Fill Your Plate Now Podcast
Hog Barn to Harvest: Farmer on Pork’s Value, Manure Nutrients, and Closing the Farm Loop, Episode 81
Idaho farmer and former National Pork Producers Council president Dave Roper joins Fill Your Plate Now from his multi-generational family farm in Kimberly, in Idaho’s Magic Valley. Roper raises hogs in a farrow-to-finish operation alongside cattle and irrigated crops such as potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, and alfalfa. He also owns MVP LLC Environmental Services, a custom manure-handling and nutrient-application business built around turning livestock manure from a management challenge into a crop resource. Roper traces how the farm has evolved, what pulled him into farming and later into environmental services, and the values he wants the next generation to carry forward. He walks listeners through modern hog care—from farrowing to finish—and explains why manure injection, nutrient recycling, and careful application matter for soil fertility, water quality, odor, and emissions. He also shares lessons from USDA research comparing manure application methods, the newest stewardship tools showing up in irrigated livestock country, and how pork fits on a sustainable, nutritious plate. If you’ve ever wondered what “closing the loop” looks like on a real farm—or how pork producers balance production, community expectations, and the environment—this conversation connects the barn, the field, and the dinner plate.
Picky Eaters and Kids’ Nutrition: What Actually Works, Episode 80
Join Colleen Sloan, a pediatric Physician Associate and Registered Dietitian with over 15 years of experience, as she delves into…
Dairy Nutrition for Growth and Development, Episode 79
In today’s conversation, we’ll explore the role of dairy throughout the lifecycle—from infancy and childhood to adulthood and healthy aging.…
Uncorking Arizona’s $23 Billion Restaurant Boom: Legacy, Local Flavor & What’s Next, Episode 78
On this episode of Fill Your Plate Now, we sit down with Steve Chucri, President and CEO of the Arizona…
Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company and how they Embrace Agriculture, Episode 77
Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company has become a leader in craft beer by proving that great beer starts with great local…
Growing Home: Arizona – How 3 Families Humanize the Desert’s Water Crisis, Episode 76
Water is the lifeblood of the desert—but conversations about Arizona’s most precious resource are often buried in statistics, policy debates,…
Modernizing Dams, Reservoirs & Delivery Systems for Family Farms & The Food System, Episode 75
In this episode of Fill Your Plate Now, we welcome back Sam Barncastle of the Family Farm Alliance to dive…
From Classroom to Cotton Fields: Multi-Generational Farming & Connecting with Consumers , Episode 74
Join us on Fill Your Plate Now as we sit down with Nancy Caywood, a third-generation farmer at Caywood Farms…
Farm to Carton: Dr. Schack on Her Children’s Book, Connecting Kids to Dairy Farming, Episode 73
Join hosts Tammy Baker and Julie Murphree on Fill Your Plate Now for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Michelle Schack—Arizona…
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