Alayne Johnson, Director of the National Pork Board, joins us this week to explore the priorities shaping pork demand, producer insights and research across the U.S. pork industry. Alayne shares her journey through agriculture, what led her to serve another term on the National Pork Board and how the organization approaches its role in research, promotion and consumer education on behalf of pork producers. 

The conversation also examines the shifts defining the industry today, from changing consumer preferences and global demand opportunities to sustainability, nutrition and the research priorities expected to shape the sector’s next chapter. 

Highlights include: 

Alayne’s journey through agriculture, what led her to the National Pork Board and why she chose to serve another term. 

How her appointment to the board came together, what motivated her to serve and what she has learned through the experience. 

What surprised her most about how decisions are made at the national level and how those decisions connect back to producers. 

The biggest changes shaping agriculture today and how those shifts are influencing the National Pork Board’s priorities. 

Where Alayne sees the greatest opportunity to grow pork demand globally and the trends she believes matter most. 

An overview of the National Pork Board’s current research agenda, including areas such as animal health, human nutrition, environmental sustainability and consumer behavior. 

What recent consumer research is revealing about how shoppers make decisions and how those insights flow back to producers. 

Where pork fits into today’s evolving protein conversation as consumers place more value on nutrition, transparency and the story behind their food. 

Where Alayne sees the next wave of research delivering the greatest return across production, consumer trends and sustainability. 

What has her most excited about this next term and the future of the pork industry.

Alayne Johnson, Director of the National Pork Board, joins us this week to explore the priorities shaping pork demand, producer insights and research across the U.S. pork industry. Alayne shares her journey through agriculture, what led her to serve another term on the National Pork Board and how the organization approaches its role in research, promotion and consumer education on behalf of pork producers.

The conversation also examines the shifts defining the industry today, from changing consumer preferences and global demand opportunities to sustainability, nutrition and the research priorities expected to shape the sector’s next chapter.

Highlights include:

Alayne’s journey through agriculture, what led her to the National Pork Board and why she chose to serve another term.

How her appointment to the board came together, what motivated her to serve and what she has learned through the experience.

What surprised her most about how decisions are made at the national level and how those decisions connect back to producers.

The biggest changes shaping agriculture today and how those shifts are influencing the National Pork Board’s priorities.

Where Alayne sees the greatest opportunity to grow pork demand globally and the trends she believes matter most.

An overview of the National Pork Board’s current research agenda, including areas such as animal health, human nutrition, environmental sustainability and consumer behavior.

What recent consumer research is revealing about how shoppers make decisions and how those insights flow back to producers.

Where pork fits into today’s evolving protein conversation as consumers place more value on nutrition, transparency and the story behind their food.

Where Alayne sees the next wave of research delivering the greatest return across production, consumer trends and sustainability.

What has her most excited about this next term and the future of the pork industry.

YouTube Video VVVhNGU0WnYzY05pRFFRU25jVlA4NXhRLkhDRjQ2T09sUjJB

444. National Pork Board’s Alayne Johnson on consumer demand, trends + producer priorities in 2026

Henry Markarian, Co-Founder and CEO of Integrated Dynamics, joins us this week to explore a technology platform aimed at unlocking new value from existing ethanol infrastructure. Henry shares the founding story behind the company, the problem Integrated Dynamics set out to solve and why its approach to repurposing operating, underused and idle assets could matter in the next phase of the bioeconomy’s growth. 

Highlights include:  

The origin story behind Integrated Dynamics, the market problem it was built to solve and the opportunity the team saw from the beginning. 

A practical model built on reusing existing ethanol and industrial infrastructure, and why that approach could be especially compelling from both a speed-to-market and cost perspective. 

How the technology works, including why high temperature matters and how that affects performance, economics and operational design. 

Henry dives into whether the Integrated Dynamics model introduces additional capital or operating costs and how those factors fit into commercial viability. 

Strategic rationale for pursuing cellulosic ethanol, including why ethanol remains an important platform within the evolving bioeconomy. 

How Integrated Dynamics expects to compete, along with the risks and tailwinds he sees shaping the broader market. 

Winning AgriNovus’ Velocity in 2025 elevated the company’s visibility and credibility and recognition unlocked in subsequent conversations. 

How the company’s technology could affect farm economics, ecological outcomes, input costs and potential revenue streams if it succeeds at scale. 

Economics of deploying the model through Greenfield, Brownfield and idle plant strategies, as well as through licensing or joint ventures. 

Integrated Dynamics' next phase of growth, including how the team may evolve over the next 12 to 24 months.

Henry Markarian, Co-Founder and CEO of Integrated Dynamics, joins us this week to explore a technology platform aimed at unlocking new value from existing ethanol infrastructure. Henry shares the founding story behind the company, the problem Integrated Dynamics set out to solve and why its approach to repurposing operating, underused and idle assets could matter in the next phase of the bioeconomy’s growth.

Highlights include:

The origin story behind Integrated Dynamics, the market problem it was built to solve and the opportunity the team saw from the beginning.

A practical model built on reusing existing ethanol and industrial infrastructure, and why that approach could be especially compelling from both a speed-to-market and cost perspective.

How the technology works, including why high temperature matters and how that affects performance, economics and operational design.

Henry dives into whether the Integrated Dynamics model introduces additional capital or operating costs and how those factors fit into commercial viability.

Strategic rationale for pursuing cellulosic ethanol, including why ethanol remains an important platform within the evolving bioeconomy.

How Integrated Dynamics expects to compete, along with the risks and tailwinds he sees shaping the broader market.

Winning AgriNovus’ Velocity in 2025 elevated the company’s visibility and credibility and recognition unlocked in subsequent conversations.

How the company’s technology could affect farm economics, ecological outcomes, input costs and potential revenue streams if it succeeds at scale.

Economics of deploying the model through Greenfield, Brownfield and idle plant strategies, as well as through licensing or joint ventures.

Integrated Dynamics' next phase of growth, including how the team may evolve over the next 12 to 24 months.

YouTube Video VVVhNGU0WnYzY05pRFFRU25jVlA4NXhRLi04ZEc0OGd5MG9j

443. Henry Markarian on Integrated Dynamics reusing ethanol infrastructure to grow the bioeconomy