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Discover Toxic Green Potatoes, McDonald's $200M Regenerative Ag Commitment & Lil Wayne’s Horse Racing Debut

Release Date: 10/02/2025

Discover the New Food Pyramid That South Park Predicted 10 Years Ago

Discover Ag

Ep 244 | Apparently, we all care about the food pyramid again. It’s back in the spotlight thanks to a viral White House reel and a 12-year-old South Park prediction. This week on Discover AG, Natalie and Tara break down what's actually new (and what's not) in the updated food pyramid, celebrate a global win for women in agriculture, and highlight the sheep farmers behind Ralph Lauren's 2026 Winter Olympics collection. They also dig into the real history of vanilla to discover why it's so expensive — and not even a little bit basic. What We Discovered This Week 🤠 🪩 South Park...

Discover Agrihoods: The "Fastest Growing" Real Estate Trend in Agriculture

Discover Ag

Ep 243 | Are villages making a comeback? Have we been cutting pomegranates wrong this whole time? Does Pfizer really control your cheese? And is grocery store honey actually… honey? This week on Discover AG, Tara and Natalie explore the buzz around "agrihoods" — residential neighborhoods built around working farms instead of a clubhouse or golf course. They also take a nostalgic trip down memory lane with 30 country songs turning 30, learn a genuinely helpful hack to avoid the "pomegranate blood bath," and investigate viral food claims that Pfizer "owns cheese" and grocery store honey is...

Discover Josh Allen Gives ¼ Cow, Trumps $700M Regenerative Ag Program, Skijoring & Whole Milk In The School!

Discover Ag

Ep 242 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara unpack a major policy shift in regenerative agriculture, a heartwarming (and delicious) NFL story, and the wildest winter sport you've probably seen but never knew the name of. From Secretary Brooke Rollins' $700 million regenerative ag pilot program to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen gifting his offensive line quarters of premium Wagyu beef, this episode covers the intersection of agriculture, policy, and pop culture in the most entertaining way possible. But that's not all! The hosts dive into skijoring's new professional...

Discover Are We Eating Plastic Rice?!, Mike Rowe’s Apple ShoutOut, Taylor Sheridan’s College Class & PRB Goes To NYC

Discover Ag

Ep 241 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara kick off 2026 with viral conspiracies, bucking bulls in Manhattan, and giant potato drops. A fear-mongering reel claims grocery store rice is actually plastic pellets — and people are buying it. The hosts debunk the conspiracy while highlighting a real rice crisis: Louisiana farmer Meryl Kennedy's White House meeting with President Trump about subsidized foreign rice undercutting American growers. Then, it's PBR week in New York City as Madison Square Garden transforms with 750 tons of dirt for three days of professional bull riding...

Discover How Sugar Is Really Made, J-Lo at NFR, Taylor Sheridan's Stetson Airstream, & Why You May Want To Avoid Heavy Cream!

Discover Ag

Ep 240 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara dig into homemade sugar, surprise Western collabs, celebrity cowboy boot shopping, and what's really in your heavy cream. A viral reel reveals the complex 12-step process of making sugar from sugarcane—and the shocking truth that natural sugar is brown, not white. The hosts debate why we bleach sugar, flour, and rice, then explore an unexpected collaboration between Airstream, Stetson, and Taylor Sheridan's Four Sixes Ranch for a limited-edition Western trailer. While Natalie sees brilliant marketing, Tara argues it's impractical...

Discover Campbell's 3D Chicken Scandal, CMA's Record Low Ratings, Helping Veterans Farm & The Origins of Your Sesame Seeds

Discover Ag

Ep 239 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara dig into a Campbell's soup scandal, the CMA Awards crisis, a heartwarming veterans program, and the viral sesame seed discovery that has everyone rethinking their burger buns. A leaked audio recording from a former Campbell's VP calling their food "bleep for poor people" and claiming their chicken comes from a 3D printer goes viral, but the hosts argue the real issue isn't false ingredient claims—it's corporate culture and classism. The CMA Awards hit rock bottom with only 6 million viewers (down from 16 million a decade ago), sparking...

Discover Bezos & Gates Taking Over Beef, the 200-Year-Old Almanac ENDS, FFA Jackets Go Viral & Spoiler - Your Pecans Are From Mexico

Discover Ag

Ep 238 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara dig into Jeff Bezos' role in the beef industry, the end of a 200-year-old publication, and why your FFA jacket just became a fashion statement. The hosts tackle viral claims about methane-reducing feed additives for cattle, separating Bill Gates' investments from Bezos' initiatives. They discuss the Bovaer controversy in Denmark where farmers are now required to use methane-reducing supplements, and explore the tension between environmental responsibility and farmer autonomy. Plus, the Farmer's Almanac is publishing its final edition after...

Discover the Farm-to-Table Myth?, Buffalo Bills Celebrate Dairy Farmers, Abercrombie Goes Western & Viral Hippo Content!

Discover Ag

Ep 237 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara serve up a lighthearted holiday episode packed with farm-to-table realities, football meets farming, Western fashion collabs, and viral hippo content. Celebrity chef Tim Love explains why true farm-to-table dining is almost impossible — from inconsistent supply to the direct-to-consumer “ribeye problem.” The hosts break down why local sourcing is so complex and why prices would have to rise by about 30% to make it viable. The Buffalo Bills celebrate National Farmer’s Day by partnering with local dairy farmer “Farmer Shin,”...

Discover Argentinian Beef and America's $6 Steak Problem, McBee’s Prison Sentencing & Bougie Water Buffal

Discover Ag

Ep 236 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara dig into the headlines shaping how we think about food’s worth, transparency, and trends — from America’s broken sense of food value to Japan’s farmer-forward labels and even Nara Smith’s $38 garlic oil collab. America’s “food value problem” takes center stage as the hosts unpack why Americans spend less than 10% of their income on food — among the lowest worldwide — and what that says about how we price nutrition versus convenience. Then they explore Japan’s photo-on-pack movement that connects consumers directly to...

Discover Why Your Milk Expires So Fast, 75,000 Sheep on a Floating Ark & Lonesome Dove's Gen Z Revival

Discover Ag

Ep 235 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara dig into viral food myths, western nostalgia, and the surprising ways agriculture moves around the globe. From debunking dairy misconceptions about why American milk "expires so fast" to dismantling an Italian chef's garlic myth, the hosts tackle the misinformation swirling through social media kitchens. They explore the unexpected Gen Z revival of the 1985 western epic Lonesome Dove, dive into Coca-Cola's AI-powered mission to save the orange juice industry from citrus greening disease, and unpack the reality behind viral footage of 75,000...

More Episodes

Ep 230 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara dig into AI-powered potato sorting, cowboy boot emojis, and McDonald's massive regenerative agriculture investment — plus a Clarkson's Farm debrief and Lil Wayne's unexpected horse racing debut.

First up: Potato Ty takes viewers behind the scenes of green potato sorting on his Canadian farm. The hosts explore how AI technology identifies toxic potatoes (yes, green potatoes contain solanine and shouldn't be eaten), the fascinating machinery that sorts them, and why dairy cows are the ultimate recyclers — eating those green potatoes safely thanks to their multiple stomachs. It's a masterclass in agricultural innovation and food waste reduction.

Then, Ariat's social media team makes a bold move: an open letter to Apple demanding better cowboy boot emojis. With three British guard options but no proper Western representation, the hosts debate whether this PSA will spark real change and share their own emoji habits (spoiler: Tara switched to grayscale mode and can no longer tell which heart she's sending).

Next, Lil Wayne enters the horse racing world with his stallion "Six Hoof Seven Hoof" (named after his hit "6 Foot 7 Foot"). Tara shares her family's deep horse racing history, from summers in Delmar to a touching tribute to her late father-in-law through a racehorse named Randy's Reserve.

BUT WAIT — there's more!

McDonald's announces a $200 million commitment over seven years to promote regenerative agriculture practices on 4 million acres across 38 states. Natalie and Tara dissect whether this is genuine change or greenwashing, how grants will reach family ranches in the cow-calf sector, and what it means when major suppliers like Cargill co-fund the initiative. Plus: insights from an upcoming Dear Disco interview with food scientist Stefan Van Vliet on labeling and marketing in agriculture.

What We Discovered This Week 🤠

🪩 AI sorting technology for toxic green potatoes

🪩 How dairy cows safely eat what humans can't

🪩 Ariat's emoji activism for Western culture

🪩 Lil Wayne's horse racing debut (and prize money!)

🪩 Clarkson's Farm Season 4 emotional pub journey

🪩 McDonald's $200M regenerative agriculture commitment

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro & Listener Review: Pop Culture Meets Agriculture

02:00 - Green Potatoes: Why They're Poisonous & How AI in Agriculture Sorts Them

08:00 - Cows Eat Green Potatoes? How Ruminants Prevent Food Waste (Potato Tie & Jennifer Garner)

13:00 - Sponsor Break: Duckworth Co. & Turtle Box Speakers

15:00 - We Need a Cowboy Boot Emoji! Ariat International's Viral Social Media Campaign

21:00 - Lil Wayne Enters Horse Racing: The Rapper's Racehorse Wins Big

26:00 - Sponsor Break: Farm Wife Tallow & Cozy Earth

29:00 - Clarkson's Farm Effect: How Jeremy Clarkson's Show Boosted Agricultural Education

35:00 - McDonald's Regenerative Ag Investment: Is it Greenwashing or Real Change?

46:00 - Wrap-up & Outro

🪩 WELCOME TO DISCOVER AG

A top-ranked podcast where agriculture meets pop culture. Hosted by @NatalieKovarik — western tastemaker & millennial cattle rancher — and @TaraVanderDussen — sustainability expert & millennial dairy farmer. Every week, we dive into the top headlines in food, agriculture, and Western culture with a pop culture twist.

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