3.19.25 Disruption at town hall meetings, self defense for Nigerian Christians, and locally-sourced eggs

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It – Episode 3.19.25

Title: Disruption at Town Hall Meetings, Self-Defense for Nigerian Christians, and Locally-Sourced Eggs
Host/Author: WORLD Radio
Release Date: March 19, 2025

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1. Protests Disrupt Republican Town Hall Meetings

Overview:
The episode opens with a focus on the rising tensions at Republican town hall meetings across the United States. Constituents, frustrated by workforce cuts initiated by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), have been aggressively protesting these events. GOP leaders are grappling with how to handle the backlash from their base.

Key Points:

• Angry Constituents: Republican lawmakers are facing increased aggression from constituents who are unhappy with Musk's approach to trimming the federal workforce.
• Shift to Virtual Meetings: In response to the disruptive protests, some Republican leaders have advised holding virtual town halls instead of in-person events to mitigate chaos and ensure safety.
• Public Perception: This shift has led to criticism, with opponents arguing that it makes lawmakers appear "scared" of their constituents, potentially weakening their political standing.

Notable Quotes:

• Congressman Chuck Edwards (08:11): "If the name of the person that was running the agency was anything more than Elon Musk, you probably wouldn't be as angered about it."
• Senator Roger Marshall (09:44): "If you all keep cutting me off, if you're rude, what you're being, I'm gonna leave. People from Oakleak don't deserve this."

Insights:

• Organized Activism: Groups like Indivisible are allegedly orchestrating these protests, challenging the authenticity of the activists' grievances.
• Lawmaker Strategies: Some suggest that instead of traditional town halls, lawmakers should engage with constituents through less formal means like unannounced visits to local events.

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2. Supreme Court Decision Endangers Nigerian Christians

Overview:
The podcast delves into the precarious situation of Christians in Nigeria, highlighting a controversial Supreme Court ruling that upheld the death sentence of a Christian farmer, Sunday Jackson. This decision has heightened fears among Christian communities facing repeated attacks from Fulani herdsmen.

Key Points:

• Self-Defense Controversy: Sunday Jackson was sentenced to death for killing a herdsman who attacked him. The court ruled that Jackson should have retreated instead of using lethal force, sparking debates about the right to self-defense.
• Lack of Protective Laws: Unlike the U.S., Nigeria does not have "stand your ground" laws, compelling individuals to flee rather than defend themselves.
• Community Impact: Christian farming communities, particularly in regions like Benue's capital Makurdi, have been repeatedly targeted, leading to loss of life and property.
• Government Inaction: Despite warnings and pleas for protection from local leaders, authorities have often failed to respond effectively to these violent assaults.

Notable Quotes:

• Bishop Wilfred Anabe (17:12): "These herders... manipulate religion to rally the herders to eliminate the Christian population and cleanse the land in the name of Islam."
• Community Member Joshua Mwachuku (19:06): "Seeing Sanjay Jackson's case makes us wonder, like, okay, if Sunday Jackson is going to be sentenced to death, what happens to our people?"

Insights:

• Legal and Social Challenges: The Supreme Court's decision underscores a significant gap in legal protections for self-defense, exacerbating vulnerabilities within Christian communities.
• Call for Clemency: There is increasing pressure on the Adamawa state governor to grant clemency to Sunday Jackson, reflecting the community's desperation for justice and protection.

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3. Locally-Sourced Eggs Amidst National Shortages

Overview:
Amidst a national egg shortage caused by an avian flu outbreak that resulted in the culling of nearly 160 million birds, the podcast explores how families are turning to backyard chicken farming as a sustainable solution. Experts provide guidance on raising chickens, while local farmers share their experiences.

Key Points:

• Avian Flu Impact: The outbreak has led to significant egg shortages, driving up prices and prompting families to consider raising their own chickens.
• Expert Advice: Isaac Hebert, a small-scale egg producer in Illinois, emphasizes the importance of understanding the costs and responsibilities involved in backyard chicken farming. He advises potential farmers to be prepared for daily care, coop maintenance, and protection from elements.
• Success Stories: Miho Urisaka and her husband Justin Baker of Cucumber Hill Farm in New York exemplify successful backyard egg farming. Despite high market prices for eggs, their focus remains on providing high-quality, locally-sourced eggs for their community and clients.
• Economic Considerations: While raising chickens can mitigate egg shortages, experts warn that without careful planning, the costs may outweigh the benefits, especially for those looking to save money rather than produce eggs as a passion project.

Notable Quotes:

• Isaac Hebert (22:08): "If you're just a family hoping to produce eggs in your backyard for yourself and you think you're going to save money, you're not to go out and build a chicken house and buy all the equipment."
• Miho Urisaka (25:03): "Most chickens aren't getting the chance to bathe in the soil. Most chickens aren't getting the chance to kick up a grub and eat it as a snack. And so I think that's what makes the difference."

Insights:

• Sustainability and Quality: Locally-raised eggs are not only a response to shortages but also cater to a growing demand for organic and ethically produced food.
• Community Benefits: Farmers like Urisaka and Baker highlight the dual benefits of backyard farming—providing quality food and fostering a deeper connection with the land and community.

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4. Protecting Children Online Through Age Verification

Overview:
The episode addresses the critical issue of child safety online, focusing on the lack of effective age verification mechanisms in major app stores. It highlights legislative efforts to enforce stricter age checks and the technological advancements being made by companies like Apple to enhance child protection.

Key Points:

• Current Dangers: Children are exposed to online sexual harassment, exploitation, and graphic pornography, primarily through mainstream apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
• Legislative Action: Utah has passed the App Store Accountability Act, mandating developers to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for app downloads and in-app purchases if users are under 18. This law is under consideration in eight other states and the U.S. Congress.
• Corporate Response: Initially resistant, Apple has announced upcoming changes to its App Store to incorporate age verification without disclosing users' birth dates. However, critics argue that these measures are insufficient as they still allow minors to bypass controls through complex terms of service agreements.

Notable Quotes:

• Brad Littlejohn (30:04): "We owe it to our children to demand nothing less [than effective online age verification]."
• Apple Representative (Implicit, 32:00): While not directly quoted, the discussion implies Apple's acknowledgment of the issues and their partial efforts to address them.

Insights:

• Shift in Power Dynamics: The proposed laws represent a significant shift, holding major tech companies accountable for safeguarding young users and empowering families to have greater control over children's online interactions.
• Technological Feasibility: Despite previous claims by Apple and Google that effective age verification was unattainable, recent developments suggest that technological solutions are now viable, signaling a potential transformation in digital child safety protocols.

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Conclusion

This episode of The World and Everything In It navigates through a spectrum of pressing issues, from domestic political unrest and international religious persecution to grassroots responses to economic crises and the imperative of safeguarding children in the digital age. Through in-depth reporting and expert insights, WORLD Radio underscores the interconnectedness of these global and local challenges, advocating for informed, compassionate, and proactive solutions grounded in sound journalism.

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Notable Contributors:

• Lindsay Mast: Co-host and reporter
• Kent Covington: News anchor and reporter
• Myrna Brown: Host and reporter
• Carolina Lumeta: Washington bureau reporter
• Onize Odua: Africa correspondent
• Brad Littlejohn: Opinions contributor

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Credits:
Special thanks to Naomi Balk for reporting from Asheville, North Carolina.

Supporters:
Listener-supported by WORLD Radio, promoting biblically grounded sound journalism.

Transcript

[Lindsay Mast]

Good morning, Doge. Protests are taking over Republican town hall meetings.

[Kent Covington]

Like him or not, Elon Musk has brought a lot of really smart people to Doge.

[Lindsay Mast]

How is GOP leadership responding to the pushback by constituents? That's ahead on Washington Wednesday.

[Myrna Brown]

Also today, world tour Christians in Nigeria are in danger and a recent Supreme Court decision there puts more people at risk. Recent egg shortages have families considering keeping chickens in the backyard and not just for economic reasons.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Those chickens aren't getting sunlight. Those chickens aren't getting the chance to kick up a grub and eat it as a snack. And so I think that's what makes.

[Lindsay Mast]

A difference and protecting our children. Online.

[Myrna Brown]

It's Wednesday, March 19th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Ma. Good morning.

[Myrna Brown]

It's time for the News now with Kent Covington.

[Kent Covington]

In a phone call with President Trump, Vladimir Putin has agreed to seek a limited ceasefire with Ukraine, which would halt attacks against energy and infrastructure targets. We had a great call. It lasted almost two hours. Talked about a lot of things toward getting it to peace and we talked about other things also. Trump said they discussed many elements of a contract for peace, and he said that the process of working toward an end to the war is now well underway. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the news Tuesday. He said, we support all steps toward ending the war. And he added that he would like to speak with President Trump again by phone very soon to better understand the details and to discuss next steps. A statement from the Kremlin says Putin called for an end to US Military and intelligence assistance for Ukraine as part of a peace plan. Israel says renewed strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza this week are only the beginning. Israeli Foreign Ministry official Oren Marmouse Israel.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Will act against Hamas with increasing military intensity.

[Kent Covington]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had shown restraint since a ceasefire expired more than two weeks ago as negotiators tried to renew it. Hamas refused offer after offering to release our hostages in the past two weeks.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Israel did not initiate any military action in the hope that Hamas would change course.

[Kent Covington]

Well, that didn't happen. The Hamas controlled health ministry claims that hundreds of people died in Israel's latest strike. Israeli government spokesman David Mentzer says all civilian deaths are tragic and serve as a further indictment of Hamas. They continue to use their own people as human shields, which is an international war crime. And Hamas continues to openly incite terrorism against Israelis. A senior Hamas official has threatened to execute the remaining Israeli hostages. Meantime, the U.S. department of justice is revving up efforts to bring Hamas terrorists to justice. World's Kristin Flavin has more.

[Lindsay Mast]

Attorney General Pam Bondi says the Department of Justice has established a joint task force on the October 7th massacre in Israel. It will have multiple objectives, including to investigate and prosecute Hamas members responsible for.

[Kent Covington]

The attack, to take the lead on.

[Lindsay Mast]

Existing investigations, and to target civil rights violations and anti Semitic acts by Hamas supporters in the United States. Hamas killed nearly 50Americans in the October 7, 2023 massacre and kidnapped eight others.

[Kent Covington]

For World I'm Kristin Flavin. After nine long months stranded in space, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Back home and splashdown Crew 9 back on Earth.

[Kent Covington]

Her SpaceX capsule parachuted into Gulf waters near the Florida Panhandle last night. President Trump welcomed the news and he noted that it will take quite a while for them to re acclimate to Earth's gravity. They have to get better. It's not easy. You know, they're up a long time and when they do, they'll come to the Oval Office. The astronauts departed on a Boeing test flight last year on the new Starliner capsule. They expected to be gone for only about a week or so, but the Starliner had so many technical issues that NASA deemed it unsafe for the flight home and later reassigned Williams and Wilmore to SpaceX for the ride back to Earth. Law enforcement is investigating a string of attacks against Tesla vehicles and dealerships. Police in Las Vegas are searching for someone who lit five cars on fire at a Tesla collision and sales center. Assistant Sheriff Dorie Coren. We're still in the process of collecting evidence, but it appears the suspect fired at least three rounds into different Tesla vehicles. So we do believe a firearm was used. The apparent acts of political violence started after Tesla CEO Elon Musk began his work with President Trump last week. Vandals targeted numerous dealerships in the Pacific Northwest. FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans issued this warning. And specifically to those who might think that something like this is justifiable or potentially even admirable, we want to let you know it's a federal crime. We will come after you. We will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Elon Musk reacted, calling the attacks terrorism. He said, quote, tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks. A federal judge has blocked enforcement of President Trump's executive order banning those who identify as a gender different from their actual sex from serving in the military. Judge Anna Reyes. A biden appointee granted a preliminary injunction, but she delayed her order until Friday to give the administration time to appeal. I'm Kent Cuffington. And straight ahead, Doge protests taking over Republican town halls plus world Tour this is the World and everything in it.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, the 19th of March. Thanks for listening to World Radio today. Good morning. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. First up on the World and everything in It. Washington, Wednesday. The Senate and House of Representatives are on recess this week, and lawmakers are back home with their families and constituents.

[Lindsay Mast]

Many use the time to catch up on meetings, community gatherings and town hall events. This spring, however, many Republicans are seeing angry constituents swarm their meetings. Protesters venting frustration over workforce cuts prompted by entrepreneur Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency.

[Myrna Brown]

Here now with more on what's happening is Washington bureau reporter Carolina Lumeta.

[Kent Covington]

I happen to agree with a lot of the things that's going on in Washington, D.C. right now.

[Carolina Lumeta]

In an auditorium in Asheville, North Carolina, Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards found out why his party leadership told him not to hold in person town halls.

[Kent Covington]

Our last question Here, Amelia from zip code 28805. What are you doing for your constituents regarding Musk and his min having reading writing privileges with the Treasury Department's database. Yeah, well, thank you. So can I answer this one also? Before you start yelling at me, let's be honest with one another. If, if the name of the person that was running the agency was anything more than Elon Musk, you probably wouldn't be as angered about it.

[Carolina Lumeta]

The Thursday event turned rowdy. Attendees frequently booed or yelled over Edwards, and security escorted a few angry demonstrators from the room. Hundreds more chanted outside and pounded on the auditorium room doors.

[Kent Covington]

Do your job. Do your job.

[Carolina Lumeta]

The object of their frustration? Elon Musk's approach to trimming the federal workforce.

[Kent Covington]

Like him or not, Elon Musk has brought a lot of really smart people to Doge.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Several attendees told World they were on the receiving end of those actions when.

[Kent Covington]

Suddenly I received an email that told me my performance was lacking in spite of my supervisors providing me with exemplary performance reports and that I was no longer needed by the government.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Martin Downey took a remote job with the Department of Agriculture in 2020. Before that, he served for 30 years in the army along with thousands of other federal employees. He accepted a buyout offer last month. But he is worried about what will happen to agencies and programs Americans like him benefit from.

[Kent Covington]

So I'm scared to death that they're just going to chop back all of the progress that they've made with the Veterans Administration. They're going to take it all back again. If that's what they call making America great again, I humbly disagree.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Similar protests cropped up at Senator Roger Marshall's town hall last month in Oakley, a small town in northwestern Kansas, hundreds of miles from any large city. Irritated constituents repeatedly interrupted Marshall whenever he talked about Doge.

[Kent Covington]

If you all keep cutting me off, if you're rude, what you're being, I'm gonna leave. People from Oakleak don't deserve this.

[Carolina Lumeta]

When a veteran said cuts to the Department of Veterans affairs were shameful, Marshall ended the town hall early.

[Kent Covington]

I do got two more commitments today. Appreciate everybody making the drive out and God bless America. Thank you.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Louise Emke attended that town hall. She and her husband, Vance, own a western Kansas farm that's been in the family since 1885. They have contracts with the Department of Agriculture to use the land for research. They worry that Doge will cut those contracts, but they are more concerned that lawmakers aren't listening.

[Kent Covington]

He represents Democrats and Republicans. It's not a Republican meeting. It's for his constituents.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Earlier this month, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other party leaders told their members to temporarily stop holding in person town hall meetings. They said that Democrats are busing in activists just to cause a scene. So Republican leadership advised a switch to virtual town halls, where staff may screen questions from constituents calling in. But it's a risky strategy.

[Kent Covington]

It makes lawmakers look like they're scared of their constituents, and that is not the message you want if you are an incumbent lawmaker.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Matt Green is a politics professor at the Catholic University of America. He says lawmakers have a responsibility to hear the opinions and concerns of their constituents.

[Kent Covington]

And so if Republicans are simply refusing to have in public large town hall meetings because previous meetings went south, it does look like they are running scared from their constituents. And then indirectly, they're running scared from Trump.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Republican lawmakers allege that the demonstrations are coming from paid activists, not real constituents. In both Asheville and Kansas, attendees told World this wasn't true, but some national groups are organizing people to attend Republican town halls to voice concerns about Doge.

[Kent Covington]

You, as a constituent have a right to request this.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Ezra Levin is an organizer for the group Indivisible, an organization formed to, quote, resist Trump's authoritarian agenda. The group has been encouraging its members to attend town halls or organize their own and set up empty chairs if lawmakers don't show up. Here's Levin again in an instructional video.

[Kent Covington]

And any response of no, I'm not going to hold a town hall or I'm going to hold a virtual town hall. It's not real. You want in person person access to your representative. You have the right to get that. And if, whether it's a Democrat, an Independent or Republican saying no, I don't think I'm going to do that, you shouldn't accept no for an answer.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Republican communications consultant Mark Weaver disagrees.

[Kent Covington]

Well, no, there's certainly no legal duty. Members of Congress are elected for their full two years and they can spend all of it in Washington or all of it back home, all of it in the Caribbean getting a suntan.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Weaver says with town halls becoming more raucous, lawmakers could lean into other ways to meet with constituents. That could include unannounced visits at county fairs, taking a factory tour or stopping by a diner.

[Kent Covington]

It's important that members of Congress keep in touch with folks back home. But there are so many other ways they can do it, particularly when these lately have become traps, partisan traps set.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Up by these astroturf groups, artificial astroturf as opposed to an organic grassroots movement.

[Kent Covington]

It won't make for much of an exchange if you have somebody who's gonna get on and scream and use four letter words because that's not how we talk to one another in a civil environment. Hey, this has been fun.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Back in Asheville, Congressman Edwards pressed through the town hall. He thanked attendees for bringing their contradicting perspectives to the table.

[Kent Covington]

And I hope that you will certainly stay eng with my office and all of those folks that are elected to represent you. God bless you all.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Reporting for world, I'm Carolina Lumeta.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Pensacola Christian College Academic Excellence, Biblical Worldview, Affordable cost Go pcci. Edu World From Barnabas, aid hope and support for our suffering brothers and sisters around the world. Aid from Christians through Christians to Christians barnabasaid.org and from Dort University where skills, wisdom and hands on learning shape engineers for kingdom work. Dort.

[Lindsay Mast]

Edu.

[Myrna Brown]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and everything in it, a World Tour special report. The Supreme Court of Nigeria last month upheld the death sentence of a farmer in the country's crisis hit northern region. His offense, he stabbed a knife wielding herdsman who attacked him on his farm.

[Lindsay Mast]

The case has triggered concern in Nigerian communities where militant cattle herders have repeatedly targeted majority Christian farming communities. World's Africa reporter Onizia Dua has the story.

[Onize Odua]

20 year old Sunday Jackson was working on his farmland in Adamawa State a decade ago when a Fulani herdsman named Buba Bawuro brought his cattle to feed on Jackson's crops. When Jackson challenged him, both men began fighting. Bawuro brought out a knife and stabbed Jackson a few times before Jackson grabbed the knife and stabbed him back in the neck, killing him. That altercation kept Jackson waiting behind bars for years until a court in Adamawa's capital of Iola dished out a sentence in 2021. That sentence is death by hanging for culpable homicide. This month, the Supreme Court in Nigeria's capital of Abuja upheld that ruling. Joshua Mwachuku is a Nigerian lawyer.

[Kent Covington]

We all know that there's a constitutional right of self defense.

[Onize Odua]

He says here that the case has left many wondering what exactly constitutes self defense. The court argued that Jackson could have fled the scene instead of stabbing his attacker in self defense. Unlike in the United States, Nigeria does not have a stand your ground law that allows people to use deadly force in self defense without a duty to retreat. Some extremist Fulani herders have targeted mostly Christian farming communities across northern and central Nigeria, allowing their cattle to graze on their crops and attacking their communities. States like Benway, known as Nigeria's food basket, have seen repeated attacks. Wilfred Anabe is the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Benue's capital. He appeared before the US House Foreign affairs subcommittee on Africa last week for a hearing on Nigeria.

[Kent Covington]

The Makwdi diocese in Benue state has been the epicenter of the invasion by.

[Brad Littlejohn]

These herders who are more like hired.

[Kent Covington]

Guns of cattle oligarchies who manipulate religion to rally the herders to eliminate the.

[Onize Odua]

Christian population and cleanse the land in the name of Islam, anagbe said. The police and army do not respond when they call for help.

[Kent Covington]

At the end of 2024, several villages were warned by the attackers of the upcoming violence and the leaders called the police for defense ahead of time. But they did not come.

[Onize Odua]

At least 47 people died in a Christmas Day attack in northwestern Kaduna state. Al Hari Magaji's majority Christian Adara community has suffered multiple attacks for years at the hands of armed herdsmen.

[Kent Covington]

You're attacked in church. You go to church, they come to pack. All of you in church, you're at home, they come to your house. It's just terrible like so what are people supposed to do? You have to defend yourself, but then if you defend yourself and they come and the security personnel come and catch you, then you're termed as a terrorist as well.

[Onize Odua]

Magaji's hometown relies mostly on the men in the community for defense.

[Kent Covington]

They don't sleep at night at all. They're on guard the whole time, the whole time. And then sometimes they even attack in the mornings when the men are tired and just got back home to sleep. So it's just constant. Living on the edge.

[Onize Odua]

Back in 2019, authorities detained Magaji's father and other local community leaders for three months over accusations that they backed reprisal attacks against Fulanis. Magaji said. In another instance, some 20 youths were also detained for six months for defending their community.

[Kent Covington]

But seeing Sanjay Jackson's case, it makes us wonder, like, okay, if Sunday Jackson is going to be sentenced to death, what happens to our people?

[Onize Odua]

Nigerian lawyer Nwachuku said he and other colleagues are still waiting on the Supreme Court to release the full judgment on Jackson's case. But since the Supreme Court's ruling is final, Mwachuku says that Jackson's future rests with the Adamawa state governor, who is now facing pressure to grant clemency. But he could also leave Jackson on death row without ever signing the final approval for his execution. Reporting for WORLD I'm Onize Odua in Abuja, Nigeria.

[Myrna Brown]

So what were you doing at age 10? Likely not setting world records. Meet Alberto de Villa Aragon, a boy from Bristol who just broke a Guinness World record for the most decimal places of PI respect in one minute. It all started last year when his school held a contest. The prize? The chance to pie the headmaster in the face. A boy's dream come true. Aragon memorized 150 digits to win, but he didn't stop there. This year, he shattered the world record, rattling off 280 digits in just 60 seconds. Seconds 3.14159265358979323846. High day was March 14, and it's all about celebrating math. But Alberto, well, he's in a league of his own. It's the world and everything in it.

[Lindsay Mast]

Today is Wednesday, March 19th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next on THE World and Everything in it, sharing good food. The price of eggs continues to be a talking point for both politicians and consumers.

[Lindsay Mast]

US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said recently that nearly 160 million birds have been killed as a result of an outbreak of avian flu that's caused egg shortages, price increases and now a run on spring chicks. Even so, Rollins suggested raising chickens on small farms or even backyards might be part of the solution. Audio from Fox News.

[Brad Littlejohn]

I think the silver lining in all.

[Lindsay Mast]

Of this is how do we in our backyards. We've got chickens too in our backyard.

[Kent Covington]

How do we solve for something like this? And, and people are sort of looking around thinking, wow, well, maybe I could.

[Brad Littlejohn]

Get a chicken in my backyard. And it's awesome. I agree with you.

[Lindsay Mast]

For those thinking of starting backyard flocks, there are a few things to keep in mind. World's Paul Butler has some suggestions from a small scale operator.

[Kent Covington]

Isaac Hebert has been raising chickens since he was a kid. He's a small egg producer in north central Illinois with about 70 hens. He does it for his family and to get people to the farm and is working. Business is booming with egg buyers on a three week waiting list, leading some to wonder about starting their own flocks. He says he's found that people have lots of questions about raising chickens. He starts by making sure that they're getting into it for the right reasons. If you're just a family hoping to produce eggs in your backyard for yourself and you think you're going to save money, you're not to go out and build a chicken house and buy all the equipment. The eggs would cost you 10 times what they do in the grocery store. In other words, before you start, count the cost and not just the cost of the chicks and bags of feed, there's a lot of other stuff you need all things Hebert already had lying around the farm. The second thing Hebert tells would be chicken raisers. Is the same thing animal shelters tell folks wanting to adopt a pet. You gotta care for these animals. You're their support. Daily feeding and watering and of course collecting the eggs. But also remember that chicken coops don't clean themselves and birds require protection from the elements and other wildlife. It's a huge commitment. That's something to remember is you can't just put these birds in the backyard and just expect them to take care of themselves. One more thing Hebert reminds folks, while it's warming up across the country, don't forget about how wet the weather was there a couple months ago because that'll come in a year from now. You're going to be out there when it's zero taking care of your chickens again. So keep that in mind. Hebert isn't trying to keep folks dependent on his own egg production. He's just seen a lot of people jump in with both feet and later regret it. The costs, the responsibilities, the sick or dead birds. Yet Even with all the complications, he says he enjoys it. It was his introduction to caring for animals as a kid, and now he's teaching his three year old son those same lessons. One egg at a time. For World, I'm Paul Butler outside of Arlington, Illinois.

[Myrna Brown]

And now the story of one New York couple who look at their small farm and the eggs they raise as a way to care for people. World's Lindsay Mass has that story.

[Lindsay Mast]

The chickens roaming the grounds of Cucumber Hill Farm in New York live 50 miles from the busy streets of Manhattan. Owner Miho Urisaka and her husband didn't start out as farmers, but a few years ago, they took an opportunity to get out of the city.

[Carolina Lumeta]

That's always been our dream. You know, we moved during the pandemic. We moved from Brooklyn to Putnam Valley to get a little bit of land. And truly the connection back into the earth is something that we're missing in our society and our lives.

[Lindsay Mast]

Urisaka, Dark brown blue mocha from the nesting boxes at Cucumber Hill. She wants the eggs to be the best. So she gives her chickens the chance to be chickens.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Most chickens don't get that. Most chickens aren't getting sunlight. Most chickens aren't getting the chance to bathe in the soil. Most chickens aren't getting the chance to kick up a grub and eat it as a snack. And so I think that's what makes the difference.

[Lindsay Mast]

The U.S. bureau of Labor Statistics says the average price of a dozen eggs nationwide hit nearly $6 in February. In some Manhattan stores, eggs cost more than $12. But for Urisaka, raising chickens isn't about turning a profit. It's about providing the opportunity to eat great food. The chickens get their fill of locally sourced organic feed. Their baby chicks stay indoors until they're a few weeks old. Then the busy little birds get to free range on the farm. Arisaka's husband, Justin Baker.

[Kent Covington]

They're healthy birds, right? They're birds that still know how to be chickens. So you can see in their behaviors they're able to move about, they're able to scratch and peck and do just live express these natural chicken behaviors.

[Lindsay Mast]

The chickens are free to roam, eating ants and exploring. But the eggs are headed somewhere a little more more confined.

[Carolina Lumeta]

I don't know.

[Kent Covington]

That's weird that that's so tender right there.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Yeah.

[Lindsay Mast]

Urisaka still works as a physical therapist in Manhattan. Over her years of treating patients in pain, she developed an interest in how the food we eat might influence our health.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Quality of food has a huge effect on how your body feels on the physical level, on the mechanical level. And that's why we started bringing in all these other modalities into our clinic.

[Lindsay Mast]

One of those modalities, it's not a new breathing or movement technique. It's those eggs. Fresh from the farm, she stocks the office refrigerator with cardboard boxes full of them.

[Carolina Lumeta]

As soon as the chickens started laying, we started bringing them into here.

[Lindsay Mast]

The farm generally charges $9 a dozen for the eggs, a number that stayed pretty steady despite changes in the egg market. And it's not much more than current prices for organic eggs at a Manhattan Whole Foods.

[Carolina Lumeta]

We've always sold out even prior to the shortage. So this is really done more as a service to our clients who appreciate this kind of quality, to our customers and our patients who really like value what they're putting into their body.

[Lindsay Mast]

Baker says the farm adjusts prices based on what they have to pay, not on the demands of the current egg markets.

[Kent Covington]

Feed costs have gone up, but not tremendously. Largely, I think probably fuel costs, but so as our feed prices fluctuate, that might affect the prices of our eggs. But other than that, we haven't been affected by bird flu or any of the other pressures in the market.

[Lindsay Mast]

For some people and restaurants, the high price of eggs has been challenging. But for those who have the means to afford higher quality eggs, it can be worth the expense. And Urisaka's PT clients are eating up the opportunity to buy eggs from a farmer they know.

[Carolina Lumeta]

And so I know what went into them, so I know there's integrity and they just taste actually better. It's a little pricier than some of the kind of we normally buy pasteurized.

[Onize Odua]

So it's a little pricier than that.

[Carolina Lumeta]

But not by much at this point.

[Kent Covington]

With where prices are going. So it's worth the extra dollar or so to get really local.

[Lindsay Mast]

Back on the farm, Urisaka and Baker tend to the goats and bees, turkeys and ducks who live alongside the 400 chickens they keep. Their Instagram account shows the couples care for the animals throughout the changing seasons of the Hudson Valley. And they've found the benefits their animals enjoy apply to humans too.

[Carolina Lumeta]

You need your food, you need your water, you need your sunshine, you need recreation. Those are all things that are good for all living beings.

[Lindsay Mast]

And unlike seasons, feed prices or egg supply, those needs don't.

[Kent Covington]

Foreign.

[Myrna Brown]

Today is Wednesday, March 19th. Good morning, this is the world and everything in it from listener support. Welcome back to Supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Bratt.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Up next, age verification and protecting our kids online. Here's World Opinions contributor Brad Littlejohn.

[Brad Littlejohn]

Even after a decades long war on childhood, there are still a great many things in this country you can't do if you're under 18. You can't take out a loan or enter any binding contract. You can't buy risky products like alcohol or tobacco. You can't access sexually explicit venues like strip clubs. You can't even open a bank account without a parent present. But go online, where many kids spend most of their time and all that goes right out the window. You can sign away all of your privacy rights to the world's most powerful corporations, be whisked into the presence of digital sex workers and predators, and access an endless array of dangerous and addictive apps. This bizarre state of affairs has been wreaking havoc on the mental health of our youth and but it is at last being challenged by a growing movement. One of the newest groups to join the fray is the Digital Childhood Alliance. The alliance has focused its crusade on the two biggest gatekeepers of the digital world, the Apple and Android app stores. Studies suggest that one in six children in the United States and one in eight globally experience some kind of online sexual harassment or exploitation. And that stat doesn't include exposure to graphic pornography online. Most of this happens on mainstream apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, far more than most parents realize. Even seemingly innocuous apps often have social media type functions that offer an open gateway for children to be targeted with explicit messages. Some have built in web browser functionality that can bypass parental controls. And while both Google and Android app stores feature age ratings, these ratings are effectively meaningless. Why? Because they're not enforced. Neither platform makes any effort to check user age. Last week, Utah became the first state to pass the App Store Accountability Act. It aims to finally close this massive legal loophole destroying America's children. The law is being considered in at least eight other states and the US Congress. According to the law, developers can be sued for misleading age ratings. Apple and Google will be required to verify whether App store users are 18 or older. If they aren't explicit, parental consent will be necessary for every single app download and every in app purchase. The law constitutes a remarkable redistribution of power away from two of the largest companies on the planet and back to the bedrock unit of every the family. For years, Apple and Google have denied that such age verification is technically possible. That changed a couple weeks ago when Apple suddenly announced an upcoming major overhaul of its App Store. It will enable an iPhone to tell an app whether a user is too young to use the app without giving away the user's actual birth date. The announcement is not all that impressive. As a child safety initiative, it leaves plenty of loopholes in place, including allowing minors to agree to complex terms of service contracts without parental consent. Clearly, Apple is trying to convince legislators to leave it alone, much as Meta did last year in introducing Instagram for teens. But the announcement is an earthquake that could shake the tech industry to its core. It is an admission that parents were right all along, that the App Store was unsafe and exploitative, and that Apple had the technology to fix is essential for parents to keep up the pressure. Technologically, there is now no reason why we can't age gate the Internet at least as effectively as we do the brick and mortar world. And given the well documented perils of the online world, we owe it to our children to demand nothing less. I'm Brad Littlejohn.

[Lindsay Mast]

Tomorrow, can the First Amendment shield a permanent US Resident from deportation? We'll talk about it. And refugees find help out of Pittsburgh church after government resettlement programs shut down. That and more tomorrow. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Special thank thanks today to Naomi Balk for her reporting from Asheville, North Carolina. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. Jesus said, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. Verse 15 of John 14. Go now in grace and piece.