Once again, we're digging into the Greenhorn archives, and revisiting the 2012 Farm Bill. Annette Higby, from the New England Farm Union, discusses Federal Farm Bill the various titles and programs, and the the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity act which is supported by the National Young Farmers Coalition. The National Farmer's Union is one of the oldest and best Farm advocacy groups in the country, with a strong family farmer focus. They are critics of the way farm policies have subsidized certain parts of our farm economy over other more sensible choices. Public investment in agriculture isn't going away, but we can shift the direction it points us, our food and our landscape. Tune in to learn how - and check out the New England Farmers Union, NEFU.org. This program has been brought to you by Hearst Ranch.

This week on The Main Course Katie spoke to Radhika Subramaniam, a professor at The New School and the Director/Chief Curator of the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center at Parsons. Joining them was Nevil Cohen, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at The New School. Together the gang spoke about how to improve our food systems on a small and large scale, and the challenges presented by abandoning the industrial food system en masse. Finally Jason Scott and friends of The Taco Truck in Hoboken and Jersey City NJ come by to explain how they source their food from small vendors, and how they went from truck to restaurant (instead of the other way around!). This episode was sponsored by Cabot Cheese of Vermont, Dairy Farm Family owned since 1919.

Photography: Martin Seck

This week on Straight, No Chaser, Katy Keiffer chats with one of our generations great food thinkers, Dr. Marion Nestle. Marion's latest book, "Why Calories Count", explores the essential measurement of energy in food and how it affects our nutrition and diets. Find out why food addiction troubles Marion, and how she thinks tackling problems like obesity can be much simpler than it's made out to be. Learn why portion size is to blame for most weight-related problems and why the days of sensible farming and blue chip stocks are long gone. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

"Calories are involved in the two most important public health problems we face right now - starvation and obesity".

"Nutritionists are not comfortable talking about food as addiction. People talk about food as if its addictive... but we have to eat to live. We can't live without eating food. The question is, what foods do we choose?"

"Food labels were implemented in 1993. Up until that time, the FDA said that food companies could not make health claims about their products. When congress passed the Nutrition Fact Label law, the industry complained if they had to disclose what's bad about their product, they should be able to advertise what's healthy about their product."

"Any diet will help you lose weight if it helps you reduce calories."

--Dr. Marion Nestle on Straight, No Chaser