David Finlay is the owner and co-founder of The Ethical Dairy which he co-founded with his late wife Wilma.

David Finlay is renowned for his innovative and sustainable approach to dairying. As an early adopter of organic farming, he has led the movement in Scotland and the UK, integrating agroecological practices, renewable energy solutions, and forward-thinking dairying systems, such as cow-calf contact dairying. His commitment to sustainability is evident through his work on soil and pasture management, wind turbines, and biodigesters, winning him multiple accolades, including the 2006 BBC Farmer of the Year Award.

TOPICS EXPLORED

0:00 – 0:22 – Introduction

0:22 – 1:08 – David Finlay's bio

1:08 – 1:43 – What is The Ethical Dairy and how did it begin?

1:43 – 2:47 – How did you become interested in sustainable food and agriculture?

2:47 – 3:44 – Why are organic and regenerative farming practices important?

3:44 – 5:20 – How were animals traditionally raised prior to the industrialization of the agriculture industry?

5:20 – 6:04 – How are most dairy farms operated now?

6:04 – 8:17 – What does having an "ethical dairy" mean to you, and how do dairy cows and calves live on your farm?

8:17 – 10:08 – Can you tell me about the book you wrote with your wife and the film about your farm?

10:08 – 12:59 – Why did you make the decision to have calves stay with their mothers and what benefits could there be to farmers who may want to try this?

12:59 – 14:40 – Can you tell me about the EU funded project called Transform Dairy?

14:40 – 17:10 – If other farmers around the world were to try to have an ethical dairy like yours, what steps would you recommend they take to help them on the ethical dairy path?

17:10 – 18:20 – What do you see as the future of ethical and sustainable food and farming?

18:20 – 19:22 – Things to share and wrap up

THE ETHICAL DAIRY CO:

https://theethicaldairy.co.uk/

A DAIRY STORY BOOK:

https://theethicaldairy.co.uk/our-book

A DAIRY STORY FILM:

https://adairystory.com/

RESOURCES

The pioneering dairy farmer keeping calves with their mothers: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly452540dzo

Transform Dairy Net: https://transformdairynet.eu/

FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-for-you-and-the-planet/id1739416396

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pkAIuXxl9dzD48b7qMOL1

RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/506343/rss

Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet

TAGS

Food

Environment

Health

Podcast

Sustainability

Farming

Dairy

Scotland

The Ethical Dairy

Ethical Dairy

Cheesemaking

A Dairy Story

Professor Hermann Lotze-Campen, is Co-Author of the EAT Lancet Commission, an agricultural economist and Head of Research Department 2 "Climate Resilience" at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and Professor of Sustainable Land Use and Climate Change at Humboldt University in Berlin.

Professor Hermann Lotze-Campen grew up on a farm in Northern Germany and studied Agricultural Sciences and Economics at the University of Kiel and the University of Reading in England, where he graduated with a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics. For his doctoral studies he studied in Kiel, at the University of Minnesota in the USA and at Humboldt-University in Berlin, where he received his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics. In 2001, Hermann joined the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, where he developed a global land use modelling framework for assessments of the interplay between climate impacts, global food and bioenergy demand, agricultural land and water use, trade, and the environment.

TOPICS EXPLORED

0:00 – 1:47 – Introduction

1:47 – 3:03 – What is The EAT Lancet Commission?

3:03 – 4:06 – How did you become interested in sustainable food and agriculture?

4:06 – 5:31 – Why was the EAT Lancet Commission created?

5:31 – 6:50 – What types of scientists have served on the EAT Lancet Commission?

6:50 – 9:42 – What is the Planetary Boundaries Framework and how is it related to our food and agriculture system?

9:42 – 12:05 – What were the key findings of the first 2019 EAT Lancet Commission report?

12:05 – 14:31 – What is the Planetary Health Diet?

14:31 – 17:41 – What are some examples of Planetary Health Diet meals?

17:41 – 22:10 – Can you tell me more about the justice element which was incorporated into the new 2025 EAT Lancet Commission and some of those key findings?

22:10 – 24:39 – What are some of the key barriers towards achieving healthy and environmentally sustainable food systems and how can they be overcome?

24:39 – 27:55 – How can society effectively transition to healthy and environmentally sustainable food systems?

27:55 – 30:44 – What do you think will be the future of healthy and sustainable food?

30:44 – 33:06 – Things to share and wrap up

POTSDAM INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE RESEARCH:

https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home

EAT FORUM

https://eatforum.org/

RESOURCES

The EAT Lancet Commission 2025 Report: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/EAT-2025

Our Cultures Our Meals Cooking for Planetary Health: https://eatforum.org/campaign/our-cultures-our-meals-cooking-for-planetary-health/

FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-for-you-and-the-planet/id1739416396

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pkAIuXxl9dzD48b7qMOL1

RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/506343/rss

Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet

TAGS

Food

Environment

Health

Podcast

Sustainability

EAT Forum

EAT Lancet Commission

Potsdam Institute for Climate Research

Planetary Health Diet

Tim Fink is the Vice President of Policy at the American Farmland Trust.

Tim develops the American Farmland Trust's overall policy direction and strategies and coordinates federal and relevant state policy work in close collaboration with American Farmland Trust national initiative leaders, regional directors, and partners. Before joining AFT, Tim was the director of research and policy analysis at the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation, where he advocated for increases in USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, fundraised for the National Academies' "Science Breakthroughs 2030" project, and led the development of a series of Farm Bill Research Policy Recommendations endorsed by 66 organizations. Tim has extensive experience in politics, including five political campaigns and as a legislative assistant to the chair of the House Energy Committee for Iowa's General Assembly. Tim holds a master's degree from Harvard and a Bachelor of Arts from Luther College.

TOPICS EXPLORED

0:00 – 1:58 – Introduction

1:58 – 3:21 – What is The American Farmland Trust and what type of work does it do?

3:21 – 4:25 – How did you become interested in sustainable food and agriculture?

4:25 – 5:48 – How does the American Farmland Trust work to protect land?

5:48 – 7:24 – What are some of the greatest challenges related to protecting American Farmland?

7:24 – 9:37 – How can we preserve farmland and make sure that it transitions to the next generation of farmers?

9:37 – 11:15 – How has the amount of land owned by small farmers changed in recent decades?

11:15 – 12:26 – What are some things the average person could do to help conserve American Farmland?

12:26 – 14:13 – How does the American Farmland Trust advance farming practices that prevent erosion and rebuild soil health?

14:13 – 15:16 – Why are practices that prevent soil erosion and rebuild soil health important?

15:16 – 16:36 – How does the American Farmland Trust help keep farmers and ranchers in business?

16:36 – 18:30 – What are some of the key quantifiable impacts the American Farmland Trust has had?

18:30 – 19:33 – What do you think are the most important things for society to do to shift towards sustainable food, agriculture, and farming systems?

19:33 – 19:51 – Things to share and wrap up

AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST INFORMATION

https://farmland.org/

RESOURCES

About The American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/about

History of The American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/history

Prosperity Partners: https://farmland.org/partners

American Farmland Trust Impact: https://farmland.org/impact

Donate to the American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/give

FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-for-you-and-the-planet/id1739416396

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pkAIuXxl9dzD48b7qMOL1

RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/506343/rss

Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet

TAGS

Food

Environment

Health

Podcast

Sustainability

America

American

Farms

Farmland

Preservation

Preserving American Farmland

American Farms

American Farmland

American Farmland Trust