On this episode of the World Food Prize Podcast, host Tom Vilsack sits down with Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, to explore innovative strategies for combating hunger in the United States and beyond. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of leading the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, highlighting practical solutions and real-world impact in the fight for food and nutrition security. Listeners will gain insight into why food insecurity matters to all of us - and how we can make a difference.

The World Food Prize Podcast is presented by The Wellmark Foundation, whose mission is to improve the health of all Iowans and South Dakotans. By supporting conversations on food and nutrition, The Wellmark Foundation is advancing the role access to nutritious food plays in long, healthy lives and in building a food- and nutrition-secure future for all.

The World Food Prize Podcast is the official podcast of the World Food Prize Foundation, launched in 2026—the 40th Anniversary of the Prize. Hosted by Foundation CEO Tom Vilsack, the podcast builds on the enduring legacy of World Food Prize Founder Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, advancing the idea that food and nutrition security is a fundamental human right that transcends politics, geography and ideology.

Twice each month, Vilsack sits down with leaders from across the global food system—including scientists, farmers, policymakers, youth advocates, World Food Prize Laureates and global changemakers—to explore practical, forward-looking solutions for nourishing a growing world. Through in-depth conversations, this podcast aims to raise awareness about the global issue of hunger, educate listeners about the work of the World Food Prize and elevate the solution-oriented voices of those driving real-world impact. Each episode offers insight, perspective and inspiration—uniting diverse viewpoints around a shared goal: advancing a food and nutrition-secure future for everyone, everywhere.

Learn more and watch the video version of the podcast here: www.worldfoodprize.org/podcast