Truth in the Barrel – Devil's Cut Edition

Episode: "A Farmer's Share" with Dawn Riley
Host(s): Amy McGrath, Denver Riggleman (co-host off-mic this episode)
Guest: Dawn Riley
Date: March 17, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features Dawn Riley—a former USDA appointee under George W. Bush and current Kentucky farmer/business owner—in a deep, honest conversation with Amy McGrath about the impact of recent tariff policies and political decisions on America’s farmers, rural communities, and the agricultural supply chain. Through bipartisan advocacy, Riley and his peers seek to reverse damaging trends, preserve family farms, and remind listeners that politics, when done right, should be focused on people. The latter part of the episode lightens up with bourbon favorites in true "Truth in the Barrel" style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dawn Riley’s Background and Credibility

• [01:28] – [02:39]
  • Riley grew up on a small central Kentucky farm, worked for Senator Mitch McConnell, lobbied for tobacco growers, then joined the Bush USDA as one of the “parachuters.”
  • He manages a family-owned farm supply business focused on transitioning from tobacco to vegetables and produce.
  • “We’re still in the float tray business to help people grow plants…now do a lot more vegetables and produce.” – Don Riley [02:39]

The Tariff Crisis and Bipartisan Response

• [04:09] – [06:32]
  • Riley leads a bipartisan group of agricultural experts warning Congress that erratic tariff policies have decimated markets—built over 30-40 years—in a matter of months.
  • “We just kept scratching our heads…these are markets that had been built up over 30 to 40 years that were just gone in a matter of a pinstroke.” – Don Riley [04:27]
  • Devastation extends beyond soybean farmers—rippling through rural communities, equipment dealers, and even the bourbon industry.

Can Farmers Advocate for Themselves?

• [06:32] – [08:20]
  • Amy asks if farmers have a unified voice in policy.
  • Riley explains multiple commodity groups exist, but Congress has failed to listen or act, abdicating responsibility for tariffs and broader ag policies.
  • “Congress has walked away from its responsibility, utilizing its authority, and it needs to come back…” – Don Riley [07:52]

The Supreme Court & Policy Hurdles

• [09:14] – [10:37]
  • Even after the Supreme Court ruled Trump’s tariffs unconstitutional, the administration found other legal means to continue damaging policies.
  • “We do not feel like the damage has been alleviated… even with the tariffs alleviated, we've broken that trust with those countries.” – Don Riley [09:50]
  • Broken trust means lost global markets cannot be rebuilt overnight, compounding farmers’ uncertainty.

Farmers’ Real Concerns: More Than Bailouts

• [10:37] – [12:04]
  • Riley and Amy underscore that farmers want functioning markets, not government checks.
  • “They don’t want government checks. They want their markets back.” – Amy McGrath [11:05]

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

• [12:04] – [13:07]
  • Riley spotlights overlooked challenges in the “middle supply chain”—the infrastructure needed to process and get food from farm to market at scale.
  • “There needs to be a consistent, affordable middle supply chain infrastructure…” – Don Riley [12:18]
  • And, “This stuff doesn’t just hit the farmers… it has ripple down effects” on equipment dealers and local economies. – Amy McGrath [13:07]

Psychological Toll & Family Farm Loss

• [14:06] – [14:51]
  • Suicide rates are rising among farmers—a symptom of daily pressure and eroded hope.
  • “It’s just the daily pressure, the not knowing.” – Don Riley [14:22]

Congressional Inaction and the Farm Bill

• [15:19] – [16:48]
  • Riley is pessimistic about Congress passing meaningful farm legislation, citing broken coalitions and performative politics.
  • “It’s very performative at this point in time.” – Don Riley [15:47]

The Food Insecurity Report: Why Data Matters

• [16:48] – [18:39]
  • The USDA’s termination of its annual food insecurity report erodes targeted aid and hinders smart philanthropy, investment, and government action.
  • “This type of report is absolutely critical to get the dollars where they’re most needed.” – Don Riley [18:21]
  • Riley suspects political donors, not need, drove its termination.

Commitment to Feeding the Nation & the World

• [19:13] – [22:04]
  • Amy relays stories of Kentucky farmers whose pride comes from feeding America’s children and the world through SNAP and USAID—a morale blow when those programs are cut.
  • “Food is so essentially at our core and at the core of what we can be…provides that benefit to those school children to be able to learn…that nutrition and dignity to that guy who wants to go get a job…” – Don Riley [21:12]

Political Evolution and Independence

• [22:25] – [26:27]
  • Riley reflects on his move from Republican appointee (“compassionate conservative”) to independent after Charlottesville, citing disillusionment with selfish, destructive politics.
  • “I became an independent the day after Charlottesville… Enough was enough from the campaign. And quite frankly, it's mostly about the person sitting in the Oval Office just being a horrible human.” – Don Riley [24:23]
  • Decries “reinventing the wheel,” loss of expertise, and deliberate destruction of functioning government programs.

Local Economies and Rebuilding Trust

• [26:27] – [28:10]
  • Federal agriculture programs have been stripped and rebranded, often with less funding—hurting efforts to build strong local supply chains.
  • Riley advocates for a “local circular economy… jobs stay in that community.”
  • “It’s the things that we need to be looking at that we were really on a great trajectory to achieve that were just thrown out the window.” – Don Riley [27:44]

Encouraging Other Farmers' Voices

• [28:10] – [29:37]
  • Riley hopes his group’s bipartisan letter will embolden more farmers to speak out and organize, reminding them the voting booth remains a powerful tool.
  • “That is one of the goals of our letter as well… to show others that they can speak up…” – Don Riley [28:26]
  • “That is the last lever we have to pull.” – Don Riley [29:34]

Where to Find the Advocacy Letter

• [29:34] – [30:14]
  • The letter is in the New York Times, on DTN (farmer network), and was entered into the Congressional record by Rep. Chantel Brown.

Bourbon Round – Kentucky Picks

• [30:14] – [32:07]
  • Closing with a bourbon conversation, Riley’s picks include:
    • Russell’s Reserve
    • Neely Family Distillery (Sparta, KY)
    • Willett Rye
  • Amy shares her favorite: Barrel House Select Brandy Finish (Lexington, KY distillery).
  • Lighthearted exchange about local bourbon love—true to the podcast’s signature style.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “These are markets that had been built up over 30 to 40 years that were just gone in a matter of a pinstroke.” – Don Riley [04:27]
• “Congress has walked away from its responsibility, utilizing its authority, and it needs to come back…” – Don Riley [07:52]
• “We do not feel like the damage has been alleviated…even with the tariffs alleviated, we've broken that trust with those countries.” – Don Riley [09:50]
• “They don’t want government checks. They want their markets back.” – Amy McGrath [11:05]
• “It’s just the daily pressure, the not knowing.” – Don Riley [14:22]
• “This type of report is absolutely critical to get the dollars where they’re most needed.” – Don Riley [18:21]
• “Food is so essentially at our core and at the core of what we can be…” – Don Riley [21:12]
• “I became an independent the day after Charlottesville… Enough was enough… it's mostly about the person sitting in the Oval Office just being a horrible human.” – Don Riley [24:23]
• “That is the last lever we have to pull.” – Don Riley [29:34]

Major Segments & Approximate Timestamps

• [01:08] – Dawn Riley introduction & background
• [04:09] – Genesis of bipartisan farmer advocacy
• [09:14] – Supreme Court and tariff maneuvering
• [12:04] – Middle supply chain issues
• [14:06] – Mental health and the family farm crisis
• [16:48] – The food insecurity report’s importance and demise
• [22:25] – Political evolution and ethos of public service
• [26:27] – Loss of expertise and local community solutions
• [28:10] – Mobilizing farmers and the power of voting
• [30:14] – Bourbon crosstalk: favorite pours

Tone & Style

• Authentic, grounded, bipartisan, and deeply personal.
• Amy and Don move seamlessly from policy details to lived experience, from frustration and warning to hope and local pride.
• The episode balances stark realism on the crisis with encouragement to organize, advocate, and keep faith with American democratic levers—and a toast to Kentucky’s best bourbon.

For more on the farmer letter and advocacy, see the New York Times, DTN Networks, or the Congressional Record as mentioned by Don Riley.