diverting food waste. So, all to 315 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:23,520 say like it's been it's been received 316 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:26,360 quite well. Um and it's not to say that 317 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:29,440 we invented food recovery or there's not 318 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:31,400 an amazing ecosystem surrounding us 319 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:34,280 because I I what we also recognize as an 320 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:36,400 organization is that you don't do you 321 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:39,320 don't do this work alone. Like we in 322 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:41,800 fact are representation of partnership 323 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,480 in action because all we're doing is 324 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:46,840 coordinating. Like we're the connective 325 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:50,080 tissue between existing groups. And so 326 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:51,840 we very much depend on the great work of 327 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,520 other organizations. But on the 328 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:56,600 receiving end the impact is enormous. I 329 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:57,720 mean we're talking about fresh food. 330 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:01,120 You know, the charitable food system 331 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:03,000 often relies on you know, packaged 332 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:05,160 non-perishable oftentimes 333 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:07,240 ultra-processed foods. So we're getting 334 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,880 the most helpful the most fresh food 335 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,640 into hands of those who are in need. And 336 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:14,040 when we think about what's happening now 337 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:16,120 just broadly speaking like 338 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,600 you know, berries aren't cheap. Like I 339 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:20,160 know [laughter] that. You have a kid, 340 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:23,480 you know that. So it's also one of these 341 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:26,760 items that um people get priced out of 342 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:28,640 pretty quickly. Or um and and so we're 343 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:30,120 very proud of the work that we do that 344 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:34,560 we're able to focus in this very 345 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:37,040 specific way on produce um and um 346 00:12:34,560 --> 00:12:38,360 pre-retail because it does guarantee 347 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,800 freshness. 348 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:43,440 >> Yeah, that's a great uh 349 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,680 thing. Like most people they would if 350 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:47,040 they're on the lower income, they would 351 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:49,800 go to the canned foods and not get the 352 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:52,120 fresh fresh stuff. Which is what you're 353 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:54,200 trying to do or what you are doing is 354 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:57,200 providing that level of access to to the 355 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:59,720 people who can't uh afford it. 356 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:02,400 >> That's right. Yeah. And and the volume 357 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:06,360 is is in some ways hard to wrap your 358 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:09,080 mind around. Um 115 million pounds is a 359 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:11,600 lot. Um a common standard in the 360 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:14,080 charitable food space is that 1.2 pounds 361 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:17,360 is equivalent to a meal. Obviously a 362 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:18,920 meal isn't just a bunch of apples, but 363 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,080 uh it does just put things into 364 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:23,280 perspective, you know, that we're 365 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:26,880 producing you know, hunt you know, 100 366 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:28,040 what you know, 25 40 million meals out 367 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:30,520 of that. And then when you think about 368 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:32,760 servings, like the math just grows. And 369 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,800 so, this is this is a material amount of 370 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:34,920 food that we're getting to people's 371 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:37,040 tables. 372 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:39,000 >> Wow. And And how big is your network of 373 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:41,080 food banks? 374 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:45,480 >> Well, I would say we probably work with 375 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:47,280 like 500 receiving agencies. Um when we 376 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,880 talk about food banks in this country, 377 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:51,960 oftentimes you think of Feeding America. 378 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:53,440 They have 198 network food banks. But 379 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,720 what a lot of people don't recognize is 380 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,120 that there's also a lot of independent 381 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,360 food banks, too. 382 00:13:56,120 --> 00:14:00,480 And we work with any We actually will 383 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,040 work with any nonprofit 384 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,440 willing to take a full truckload. So, 385 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:06,520 like if you're if you have a very active 386 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,400 church, we can come to your church 387 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:11,720 parking lot and drop down a truckload of 388 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:15,440 food. Um so, we we try and work with uh 389 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:17,000 any organization who works with us. 390 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,920 >> I'm interested technically how you 391 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:22,644 handle the logistics of all of this. 392 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:23,520 Like Is there a spreadsheet somewhere or 393 00:14:22,644 --> 00:14:25,880 >> [laughter] 394 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,680 >> Yeah, no. Well, I mean, what's also very 395 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:30,000 exciting for me, having just joined the 396 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:32,880 Farmlink Project, is like we're in an 397 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,920 era that is never been seen before. And 398 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:37,839 so, actually we can 399 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:39,760 start to use technology in ways that 400 00:14:37,839 --> 00:14:41,360 even 6 months ago 401 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,880 um we weren't able to. So, in fact, we 402 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,680 are building 403 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:48,160 um a a database now 404 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:50,080 that pulls a lot of the manual work um 405 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:52,839 out of people's brains and will make it 406 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:56,480 a lot faster to surface data and 407 00:14:52,839 --> 00:14:59,520 information and make decisions. And so, 408 00:14:56,480 --> 00:15:02,600 we're very excited about applying tools 409 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:04,160 like LLMs and just AI in general to the 410 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,920 work that we're doing because a lot of 411 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,520 what we do is just communication. And 412 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,160 some of that needs to have human 413 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,480 intervention and judgment, of course, 414 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:13,560 and some of it just doesn't. And so, we 415 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:16,280 are again entering a moment in time 416 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,680 where efficiency is going to be um 417 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:18,880 achievable in ways that it just wasn't 418 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,360 before. 419 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:23,960 >> Oh, wow. Now that you mentioned that, I 420 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:25,720 can totally see how AI can help here Um 421 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,640 from a a logistical point of view, 422 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,520 administrative point of view. 423 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,680 Absolutely. 424 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,960 >> It's all data and we know that there's 425 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:35,560 lots of 426 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:37,160 value in data and sometimes you don't 427 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,240 even know until you have it in front of 428 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:41,720 you what questions to ask but you know a 429 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,520 lot of what we do is just is just trying 430 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,280 to understand one 431 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,320 um 432 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,200 who are all the agencies to begin with, 433 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:51,200 what is their where are they, what is 434 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,480 their capacity, when are they open, 435 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,800 um what kind of foods are culturally 436 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,600 relevant to them, 437 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,400 >> Interesting. 438 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,040 >> there's only so many spreadsheets and 439 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,720 pivot tables you can create to like 440 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:01,840 really get value out of that 441 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:03,440 information. So for us being able to 442 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,000 create a database is actually going to 443 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:08,640 be um 444 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:10,880 instrumental in being able to move food, 445 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,400 move it effectively and what we hope is 446 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,400 that it'll also continue to help us 447 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,880 unlock supply because I think there's a 448 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:19,320 lot of untapped supply as well in this 449 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:21,360 country and a lot of hesitation about 450 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,440 untapping it because of the coordination 451 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:26,640 effort to then distribute it. 452 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:29,160 >> Is there um the untapped area is does 453 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:31,960 that include restaurants? 454 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:34,120 >> For us we look at farms because a lot of 455 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:35,520 what gets wasted is unfortunately left 456 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,000 in the field. 457 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,000 >> Okay. 458 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,280 >> Farmers already have this incredible 459 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,080 burden of trying to turn a profit on 460 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:44,800 what they do sell. 461 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,640 It is impossible to ask them to pay for 462 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:49,640 the harvest and packaging of food that 463 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:51,640 they have not sold and yet there's 464 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:53,880 billions of pounds of food left in the 465 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:57,680 field every single year. 466 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:59,920 >> So your your organization is in the sort 467 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:01,920 of harvesting, collecting and then 468 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:02,880 processing it to a point where it's 469 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,560 edible. 470 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:08,240 >> Well, we hope to continue to do what we 471 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:10,640 call pre-harvest recovery work 472 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:12,280 which is more expensive 473 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,880 than moving food that's already been 474 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,000 harvested 475 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:18,760 but 476 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:20,360 it is plentiful and it is there and if 477 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,480 we can do that in a way that both 478 00:17:20,360 --> 00:17:24,680 supports farmers and can feed people 479 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,680 that is a very large untapped 480 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:28,920 opportunity. And to say, you know, 481 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:31,640 process yes, but you don't even have to 482 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:33,880 process it necessarily. 483 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,480 It's just a matter of timing of getting 484 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,680 it out of the field and distributed to 485 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,160 people in in the time that they can 486 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,120 consume. 487 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,160 >> Right. 488 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:42,920 Yeah, there's like you said 48 hours but 489 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,680 uh 490 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,240 it there there there is really a time 491 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:49,040 crunch going on, isn't there? Like all 492 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,120 the time to to to get it to the to to 493 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,000 the right spot. 494 00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:54,440 >> Mhm. 495 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:56,040 Yeah, we've we've seen this so a lot of 496 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:58,480 there's a lot of actual uh news 497 00:17:56,040 --> 00:18:00,760 attention right now on the peach trees 498 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:03,880 in California and it's a really 499 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:05,840 devastating uh challenge that these 500 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:08,000 farmers have had because Del Monte 501 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:11,040 declared bankruptcy last year and Del 502 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,440 Monte's a big canning company and a lot 503 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,440 of that is just reflective of like 504 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:17,640 consumer behavior changing. Like people 505 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:19,520 aren't eating canned peaches anymore. 506 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:20,480 Which is just and canned pears for that 507 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,400 matter. 508 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:25,200 And so we saw this last year immediately 509 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:27,200 with pears actually. We we worked on 510 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:30,040 um some harvesting of pears because Del 511 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:32,920 Monte canning facility closed and there 512 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:34,160 was a farm in the Northwest that 513 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,680 literally was just then sitting on 514 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,240 hundreds of thousands of pears were 515 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:39,320 already harvested um and meant to go to 516 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,320 this canning facility and then the 517 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,960 canning facility like closed, you know, 518 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,520 and then and then what? And so all you 519 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,560 all of a sudden you have you know, all 520 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:49,320 of these pears ready to go and nowhere 521 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:51,360 to go and yet you have 48 million food 522 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:54,040 insecure Americans. And that in the 523 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:55,240 instance of the peaches because they've 524 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,880 now 525 00:18:55,240 --> 00:19:00,040 determined that there's less of a market 526 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:02,320 for these types of peaches, the state of 527 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,160 California is actually paying the 528 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:06,120 farmers to 529 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:08,760 dig up the peach trees and replace it 530 00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:10,720 with crops that are more um 531 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:12,240 viable in the market. And so now we're 532 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,800 seeing the destruction of all these 533 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:17,360 incredible peach trees, um which is 534 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,920 just, you know, quite sad. And yet, you 535 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:20,280 know, we do what we can in terms of 536 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,840 rescuing. 537 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,680 But, you know, we're up against big 538 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:26,560 forces that, you know, put us in these 539 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,480 positions. 540 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:31,160 >> So, the demand 541 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:33,160 for people for canned stuff 542 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:36,280 has gone down. That's interesting. I'm 543 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:40,440 wondering if it had anything to do with 544 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:42,240 uh the pricing or alternatives. So, like 545 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:44,520 if you guys got into the canning 546 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,760 industry, for example, right? Like would 547 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,120 you make a profit there? 548 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:49,240 >> Yeah. Well, you know, I'm not an 549 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:51,440 economist and it's so easy to, you know, 550 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,880 to make these assumptions about why 551 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,680 things are the way they are. But, of 552 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,880 course, what I've come to learn in being 553 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:59,080 in this organization is there's so many 554 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:01,400 factors that go into this. Like, I'm 555 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,920 sure like the price of aluminum going up 556 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:05,160 has something to do with it. Sure, 557 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:06,600 changing consumer sentiment and diets 558 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,120 has something to do with it. And I, you 559 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:11,520 know, there's it's all the things, 560 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:14,440 right? So, um it's it's hard to pinpoint 561 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:16,760 like what the one thing is, but what I 562 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:19,560 think about in terms of FarmLink 563 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:22,080 especially is we have pinpointed this 564 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:23,480 one intervention that we know does work 565 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,000 and that there are many more, as I 566 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,880 mentioned earlier. Like, this is all 567 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:29,200 about the bigger ecosystem and 568 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:31,080 relationships. And 569 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:33,600 um and that's what's really exciting is 570 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:35,320 that I think as we continue to evolve 571 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,720 and adopt technology and create 572 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,480 efficiencies, we will also be able to 573 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,800 develop new interventions for some of 574 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:43,160 this work because it's not going to just 575 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,920 be one thing. 576 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,840 >> That's interesting. Very interesting. 577 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,520 So, you there's a ton of challenges and 578 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:50,360 a ton of problems here and that you 579 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:54,240 probably see every day. 580 00:20:50,360 --> 00:20:56,960 Um so, how how do you guys get funded? 581 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:59,360 >> So, um we get funded because of amazing 582 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:01,200 donors. Um we have corporate 583 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:02,760 partnerships. We get funded by 584 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,080 foundations 585 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,440 through grants. 586 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:09,840 Um and then individuals. So, you can go 587 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:12,040 to our website and donate five bucks. 588 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,840 You can be someone who's able to write a 589 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:16,320 bigger check than that. 590 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:18,400 But, right now it's uh 100% uh 591 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,360 philanthropy. Um we don't have an earned 592 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,840 revenue stream. Um that is something 593 00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:24,240 that we are, you know, continuing to 594 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,800 hold curiosity around, but um we've been 595 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,200 very lucky that there's a lot of people 596 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,680 who believe in the work that we're doing 597 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,640 in this particular intervention. And 598 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:33,520 again, as I mentioned, you know, you can 599 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:35,200 be interested in um food insecurity, you 600 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:37,440 could be interested in waste production, 601 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,640 you could be interested in um the 602 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,520 American farmer, or you could be 603 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,240 interested in climate. Um all of those 604 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,480 things intersect in the work that Farm 605 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,240 Link does, and so I think we've been 606 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,880 really lucky to attract a lot of 607 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,680 different donors who are motivated by 608 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,440 different things. 609 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,960 >> You probably have a 610 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,920 bigger perspective than I do here, but 611 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:57,440 tell me I do live in a country area, so 612 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:59,560 I have farmers around me. But, talk talk 613 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:03,520 to me about farmers and farming as a 614 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:07,040 profession as it is today. And is it 615 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:09,680 making a comeback? Is people talk about 616 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:11,760 Amish rock and plumbing? No. 617 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,760 >> I mean, may you know, there we see all 618 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,480 this Instagram content and, you know, 619 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:18,720 tradwives are becoming a thing and 620 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:20,360 people, you know, want to homestead, but 621 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,520 the reality is is that farmers in 622 00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:25,200 America are getting crushed, and there's 623 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:26,680 very little ability to have solid 624 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:29,240 succession planning because it's just a 625 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:31,440 very hard way to make a living. 626 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:33,360 All of the costs are going up. Um so, 627 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,480 cost of machinery and cost of 628 00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:38,120 fertilizer, the cost to get into 629 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:41,760 farming. It's an enormous hurdle. You 630 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:42,760 know, if you're a 22-year-old coming out 631 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:44,560 of college and you're like, "Well, I 632 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:46,480 could start a website for free, or I 633 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:48,640 could start a farm for hundreds of 634 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:50,120 thousands of dollars." You know, which 635 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:52,520 is it going to be? And so, 636 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:54,960 unfortunately, um I think we're finding 637 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:57,440 that we are in a position that we are 638 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:59,880 not supporting our farmers enough, um 639 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,760 which obviously puts our food at risk. 640 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:01,800 >> Mhm. 641 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:05,080 >> Three. 642 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:08,720 Um we rely a lot on importing our food 643 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:11,200 and instead we reward a lot of the big 644 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,640 consolidated farmer ops that you know 645 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,040 don't actually really make food. They're 646 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:18,640 making inputs, you know, they're making 647 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:21,720 um ethanol or animal feed or you know 648 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:24,440 other things. So I think it's really 649 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:26,360 tough to be a farmer right now 650 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:28,680 and you know we could spend an entire 651 00:23:26,360 --> 00:23:30,640 hour just talking about that but that's 652 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:35,040 why I say you know it's really not up to 653 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:36,880 the farmer to um put in the extra 654 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,600 overhead 655 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:41,240 to harvest this food to donate it cuz 656 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:43,360 they're already in a place. 657 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:45,880 >> And what what are the demographics of 658 00:23:43,360 --> 00:23:48,360 the farming industry? Are they mostly 659 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:50,800 mom and pop shops, family businesses or 660 00:23:48,360 --> 00:23:52,920 are they more corporatized now? 661 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,720 >> They are more corporatized now. There's 662 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:57,880 a lot of consolidation that has taken 663 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:58,840 place over the past couple generations. 664 00:23:57,880 --> 00:23:59,680 Um 665 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,760 I 666 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,680 can't speak to it fluently other than 667 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,320 what I would recommend for you is you 668 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,760 read the farm bill 669 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:08,400 a citizen's guide to the farm bill which 670 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,800 is a great book that breaks it all down 671 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,560 for you to understand kind of how we 672 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,360 even got to where we are today and it 673 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:15,280 has to do with a lot of incentives and 674 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:18,280 programs put in place and obviously the 675 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:20,440 farm bill has evolved over a hundred 676 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:22,720 plus years but 677 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:24,200 a lot of a lot of what goes on starts 678 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,120 from the very top. 679 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,920 >> This is kind of like one of those things 680 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:29,800 like my 681 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:32,120 my father-in-law talks a lot about like 682 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:35,000 he's in the trucking industry and it's 683 00:24:32,120 --> 00:24:36,960 like everything that's you you touch was 684 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:39,240 brought to you by a truck but people 685 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,400 don't people don't think about that but 686 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,280 also people don't think about where 687 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,200 their food comes from either. 688 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:45,480 >> That's right. 689 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:48,880 >> You're literally talking about the one 690 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:50,120 thing that we can't screw up is the farm 691 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,600 and it is filled with all these 692 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:54,840 problems right? 693 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:56,600 >> Yeah. Yeah and it's often something that 694 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:58,720 to you to exactly what you said. People 695 00:24:56,600 --> 00:25:00,160 don't know about it. They're not aware 696 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,000 of the complexity or what we're up 697 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:04,720 against or the fact that the farm bill 698 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:07,360 is in is actively being worked on right 699 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:09,040 now. Um unfortunately, you know, those 700 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:12,800 aren't the things that were taught in 701 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:15,320 school and um and ought to be um just as 702 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:17,160 important as growing your own food for, 703 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,360 you know, a variety of reasons. 704 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,240 Uh I think it's important to know how 705 00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:23,240 the food system works and I feel very 706 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:27,200 lucky to be now in this position um 707 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:30,040 getting a quite the education on it. 708 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:31,800 >> Where do you see this organization going 709 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:33,520 in like 5 years into the future? Where 710 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,320 Where do you see the What's the vision 711 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,160 for it? 712 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:38,240 >> Yeah. 713 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:40,160 I think there's um three things that are 714 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,240 most important for Farm Link. I think 715 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:44,160 the first is of course continuing to do 716 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:46,560 what we do well today, which is move 717 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,640 food. Um I think there's ways in which 718 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,240 we can move food that are more 719 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:52,200 effective. Um so you talked about impact 720 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:53,640 earlier in the conversation. Our team is 721 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,280 getting really 722 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,840 interested in not just moving more 723 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:59,240 pounds of food, but knowing what the 724 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,520 impact is and how to measure that. Um so 725 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,960 that's um 726 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:05,280 often what comes up in an early stage 727 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:07,280 nonprofit is going from acting to 728 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,840 measuring and understanding kind of what 729 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,040 that looks like. 730 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:13,120 There's a really important second piece 731 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,760 to this, which is the fact that we were 732 00:26:13,120 --> 00:26:17,800 founded by students. So this youth 733 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:21,000 leadership aspect has always been part 734 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:22,160 of the DNA here at Farm Link and um one 735 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,800 of the ways in which we continue to 736 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:26,000 cultivate that is through a fellowship 737 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,880 we call FIELD. So we take a cohort of 738 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,880 students every single year and teach 739 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,880 them about food systems and then point 740 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,720 them at a problem that they get to go be 741 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:36,720 on the ground and learn about. So they 742 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,520 get partnered with a farm or a food bank 743 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:40,280 um 744 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:42,480 and uh then they it all culminates in a 745 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:44,360 final project. We would like to see that 746 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,200 continue to expand because I think part 747 00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:47,720 of our responsibility isn't just trying 748 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:50,720 to fix one part of the problem, but 749 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:51,320 actually creating more problem solvers. 750 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,760 Um 751 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:55,600 I think that is quite unique to FarmLink 752 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:57,120 and being able to do both of those 753 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,680 things really well. 754 00:26:57,120 --> 00:27:00,080 Um 755 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:02,480 and I think the third thing is just 756 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,920 continued innovation, right? So, I said 757 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,360 like it's not going to just be one 758 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,080 thing. Like we could be 759 00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:08,880 the 760 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:10,800 biggest fastest smartest whatever 761 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,920 whatever and like it's not going to 762 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:15,360 solve the root cause of hunger 763 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:17,640 or the root cause of food waste. 764 00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:19,800 It takes awesome partnership with many 765 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,480 and so I think the third piece will be 766 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:23,600 innovation and continuing to actually 767 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,520 create new interventions. This one 768 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,520 happens to work really well and it's 769 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,240 going to be one of many. So, how else 770 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:32,200 can we take sort of the model in which 771 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:34,280 we were started and scaled and do that 772 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,800 in other ways that touch on food waste, 773 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,600 food insecurity, 774 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:40,360 climate, and the American farmer. 775 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,280 >> Yeah, it almost it almost feels like 776 00:27:40,360 --> 00:27:43,080 you're 777 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:45,280 setting the stage to solve some bigger 778 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:47,320 problems within the industry, which is 779 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:49,240 interesting 780 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:50,800 angle. You might you're seeing this from 781 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,360 a logistical point of view, but then 782 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:55,000 you're also seeing 783 00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:56,800 solutions that could possibly be 784 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,560 fixing things, which is puts you in an 785 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,760 interesting spot. 786 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,080 >> Well, I would say as someone who's 787 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:04,120 entrepreneurial by nature, 788 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:06,600 seeing a boatload of problems like this 789 00:28:04,120 --> 00:28:08,560 is actually really fun and exciting cuz 790 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:10,440 all you have is problems to solve and 791 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:13,200 many of them are very solvable, you 792 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:14,720 know, like even what we're doing today, 793 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,480 you know, 794 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:18,120 it's just a lot of logistics. 795 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,440 >> Yeah. 796 00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:22,440 Yeah, there's they they need the Silicon 797 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:24,440 Valley folks need to 798 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:26,440 put some pitch decks together and you 799 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,400 know, solve these some of these problems 800 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,480 for you, I think. 801 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,160 >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, 802 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,680 we hope to have their support. 803 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,800 >> Oh, very good. Very good. So, that's 804 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,320 kind of like one of the things you're 805 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,640 actively doing is engaging with the 806 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,680 students, 807 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,000 having them come in and and do that. So, 808 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:40,600 I I totally get where you're going with 809 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:42,880 that. 810 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:42,880 >> Mhm. 811 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:47,120 >> Okay. So, 812 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:49,520 Alisha, thank you so much for your time 813 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:52,640 today. This is a great sort of like 814 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:54,160 synopsis and lowdown of the food 815 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,880 industry. 816 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,240 I 817 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:59,480 I plan to do some nice clipping of these 818 00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:01,200 and hopefully bring some awareness to 819 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,480 the industry. 820 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,200 >> That's amazing. Yeah, and 821 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:05,920 farmlinkproject.org 822 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:08,480 is where you can go learn more about us 823 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:10,480 and donate. And I hope your listeners do 824 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,840 and we're just excited to continue to 825 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,840 get the word out. So thank you so much 826 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:15,640 for having me in the conversation. 827 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:17,440 >> Thanks for coming and for providing this 828 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:19,920 perspective. It was really refreshing. 829 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:19,920 Thank you.