The True Cost of Industrial Agriculture | Chris Jones on Water, Soil & the Future of Farming Ep. 107

About this episode

Chris Jones discusses the environmental realities of industrial agriculture and the potential for regenerative practices.

In this episode of the podcast, Chris Jones—retired University of Iowa water quality researcher and author of The Swine Republic —dives into the environmental realities of modern agriculture in Iowa and across the Corn Belt. From nitrate-contaminated drinking water and stream erosion to ethanol policy, CAFOs, and the loss of diversified farming systems, Jones delivers a candid look at how industrial agriculture has reshaped rural landscapes, public health, and water quality. He also explores what regenerative, diversified agriculture could look like moving forward—and why meaningful change may require both policy reform and a complete rethinking of the current system. This is a recording from Eco-Ag 2024! Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode: Azure Standard : https://www.azurestandard.com/ American Farmland Trust : https://farmland.org/ Important Links from Today’s Episode: Members site: https://members.acresusa.com Acres U.S.A. Homepage: https://www.acresusa.com/ Acres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/ 2025 Eco-Ag Recordings: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/recordings-2025 Chris Jone’s Substack: https://riverraccoon.substack.com/

People in this episode

Guest: Chris Jones

Topics covered

• industrial agriculture
• environmental impact
• water quality
• policy reform
• regenerative agriculture
• Corn Belt

Keywords

• nitrate contamination
• CAFOs
• ethanol policy
• diversified farming
• public health
• stream erosion

Sponsors

Azure Standard, American Farmland Trust

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Iowa, The Swine Republic, Acres U.S.A.

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