Bites and Bytes Podcast

In this episode, Kristin King sits down with Serg Masis, a data scientist at Syngenta, to explore how AI, data, and digital agronomy are reshaping modern agriculture (Agronomy is the science of how crops are grown—soil, climate, plants, and farming practices working together).

Serg brings an engineering mindset to AI, explaining it less like science fiction and more like a murder mystery,  where multiple perspectives, incomplete inf...

What does a deep fake phone call scamming your grandma have to do with food manufacturing?
More than you think.

In this episode of Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin King and James Slaby discuss the operational technology challenges in food production—from legacy systems running Windows XP to ransomware threats when production lines go down.

James is Director of OT Solutions GTM at Acronis and brings over 20 years of cybers...

Why does your avocado cost $3? And what does that have to do with climate change, cybersecurity, and geopolitical conflict? In this fascinating conversation, host Kristin King sits down with Francisco Martin-Rayo to connect dots most of us never see, revealing how our food system is far more fragile and interconnected than we realize.

Francisco's journey is unconventional: from studying radicalization in refugee camps in Yemen, Pak...

In this episode of the Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin Demoranville sits down with Jake Leguee, a third-generation farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada, to explore the intersection of tradition, technology, and risk in modern agriculture.

From “tractor naps” as a kid to operating GPS-guided combines, Jake reveals how precision agriculture has transformed aspects of farm life. However, with increased connectivity comes new vulnera...

On this episode of Bites and Bytes Podcast, Kristin Demoranville talks with Kylie McClanahan, Chief Technology Officer at Bastazo, about what food and agriculture can learn from the electric utility sector. With nearly a decade of experience in the electric utility sector and a PhD in computer science, Kylie brings a systems-thinking perspective to securing the technology that underpins food and agriculture.

From chicken houses and...

In this episode of the Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin Demoranville sits down with Gerry Friesen, also known as The Recovering Farmer. Gerry grew up on a grain and poultry farm in Manitoba, Canada, later running a hog operation with his brother, before transitioning into mediation and mental health advocacy. His personal journey through financial challenges, anxiety, and depression led him to co-found the Manitoba Farmer Well...

Most people talk about farming. This time, we talk with someone living it.

Kristin Demoranville sits down with Jonathan Lawler, also known as the Punk Rock Farmer. He’s a full-time American farmer based in Indiana, a food security advocate, and an agricultural filmmaker who doesn’t pull punches.

Jonathan doesn’t speak in soundbites; he tells stories. About what happens when operational tech fails. About the emotional toll of farmin...

What does it take to build a cybersecurity workforce capable of protecting the systems that keep the lights on and food on our plates?

In this episode, host Kristin Demoranville is joined by Nathaniel Smith, Co-Founder and VP at SR2, a purpose-driven recruitment firm. Nathaniel, who specializes in hiring OT/ICS, brings over 14 years of recruiting experience and a refreshing dose of honesty to the challenges of hiring in critical in...

In this episode of Bites and Bytes Podcast, Kristin sits down with Colson Steber, co-CEO of Qlarity Access, Ag Access, CEO of Vet Access, and a voice for intentional, human-centered innovation in agriculture.  With nearly two decades of experience conducting market research for some of the biggest names in agriculture, Colson shares why understanding farmers is essential before offering them another piece of tech.

Together, they di...

What does it really take to launch a perishable food brand that refuses to cut corners?  

In this episode of The Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin Demoranville talks with Camille Hardy, founder and CEO of Chunky Vegan, about building a baby food company that blends clean ingredients, operational resilience, and cybersecurity from the ground up.

Camille brings decades of experience from Disney, NBCUniversal, and Sony Pictures in...

Why do most new food products fail, and what does AI have to do with it?

In this episode of the Bites and Bytes Podcast, you host, Kristin Demoranville,  is joined by Andreas Duess, co-founder of GoCPG and CEO of 6 Seeds, to unpack what’s really driving the food and beverage industry right now.  

Spoiler: it’s not just taste trends or fancy branding.  Its behavior, data, and decisions are made without proper insight.

We talk about:

In this compelling episode of the Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin Demoranville sits down with Tracy Brunet, cattle rancher, Canadian Ag media powerhouse, and host of The Impact Farming Show. Broadcasting from her family farm in Southeastern Manitoba, Tracy opens up about the realities of modern agriculture, including land pressures, succession planning, tech adoption, and how family farms are quietly being squeezed out.

Toget...

💡 What can the food industry learn from 25+ years of defense cybersecurity experience?

In this episode of the Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin Demoranville talks with Brian Schleifer, a cybersecurity expert with a career spanning the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense systems, and advanced cyber-physical risk management.  Together, they unpack how the principles of defense cybersecurity, from risk modeling to system resili...

What happens when cyber threats hit critical infrastructure?

In this episode of the Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin Demoranville sits down with Tom Sego, a cybersecurity leader with a fascinating background from chemical engineering to Apple to professional poker, now focused on making security simpler and more effective for critical infrastructure as CEO at Blastwave.

Cyber risks in critical industries are real, but so are t...

📢 Listener Advisory: This episode discusses unsettling topics, including terrorism, animal harm, cult-like groups, radical activism, and threats to food security. Listener discretion is advised.

What happens when terrorism targets the food we eat?  In this eye-opening episode of Bites and Bytes Podcast, we explore agroterrorism—the deliberate targeting of farms, livestock, and food supply chains to incite fear, economic damage, or...

In this thought-provoking episode of the award-winning Bites and Bytes Podcast, host Kristin Demoranville welcomes David Hatch, Vice President of Digital Solutions Marketing at Neogen®. David brings a wealth of experience, blending decades in data analytics, business intelligence, and information security with his work in food safety at Neogen.

David shares surprising similarities between pathogens and hackers, both of which exploi...

Welcome to the first episode of the second season of the Award-Winning Bites and Bytes Podcast!  In this episode, host Kristin Demoranville sits down with Mike Holcomb, Fellow of Cybersecurity and ICS/OT Cybersecurity Global Lead for Fluor.  With decades of experience, Mike secures some of the world's largest and most complex ICS/OT environments, from power plants and rail systems to manufacturing and refineries.  A passionate advo...

In the final episode of 2024 and Part 2 of this series, host Kristin Demoranville continues her compelling conversation with two influential experts: Andrew Rose, an AgFuturist, and Dr. Darin Detwiler, a renowned food safety advocate and educator.

Andrew shares his perspective on the challenges of balancing innovation and resilience in the food and agriculture sector.  He emphasizes the importance of analog systems and legacy knowl...

In this episode, Kristin Demoranville sits down with AgFuturist Andrew Rose and food safety advocate Dr. Darin Detwiler to discuss why cybersecurity is a growing concern for the food and agriculture industries.

Andrew Rose, an advisor to BIO-ISAC and a leader in agricultural innovation, shares his insights into protecting farmers and food supply chains from cyber threats.  Dr. Detwiler, a renowned food safety expert, educator, and ...