Documents & Presentations by Jenny Ifft
| Title | Date | Downloads |
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What Counts as a Farm? Bringing Real-World Conditions into Agricultural Policy | Clearing the Air
What does it actually mean when policymakers say a proposal will affect "farmers"? The answer depends in part on which farms are being counted. In this episode of Clearing the Air on Agricultural Policy, Bart Fischer, co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M University, explains how farm-level analysis helps Congress and USDA understand the financial conditions facing working farms and the potential consequences of policy decisions. |
September 10, 2026 | |
| Crop Insurance Catch-Up: What's New in Supplemental Coverage for 2027: SCO, ECO, & MCO - Slides & Recording | September 8, 2026 |
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| 1. Crop Insurance and Government Policy: Managing Risk in Uncertain Times | September 1, 2026 |
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Exploring the Food Is Medicine Movement | Marianna Wetherill
n this episode of Smoke & Mirrors, Jennifer Ifft talks with Marianna Wetherill to make sense of the growing Food is Medicine movement, which seeks to connects agriculture and healthcare, and what those connections look like in rural communities. Drawing on her experience teaching and practicing culinary medicine, Marianna discusses how nutrition science and hands-on cooking education are being integrated into healthcare, the unique barriers rural communities face in accessing nutritious food, and the role federal programs like WIC and SNAP play in food access. She also shares how social media, AI, and community resources like libraries are helping scale these efforts in places traditional programs often miss. Food is medicine is generating a lot of optimism and excitement. This conversation looks at what we know works, where the evidence is strongest, and what we are still learning. |
August 27, 2026 | |
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How Farm Employers Are Adapting to a Changing Labor Market | Rich Stup
In this episode of Smoke & Mirrors, Jennifer Ifft talks with Rich Stup from Cornell about one of agriculture's biggest challenges: finding and keeping employees. Drawing on his experience working with agricultural employers across the Northeast, Rich discusses how labor markets, immigration policy, the H-2A program, labor regulations, and other policy decisions are shaping the farm workforce. He also shares how employers are adapting through leadership development, workplace culture, technology, and management practices. This conversation explores how policy and on-farm decision-making intersect as agricultural employers respond to today's workforce challenges. |
August 13, 2026 | |
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How Agricultural Policy is Supported with Concise Communication
Part of a Flinchbaugh and Smoke and Mirrors podcast episode with Mark Edelman, Brad Lubben, Jenny Ifft, Eric Atkinson and special guest Chris Boosma, discuss communication supporting agricultural policy. |
August 10, 2026 |
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How Clear, Timely Science Communication Supports Effective Agricultural Policy | Clearing the Air
Effective agricultural policy depends on credible facts and a clear understanding of scientific reality. But research can contribute to policy decisions only when its findings are communicated clearly, at the right level of detail, and while the issue is still under consideration. |
August 7, 2026 | |
| 1. Government Payments for Row Crops in 2026 | August 1, 2026 |
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| 2. Predicting SCO and ECO Crop Insurance Payouts | August 1, 2026 |
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| 15. The 1980s U.S. Farm Crisis and Off-farm Labor Allocation | August 1, 2026 |
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