Born in the early days of COVID-19 in 2020, APL's podcast series ‘Next on the Menu’ returns in 2021, tackling new and existing challenges facing the industry.

APL Chair Andrew Baxter and Pork Ambassador Mitch Edwards return as co-hosts, speaking with guests selected for their progressive and in some cases, disruptive views on food and agriculture.

By curating these conversations from different industry perspectives, APL hopes to provide opportunities for thought leadership in the industry and the future of food. It also helps to position pork as a progressive, market-led industry.

For the kick-off of the second season, Andrew and Mitch reconnect with New Zealand-based futurist Melissa Clark-Reynolds. A professional director and social entrepreneur, Melissa is passionate about climate and sustainability, with much of her work based in food and agriculture. This episode sees the return of Melissa Clark-Reynolds, whose episode in Season 1 of Next on the Menu had the most listens.

In this kick-off episode, Melissa explores a wide range of industry-relevant topics including:

  • COVID-19 vaccinations and how this relates to animal vaccination efforts
  • The shift from organic agriculture to regenerative agriculture
  • Mental health of farmers and workers
  • The increased demand for 'nose to tail' use of farmed animals
  • The need for producers to embrace the hospitality sector

Episodes of Next on the Menu season two will drop weekly across November and December. Upcoming episodes feature:

  • Registered dietitian and meat advocate, Diana Rodgers
  • UK-based food marketing expert, Professor David Hughes
  • Chair of Agriculture Innovation Australia, Bernie Brookes