CAST’s 2025 Borlaug CAST Communication Award recipient, Dr. David Ortega, was featured on The Produce Moms podcast (Episode 393, May 13, 2026). Dr. Ortega is Professor and Noel W. Stuckman Chair in Food Economics and Policy at Michigan State University, and in this episode he joins host Lori Taylor to break down what’s driving food prices today — from pandemic-era supply chain disruptions and global conflicts to trade policy and tariffs.

The episode covers the outsized impact on lower-income households, how consumers are adapting their grocery behavior, and what a more resilient produce supply chain could look like. A timely listen for anyone tracking the intersection of agricultural economics and food access.