Ep 241 | This week on Discover Ag, Natalie and Tara kick off 2026 with viral conspiracies, bucking bulls in Manhattan, and giant potato drops.

A fear-mongering reel claims grocery store rice is actually plastic pellets — and people are buying it. The hosts debunk the conspiracy while highlighting a real rice crisis: Louisiana farmer Meryl Kennedy's White House meeting with President Trump about subsidized foreign rice undercutting American growers. Then, it's PBR week in New York City as Madison Square Garden transforms with 750 tons of dirt for three days of professional bull riding sandwiched between Knicks games. Plus, Taylor Sheridan's Landman inspires a TCU land management class, and Apple Girl Kate joins Mike Rowe and Theo Von for a Made-in-USA gift guide special.

Finally, Boise rings in 2026 by lowering a 17-foot fiberglass potato — because who needs a ball drop when you can celebrate agriculture? The hosts explore quirky New Year's traditions from chili drops to atomic bombs across America, plus Dutch donut recipes, Tara's bucking bull dreams, and whether Theo Von is shooting his shot with Apple Girl Kate.

What We Discovered This Week 🤠

🪩 Plastic rice conspiracy & the real crisis facing American rice farmers 🪩 PBR's 750-ton dirt transformation at Madison Square Garden 🪩 Landman inspires education (but land management degrees already exist) 🪩 Mike Rowe & Theo Von's Made-in-USA holiday gift guide ft. Apple Girl Kate 🪩 Idaho's giant potato drop & America's quirkiest New Year's traditions

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Intro: Plastic Rice, PBR in NYC, Landman & New Year's Potatoes 02:02 Discovery 1: The Plastic Rice Conspiracy Going Viral (It's Fake) 04:20 Fear-Mongering for Profit: The Cult Vibes of Fake Food Content 07:19 Real Rice Crisis: Meryl Kennedy's White House Visit 08:03 $12 Billion Bailout Discussion & Fair Trade vs Handouts 12:26 Comment Section Backlash: Why Farmers Can't Win 18:33 Discovery 2: PBR Takes Madison Square Garden (750 Tons of Dirt!) 19:44 Tara's Bucking Bull Dreams & Subconscious Shopping Decisions 22:00 The 24-Hour Venue Transformation That Will Blow Your Mind 27:51 PBR Schedule, World Finals & The Next Gen Youth Showcase 29:40 Discovery 3: Landman Inspires TCU Class (But Land Management Already Exists) 36:25 Disco Debrief: Apple Girl Kate Meets Mike Rowe on Theo Von Podcast 39:00 Direct-to-Consumer Magic: Supporting American Makers 42:00 Smithy Cast Iron, Danelle's Candies & The Oddly Sweet Dolls 46:00 Discovery 4: Idaho's Giant Potato Drop & Quirky New Year's Traditions 48:05 Chili Drops, Taco Bells & Atomic Bombs: America's Wildest Celebrations 52:41 Dutch Donuts, Spanish Grapes & Denmark's Plate-Throwing Tradition 54:22 Wrap-up: Happy New Year Discos & What's Coming on Discover Ag on the Road

🪩 WELCOME TO DISCOVER AG

A top-ranked podcast where agriculture meets pop culture. Hosted by https://instagram.com/nataliekovarik/?hl=en — western tastemaker & millennial cattle rancher — and https://instagram.com/taravanderdussen/?hl=en — sustainability expert & millennial dairy farmer. Every week, we dive into the top headlines in food, agriculture, and Western culture with a pop culture twist.

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Discover Are We Eating Plastic Rice?!, Mike Rowe's Apple ShoutOut, Taylor Sheridan's College Class & PRB Goes To NYC