The World Food Prize Foundation is marking four decades of honoring the scientists, farmers and policy innovators who feed our planet. On this episode, host Ben Kieffer is joined by Iowa Governor and two-time U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Vilsack now leads the foundation. We talk about what the World Food Prize’s 40th anniversary means for communities across the state and why global food security starts with places like Iowa. We also talk about the New World screwworm, the dismantling of USAID and more.
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Dozens of rural Catholic churches in Iowa are about to lose their weekend mass. Today, we hear about the changing map of midwestern Catholicism. First, we hear from a Vinton resident who's Catholic parish has appealed to the Vatican in effort to keep weekend mass in the wake of the Archdiocese of Dubuque's final 'Journey in Faith' restructuring plan. University of Iowa professor Kristy Nabhan-Warren joins to discuss what this initiative means for churches losing eucharistic mass and how this juxtaposes a recent increase in attendance at Catholic churches in urban dioceses, including Des Moines. Then, Deacon John Robbins of the archdiocese explains the mission behind 'Journey in Faith,' and answers listeners' questions. -
'Urban Mining' explores how discarded electronics and wind turbines are being turned into a domestic source of rare earth elements. We hear from the filmmaker behind the documentary and two of the Iowans at the center of this work. The film will be showing at 4 p.m., Saturday, June 27 at the Interrobang Film Festival in Des Moines.
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On this Newsbuzz episode, we take a look at the latest bills Gov. Reynolds has signed into law in her final session as governor. We also hear about a new University of Iowa program to improve health outcomes for Iowans and how the Iowa City School District is navigating deep financial mismanagement. Then, state climatologist Justin Glisan joins us to discuss the threat of a flash drought in Iowa. We'll also hear from IPR’s Nicole Baxter on National Drive-In Movie Day and we groove into the weekend with Studio One host Lucius Pham.
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Best-selling author Tim Johnston was a master of the thriller. He passed away in May. To mark his passing, we’re revisiting a conversation from 2025 with Johnston and author Anna Bruno. We talk about their books 'Distant Sons' and 'Fine Young People' and the art of writing suspense. Then, the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County reopened the Rails West Museum after a year and a half of renovations, where people can explore a historic train depot and train cars. We’ll talk to the museum’s site manager as well as the site manager of the Squirrel Cage Jail. (This show was originally produced July 21, 2025.) -
Liz Ledgett, Des Moines gallery owner and author of 'Art is for Everyone,' shares how to curate an art collection on a budget. Then, we hear from Chris Nelson, the founder of Nelson Media Company, who is working to turn around several small-town newspapers.
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In 2008, 47% of Iowa’s college students planned to stay in the state after graduation. That dropped to 41% in 2024. That’s a big concern in a state where many businesses are already seeing a worker shortage. We talk about the factors that seem to be driving brain drain and how to combat it. (This episode was originally produced July 30, 2025.)
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For her entire adulthood, Melissa Febos went from one relationship to another, shaping her life around each new partner’s needs and desires. At the age of 35, she decided she needed a break. Host Charity Nebbe talks with Febos about her book, 'The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year without Sex.' Her book examines the solitude, freedoms and feminist heroes she discovered during a year of celibacy and a new understanding of relationships and self-knowledge. Then, a conversation about Iowa's native Muppet, Miss Piggy, as part of our 'Iowa Famous' series. (This episode was originally produced July 1, 2025.)
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In our consumer culture, it’s easy to buy low-cost goods that will ultimately end up in a landfill. The true cost of living that way is one we’ll all end up paying. On this encore edition of Talk of Iowa, different ways to reduce, reuse, repair, recycle and compost. Host Charity Nebbe spoke with Jane Wilch, the recycling coordinator for the City of Iowa City; Joe Bolick, the director of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center; Laura Crosett, communications lead for the Iowa City Repair Cafe, and Jamie Nicolino, owner of The Collective, a sustainable 'general store' in Des Moines. (This show was originally produced on July 15, 2025)
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From the first Iowan U.S. ambassador to Beijing, to Herbert Hoover's fortune in Chinese coal mines, to the soybean's journey from China to Iowa fields — Iowa and China’s relationship is older, stranger and more consequential than you might think. Ben Kieffer unpacks the deep and surprising ties between Iowa and China with Iowa State historian Tao Wang and political expert Jonathan Hassid.
