Anson Eaves, owner and operator of Bethel Feed & Farm in Midland, North Carolina, discusses the past, current, and future operations of the feed mill, a third generation business originally owned by his grandfather. The interview covers a variety of topics: the history of the Eaves family's involvement in the local farming community; the changing character of family farmers and their lifestyle; the feed milling process and business, including local sourcing of raw ingredients and the different types of livestock feed; the customization of livestock feed; the impact and cost of increased regulatory oversight, including the Food Safety Modernization Act; the impact and cost of organic farming, farm-to-fork, and non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) movements on the feed milling industry; and the current and future status of regional agriculture.
