Episode 387: Commissioner Jonathan Shell, Dana Feldman, and Morgan Bray
Mar 25, 2026
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Summary:
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Morgan Bray, Food Is Medicine Program Coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Hospital Association, alongside returning guests Commissioner Jonathan Shell and Dana Feldman from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Together, they explore how Kentucky is building one of the nation’s most comprehensive Food Is Medicine frameworks, connecting agriculture, healthcare systems, and policy to improve health outcomes while strengthening rural prosperity.
The conversation highlights the growing momentum around Food Is Medicine programming, including medically tailored meals (MTMs), produce prescriptions, and hospital-led community health initiatives. Morgan shares both the professional and personal inspiration behind her work, explaining how nutrition strategies are being integrated into hospital care to support chronic disease management and improve patient outcomes.
The episode also dives into policy leadership, including Senate Joint Resolution 23 (SJR 23), which formally recognizes Kentucky’s commitment to Food Is Medicine and strengthens collaboration between the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) and the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA). Through this partnership, hospitals, growers, and healthcare leaders are working together to bring Kentucky-grown foods into healthcare settings.
Another key focus is institutional procurement and market access. Commissioner Shell and Dana Feldman explain how the state is creating pathways for farmers to participate through an opt-in model, allowing producers to scale organically while helping hospitals establish reliable purchasing relationships with local growers.
Looking ahead, Kentucky’s leaders are focused on building a sustainable system where nutrition becomes a routine part of care, local agriculture is integrated into institutional food purchasing, and the state’s Food Is Medicine model can serve as a roadmap for others nationwide.
Takeaways:
- Kentucky is building a statewide Food Is Medicine framework connecting agriculture, healthcare, and policy.
- Hospitals are implementing medically tailored meals (MTMs), produce prescriptions, and nutrition-centered care strategies.
- Farmers can participate through an opt-in model, allowing organic scale and growth in supplying institutional markets.
- Senate Joint Resolution 23 (SJR 23) strengthens collaboration between the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Hospital Association.
- Institutional procurement from hospitals can create reliable demand for locally grown products.
- Food is not replacing medicine—nutrition is being integrated alongside traditional medical care.
- Partnerships between healthcare systems and agriculture are helping improve community health outcomes and rural prosperity.
- Kentucky’s model is gaining national attention as a replicable roadmap for Food Is Medicine initiatives.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Kentucky’s Food Is Medicine initiative
03:15 Morgan Bray’s role coordinating statewide hospital partnerships
07:10 Why nutrition is becoming a core healthcare strategy
12:30 Policy leadership and the importance of SJR 23
18:45 Institutional procurement and creating demand for local foods
24:20 Bridging hospitals and farmers through KDA and KHA collaboration
30:15 Scaling local food access through hospital systems
36:40 Supporting farmers through opt-in participation and market access
42:10 Future vision: integrating agriculture into healthcare long-term
46:30 Closing remarks and what’s next for Kentucky’s Food Is Medicine movement
Resources:
Commissioner Jonathan Shell
https://www.kyagr.com/commissioner/
Morgan Bray
https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-bray-2b9ab091/
Dana Feldman
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-feldman-88257a7/
