The Produce Moms® announces its 2026 podcast spotlight, featuring three distinct mini-series that elevate global agriculture, women's leadership, and the future of food innovation. Since launching in 2018, The Produce Moms Podcast has delivered conversations that bridge consumers and the produce industry while elevating voices shaping food systems.
This year's spotlight series include: International Year of the Female Farmer, The Women's Roundtable, and Gene Editing in Agriculture.
International Year of the Female Farmer: In alignment with the United Nations' International Year of the Female Farmer, this podcast is dedicating a special mini-series to women driving agricultural progress around the globe. The series opened with an introductory episode featuring CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest.
© The Produce Moms
Lori Taylor of The Produce Moms.
"I would love to see more women involved in agriculture," said Arias in the episode. "You don't have to be the farmer, you can be the voice and the advocate. There are so many pieces that touch it and when (the FAO) introduced this idea for celebrating an entire year, it was very clear that their intent was all the females that touch it."
The second episode in the series features Beth Bechdol, deputy director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In her interview, Bechdol outlines the global realities facing women in agriculture.
Women's Fresh Perspectives Roundtable: Class of 2026: Now in its third year, the Women's Roundtable returns with a new class of industry leaders: Jennie Coleman (Equifruit, Inc.), Meghan Diaz (Sprouts Farmers Market), Erica Manfre (South Mill Champs Mushrooms), and Danyel O'Connor (Umami).
The year's first episode explored emerging trends in grocery retail, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and transparency in leadership.
"I started this series by happenstance," said Taylor. "It wasn't planned. We slated three amazing women (CarrieAnn Arias, Karen Nardozza, Tristan Simpson) for an episode. When we wrapped the show, we agreed that we should bring back the same three guests quarterly to see how it went. One thing led to another, and now we are on our third season of The Women's Roundtable miniseries, and I couldn't be happier! The podcast is the perfect platform for us to spotlight women who have not only made an impression on me, but have impressed the broader food and beverage and agriculture industries."
The Future of Food: Gene Editing in Agriculture: Building on the two mini-series currently underway, The Produce Moms Podcast will launch an educational mini-series exploring gene editing later this spring.
Details will be released this spring.
For more information:
Lori Taylor
The Produce Moms
[email protected]
http://theproducemoms.com/
