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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," REACTION FROM THE McCAIN INSTITUTE ON U.S. EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE A PEACE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, NEW RESEARCH IDENTIFIES GUT BACTERIA THAT LIKELY CAUSES MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

>>> AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT EFFORTS TO CONSERVE WATER THROUGH ALGAE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

ARIZONA'S ELECTION CHIEF, SECRETARY OF STATE ADRIAN FONTES IS NOT IMPRESSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PLANS TO SOMEHOW BAN MAIL-IN BALLOTS.

IN A STATEMENT, FONTES SAYS HE'LL TELL THE PRESIDENT TO, QUOTE, POUND SAND AND ASK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES TO CHALLENGE ANY EXECUTIVE ORDER ON THE ISSUE.

FONTES FOLLOWED THAT WITH AN APPEARANCE ON CNN.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS GETTING HIS ADVICE FROM.

IT'S CLEARLY NOT FROM AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSTITUTION, BUT THE CLEAR MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE THIS: I DON'T WORK FOR YOU DONALD TRUMP, I WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA, AND I DON'T TAKE MY GUIDANCE FROM YOU.

I TAKE IT FROM THE CONSTITUTION AND FROM THE RULES ESTABLISHED IN STATE LAW.

THAT'S WHERE WE OPERATE AND THAT'S WHERE WE WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN SPITE OF MR. TRUMP'S DELUSIONS.

TED: THE PRESIDENT STATED THAT HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO TELL STATE OFFICIAL HOUSE TO RUN ELECTION.

FONTES DISAGREES.

>> LOOK, IF HE WANTS TO PROPOSE CHANGES THROUGH THE REGULAR CONGRESSIONAL PROCESS.

HE HAS THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.

HE'S THE PRESIDENT, A CITIZEN LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.

AND THE CONSTITUTION IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

BUT THERE'S NO REASON ANYBODY SHOULD THINK IT'S, A, REASONABLE OR, B, RATIONAL TO COME OUT AS THE PRESIDENT SAYING I'M GOING TO RUN THE SHOW AND YOU WORK FOR ME.

LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WORK FOR THE PRESIDENT.

I WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT STATE OF ARIZONA.

TED: OTHER HEADLINES, AN OPINION RELEASED BY ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES STATES THAT ELECTION OFFICIALS SHOULD NOT CHANGE THE STATUS OF 200,000 VOTERS IMPACTED BY MVD ERROR THAT FALSELY CONFIRMED THAT THE VOTERS PROVIDED PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP.

THE A.G.'S OPINION OFFERS GUIDANCE WITH HOW TO PROCEED WITH REGISTRATION STATUS OF THE VOTERS BUT IT'S NOT THE LAW, AND MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER JUSTIN HEAP NOTIFIED 83,000 OF THE VOTERS THEY NEED TO SHOW PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP WITHIN 90 DAYS OR RECLASSIFIED AND ALLOWED TO VOTE ONLY IN NEXT YEAR'S FEDERAL ELECTIONS AND NOT STATEWIDE RACES.

>>> GOVERNOR KATIE HOBBS HAS FILED FOR RE-ELECTION.

THE GOVERNOR MADE NO SECRET OF PLANS TO RUN FOR A SECOND TERM.

FILING PAPERWORK MAKES IT OFFICIAL.

AS FINISH THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, CONGRESSMAN ANDY BILGES AND BUSINESSWOMAN CRANE TAYLOR ROBSON ANNOUNCED THEIR CANDIDACY ALREADY AND THEY ARE CAMPAIGNING AND MIGHT SOON BE ONE MORE REPUBLICAN IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

REPORTS ARE DAVID SCHWEIKERT IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A SDEGZ BY THE END EVER THE MONTH.

IT WILL MAKE FOR A CONSIDERABLE CHANGE IN THE DYNAMICS FOR THE GOP PRIMARY AND POSSIBLY THE GENERAL ELECTION AS WELL AND SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE RACE FOR CONGRESS WHERE SCHWEIKERT IS THE INCUMBENT.

A NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS ARE CAMPAIGNING FOR THE SEAT WHICH IS CONSIDERED A PRIME TARGET FOR DEMOCRATS EVEN IF SCHWEIKERT DECIDES TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION.

>>> PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RECENT MEETINGS WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND DAYS LATER WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY ALONGSIDE A DELEGATION OF EUROPEAN LEADERS MADE HEADLINES BUT THE WAR IN UKRAINE CONTINUES WITH RUSSIA UNLEASHING AN ESPECIALLY HEAVY OVERNIGHT STRIKE.

WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE MEETINGS AND WHERE DOES THE WAR GO FROM HERE?

JOINING US FROM WASHINGTON IS DR. EVELYN FARKAS, DIRECTOR OF THE McCAIN INSTITUTE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE A LOT WAS HAPPENING, BUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, TED.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A LOT OF DRAMA.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE ALL OF THESE WORLD LEADERS AROUND PRESIDENT TRUMP AND, OF COURSE, RALLYING AROUND PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, BUT I'M AFRAID THERE WAS NOT MUCH TANGIBLE PROGRESS THAT WAS MADE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME OUT OF THE MEETING SAYING PRESIDENT ZELENSKY AND PRESIDENT PUTIN WOULD MEET, I THINK THAT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THERE WAS SOME UNDERSTANDING BEHIND THE SCENES ON SECURITY AGREEMENTS, BUT, AGAIN, I'M CAUTIOUSLY PESSIMISTIC.

TED: I WANT TO GET TO THE SECURITY AGREEMENTS, POSSIBILITY OF THE AGREEMENTS IN A SECOND HERE, BUT THE IMPACT OF HAVING SO MANY EUROPEAN LEADERS, HEADS OF STATE.

THEY ARE IN WASHINGTON, AROUND THE TABLE WITH ZELENSKY, WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.

IT LOOKED IMPRESSIVE.

DID MUCH COME OUT OF IT?

>> SO, AND IT WAS IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE IT SHOWED A LEVEL OF UNITY THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN EUROPE FRANKLY EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO RUSSIA'S AGGRESSION.

YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF LEVEL OF UNITY WHERE THEY WOULD DROP EVERYTHING, IN THE MIDDLE OF -- I KNOW THAT PRIME MINISTER STARMER WAS ON VACATION, AND HE INTERRUPTED HIS VACATION TO COME OVER HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP UNDERSTOOD THE POSITION OF THE EUROPEANS AND SUPPORTED THE BEST POSSIBLE POSITION FOR UKRAINE.

SO I THINK IN THAT, IT WAS MEANINGFUL AND PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS GRACIOUS AND RECEIVED THEM WARMLY, AND SO THE OPTICS WERE GOOD, BUT IN TERMS OF OUTCOME, THAT REALLY REMAINS TO SEEN.

I WAS GLAD THEY TALKED ABOUT SECURITY GUARANTEES, BUT MY FEAR, TED, IS THERE'S A LOT OF DAYLIGHT BETWEEN THEM WHAT SECURITY GUARANTEE MEANS.

TED: IT DOES NOT MEAN U.S. BOOTS ON THE GROUND OVER THERE.

IF THAT'S NOT WHAT IT MEANS, THE PRESIDENT HAS THREATENED SANCTIONS IN TWO WEEKS.

ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT RARGZ IF THEY KEEP DOING THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.

THEY'RE STILL DOING THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER, RUSSIA IS, NOTHING IS HAPPENING ON THE RUSSIAN SIDE, BUT HE LIKES THE IDEA OF UKRAINE SURRENDERING LAND FOR PEACE.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

>> RIGHT, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING UKRAINE MIGHT CONSIDER, BUT UKRAINE WOULD ONLY CONSIDER SURRENDERING LAND FOR PEACE IF IT'S A DURABLE LASTING PEACE AND THAT'S WHERE THE SECURITY GUARANTEES COME INTO PLAY.

HAVING U.S.

TROOPS ON THE GROUND ISN'T ENOUGH EITHER.

IT'S REALLY WHAT THE UKRAINIANS NEED IS A GUARANTEE THAT IF THEY ARE ATTACKED AGAIN BY RUSSIA THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL COME TO THE MILITARY ASSISTANCE, AND IN ORDER TO BELIEVE THAT KIND OF GUARANTEE, ACTUALLY IT HAS TO BE RATIFIED BY CONGRESS, I THINK, AT THIS POINT.

IT CAN'T COME FROM ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, I THINK THE UKRAINIANS WANT IT TO BE LIKE A NATO, ARTICLE 5, AN ATTACK AGAINST ONE IS AN ATTACK AGAINST ALL.

ARTICLE 5 IN THE NATO TREATY SAYS THAT.

THAT AGREEMENT COULD BE RATIFIED BILATERALLY.

WE HAVE THE COMMITMENT TO JAPAN AND KOREA.

WE COULD GET THAT THROUGH CONGRESS AND THAT WOULD MEAN SOMETHING.

BUT SHORT OF THAT IT GETS MORE RISKY FOR THE UKRAINIANS.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE THE PRESIDENT, AGAIN, EARLIER HE WANTED A CEASE-FIRE.

NOW HE'S SAYING HE DOES NOT WANT A CEASE-FIRE, HE WANTS A PEACE AGREEMENT AND THAT A CEASE-FIRE WOULD BE THE LESSER AND SO, FORGET THAT, PEACE AGREEMENT OR NOTHING.

CEASE-FIRE IS AWFULLY IMPORTANT, EVELYN.

YOU MENTIONED KOREA.

THERE IS STILL A CEASE-FIRE IN KOREA, THEY NEVER HAD A PEACE SETTLEMENT.

>> CORRECT, CORRECT.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WENT INTO THE MEETING -- FIRST OF ALL, AS YOU MENTIONED, PRESIDENT TRUMP PUT PRESSURE ON VLADIMIR PUTIN.

HE SAID I'M GOING TO SLAP SANCTIONS ON COUNTRIES BUYING OIL AND GAS YOU FROM, AND HE ACTUALLY DID INCREASE TARIFFS ON INDIA AS PUNISHMENT.

IN RESPONSE -- BUT HE WAS GOING TO PUT MORE SANCTIONS AND TARIFFS ON.

IN RESPONSE, PRESIDENT PUTIN SAID NO, NO I'LL MEET WITH YOU.

THEY MET.

GOING INTO THE MEETING, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID I MUST HAVE A CEASE-FIRE COMING OUT OF THE MEETING, AND NOW HE'S DROPPED THE REQUIREMENT FOR CEASE-FIRE, THAT HAPPENED AFTER HE MET WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN, AND THAT IS CONCERNING BECAUSE THE EUROPEANS AND THE UKRAINIANS SAW IT AS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE KIND OF THE MINIMUM THAT RUSSIA BEING DO TO SHOW THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH.

IT WOULD ONLY BE A FIRST STEP BECAUSE FRANKLY VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS BROKEN A LOT OF CEASE-FIRES BUT COULD PROVIDE SOME RELIEF.

I THINK THE EUROPEANS ARE DISTRESSED THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS COME OFF OF THAT REQUIREMENT.

TED: AND THE PEACE AGREEMENT -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG -- TAKE A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP AND GET DONE.

PUTIN AND TRUMP COULD BOTH BE HISTORY BY THEN.

>> RIGHT, EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE A CEASE-FIRE.

TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN, THEY DON'T HAVE A PEACE AGREEMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE YET TO SETTLE ON ALL OF THOSE DETAILS.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS THE GUNS ARE SILENCED AND NOT COMBATING ONE ANOTHER.

TED: SO WHAT DO WE TAKE OF ALL THIS?

THE LAST QUESTION, I GOT TO ASK YOU, WHEN YOU SAW VLADIMIR PUTIN STEPPING FOOT ON THE RED CARPET ON AMERICAN SOIL IN ALASKA, WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THAT?

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS?

WHAT DID YOU FEEL?

>> I FELT DISTRESSED BECAUSE IT WAS SHOWING WEAKNESS ON THE PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

HERE WE WERE LETTING A WAR CRIMINAL COME ONTO OUR TERRITORY TO HAVE THIS HIGH-LEVEL MEETING, THE HIGHEST LEVEL YOU COULD HAVE WITH OUR PRESIDENT.

IF ANYTHING, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ESCORTED FROM HIS PLANE INTO AN AIRPLANE HANGAR, A SPARSE HANGAR ON THE MILITARY BASE.

HE DID NOT DESERVE RED CARPET TREATMENT.

THERE ARE PEOPLE RAPED, MURDERED AND KIDNAPPED, INCLUDING CHILDREN BECAUSE OF HIS DECISION TO LAUNCH THIS WAR.

SO IT WAS REGRETTABLE, AND ALSO MADE US LOOK WEAK BECAUSE WE HAVE THE UPPER HAND.

YET PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE HIM THE UPPER HAND EVEN IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE WHEN HE LET HIM SPEAK FIRST.

TED: LAST QUESTION HERE, IT'S A WEIRD QUESTION, BUT SOUNDS LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP IS JUST REALLY, REALLY WANTING A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, AND THAT COULD VERY WELL BE BEHIND MUCH OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND HEARING HERE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT, AND IS THERE AN END JUSTIFYING THE MEANS HERE, IF YOU GIVE HIM A PRIZE AND GET PEACE, IS IT WORTH IT?

>> WELL, IT ALL DEPENDS WHAT KIND OF PEACE, RIGHT?

YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE A PEACE THAT DOESN'T LAST, SO IT'S A SHAKY PEACE, THAT'S NOT HELPFUL TO ANYONE.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT STOPPING PUTIN'S AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE, IT'S ABOUT STOPPING PUTIN'S AGGRESSION AGAINST OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

HE'S OCCUPIED GEORGIA AS WELL, 20% OF THAT COUNTRY.

IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING OUR NATO ALLIES, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE CHINA SEES YOU CAN'T GET AWAY WITH SEIZING YOUR NEIGHBOR'S TERRITORY, SO IT DOESN'T MAKE A MOVE AGAINST TAIWAN, RIGHT?

IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER STANDS UP THAT BORDERS MATTER AND YOU CAN'T ALTER THEM USING FORCE.

OTHERWISE WE'RE BACK TO A WORLD THAT IS FAR MORE DANGEROUS.

THE PEACE THAT WE GET IS IMPORTANT, NOT ANY OLD PEACE.

YES, IF PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN GET A DURABLE, LASTING, JUST PEACE FOR THE UKRAINIANS AND HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING.

IF HE CAN GET SOMETHING THAT WOULD LAST THAT WOULD BE JUST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE, THAT WOULD MEAN HE WAS WORTHY OF THE NOBEL PRIZE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE CLOSE TO THAT PLACE RIGHT NOW.

TED: DR. EVELYN FARKAS, McCAIN INSTITUTE DIRECTOR.

ALWAYS GREAT INFORMATION, GREAT TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, TED, TAKE CARE.

.

TED: SCIENTISTS THINK THEY'VE FOUND TWO KEY BACTERIA THAT CAUSE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, THE FINDINGS FOCUSED ON TWINS WHERE ONE SIBLING HAS THE DISEASE AND THE OTHER DOESN'T.

WE WELCOME DR. BARRY HENDIN, NEUROLOGIST AT BANNER UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER IN PHOENIX.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TED: WE'RE TALKING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS HERE.

WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?

>> WE DEFINE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AS IMMUNE MEDIATED DISORDER, INVOLVES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, WHICH THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS MISPROGRAMMED SO THAT, AS OPPOSED TO, GOING AFTER THE PATHOGENS IT OUGHT TO, BACTERIA AND VIRUSES, MISINTERPRETS AND GOES AFTER THE MYELLIN OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, THE OPTIC NERVE, THE BRAIN AND THE SPINAL CORD.

TED: WHAT MAKES IT GO IN THAT DIRECTION?

>> WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER, IT'S A COMBINATION OF GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITIES INVOLVING MULTIPLE GENES AND TRIGGERS THAT ACT ON THOSE SUSCEPTIBLE PEOPLE.

TED: AND WE HAVE YOU HERE BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE A CONNECTION OR PERHAPS THERE IS A CONNECTION TO GUT BACTERIA.

TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

>> THIS IS ANOTHER TRIGGER.

MENTIONED THE STUDY OF TWINS, IT WAS A REALLY ELEGANT GERMAN STUDY WHICH THEY LOOKED AT EIGHT SETS OF TWINS AND FOUND THAT IF THEY TOOK THE MICROBIOME, THE MICROBES FROM THE INTESTINE OF THE TWINS WITH M.S.

AND INJECTED THOSE INTO MICE, VULNERABLE MICE, THAT SIX OF EIGHT DEVELOPED THE PICTURE, THE MICE, CONSISTENT WITH AN M.S.-LIKE PICTURE.

IF THEY TOOK THE SAME MICROBES FROM THE INTESTINES OF PAIRS THAT DID NOT HAVE M.S., THE MICE DID NOT DEVELOP M.S.

SO THIS REALLY INDICATED SOMETHING WE'VE KNOWN FOR A WHILE AND THAT IS THE MICROBIOME, THE PARTICULARLY IN THE GUT CAN, EITHER PRODUCE A MORE INFLAMMATORY OR MORE QUIETING EFFECT ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

TED: AND AGAIN, THESE BACTERIA ARE FOUND IN, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS, AN AREA WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF THESE PRO-INFLAMMATORY T-CELLS AND THINGS GOING ON.

THAT'S A HINT THEY'RE NOT SUCH GOOD TO HAVE AROUND.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THE MICROBIOME OF THE GUT IS OUR FRIEND AND ENEMY SIMULTANEOUSLY, WHEN IT BEHAVES IT'S OUR FRIEND, AND IT TALKS TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IN A WAY THAT IS PRODUCTIVE FOR BOTH THE MICROBES AND FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, BUT SOMETIMES IT MISBEHAVES AND CREATES A MORE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE, AND THAT'S WHEN IT CAUSES PROBABLY A WORSENING OF DISEASE.

TED: OKAY, DO WE KNOW, COULD IT BE FOOD?

COULD IT BE EXTERNAL FACTORS?

EXPOSURE?

WHAT MAKES IT MISBEHAVE?

>> ALL OF THE ABOVE.

WE KNOW THERE ARE MULTIPLE TRIGGERS THAT, IN THE VULNERABLE POPULATION, THERE ARE MULTIPLE TRIGGERS.

LACK OF SUNLIGHT, LACK OF VITAMIN D, MAYBE CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ON THE INFECTION SIDE, WHAT CAUSES MONONUCLEOSIS.

THIS DISCUSSION IS ABOUT THE HUMAN MICROBIOME AND THERE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE INFLAMMATORY COMPONENTS AND THINGS THAT WE DO THAT INCREASE THAT AND THINGS THAT WE DO THAT DECREASE THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WE EAT, WHAT OUR LIFESTYLE IS, ALL THOSE THINGS CAN CHANGE WHETHER WE CREATE A MORE INFLAMMATORY OR LESS INFLAMMATORY.

TED: HOW DO WE EAT TO CREATE A LESS INFLAMMATORY.

HOW DO YOU CUT IT DOWN?

>> THE IDEA IS MAYBE IF WE ATE MORE NATURAL FOODS, LESS PROCESSED FOODS, WITH MORE FIBER, THAT WE WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING THAT WOULD CREATE A MORE FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT IN THE GUT, AND I THINK PART OF WELLNESS IS DOING THE SAME.

ARE WE EXERCISING?

HAVE WE STOPPED SMOKING?

HAVE WE KEPT ALCOHOL MODEST IN INTAKE?

HOW WE EAT, HOW WE EXERCISE, HOW WE LIVE IN OUR LIFESTYLE CREATE CHANGES IN THE MICROBIOME.

TED: BUT YOU CAN DO ALL THAT AND THAT STUFF COULD STILL BE THERE AND THAT STUFF WILL GET OUT AND DO DAMAGE.

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

IT'S ALL ABOUT SUSCEPTIBILITY.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN CREATE A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT WHICH IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET M.S., NOR AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU MUST GET M.S., BUT CAN YOU CHANGE THE ODDS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO AS CLINICIANS, CHANGE THE ODDS.

TED: REAL QUICKLY, CAN THIS BE APPLIED TO OTHER CONDITIONS?

>> YES, IT CAN BE APPLIED TO MULTIPLE OTHER CONDITIONS, INCLUDING MANY OF THE AUTOIMMUNE OR IMMUNE MEDIATED DISORDERS.

TED: GOOD STUFF.

DR. BARRY HENDIN, ENCOURAGING NEWS AND GOOD TO HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

.

TED: A PHOENIX BASED SOIL HEALTH COMPANY TEAMED UP WITH ASU TO SHOW HOW ARIZONA FARMERS CAN CONSERVE WATER THROUGH ALGAE.

KATHLEEN MERRIGAN, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

WE USED TO DO A LOT OF ALGAE STORIES, 10, 15 YEARS AGO AND IT EASED OFF.

IS ALGAE STILL A THING?

>> IT'S STILL A THING, A GREAT THING ACTUALLY.

GREAT TO BE HERE.

LET'S TALK.

TED: LET'S TALK ABOUT IMPROVING SOILS WITH ALGAE?

>> YEAH, SO WHAT THIS COMPANY DOES THAT'S PHOENIX BASED IS CALLED MYLAND, ONE WORD, THEY EXTRACT LIVE NATIVE MICROALGAE FROM A FARMER'S FIELD AND TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT IT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST STRAINS ARE.

THEY BOOST IT IN A PROPRIETARY WAY, BUT SORT OF FERMENTATION, AND PUMP IT BACK TO THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM THAT THE FARMER ALREADY HAS IN PLACE TO ENHANCE SOIL QUALITY.

TED: HOW DOES IT ENHANCE SOIL QUALITY?

>> SO ALGAE IS A BIOSTIMULANT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF BIOSTIMULANTS OUT THERE, AND FARMERS ARE UNDERSTANDABLY WARY BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL PROMOTED.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE GREATEST THING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, AND SO I ACTUALLY CAME ACROSS THIS COMPANY WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM BASED IN EUROPE, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY EXCITING, BUT THE PARTNERS AT THE FIRM WERE SOMEWHAT SKEPTICAL BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH THIRD PARTY DATA TO SUPPORT THE COMPANY'S CLAIMS.

SO THAT WAS THE GENESIS OF THIS ASU PARTNERSHIP WITH MYLAND.

TED: WE'RE TALKING BETTER WATER EFFICIENCY, TALKING BETTER WATER CONSERVATION, TALKING THE WHOLE NINE YARDS HERE.

>> LIVE MICROALGAE, AS MYLAND PUTS INTO A FARMER'S SYSTEM, CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS, INCLUDING INCREASING WATER-HOLDING CAPACITY.

IN OUR VERY THIRSTY STATE, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

BUT ALSO IT WILL ENHANCE THE SOIL QUALITY GENERALLY, BUT WHAT ASU'S PROJECT IS ALL ABOUT IS USING STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY TO MEASURE THE IMPACT ON THE FARMER'S WATER USE.

TED: AND BY DOING SO, YOU'RE MEASURING THE IMPACT ON THE CROPS THEMSELVES.

HOW MUCH THEY HOLD -- CAN YOU DO THAT, HOW MUCH THEY ADDITIONALLY HOLD WITH ALGAE?

>> THAT'S HELD IN THE SOIL.

WE GO TO A FARM AND WE HAVE SEVERAL FARM SITES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WHERE FARMERS AGREE TO LET US DO AN EXPERIMENT THERE.

WE HAVE A CONTROL PLOT, AND THE PLOT WHERE WE'RE USING THE MYLAND SOLUTION, AND COLLECTING REAL DATA, A LOT OF DATA.

TED: I'LL BET.

>> OVER TIME THROUGHOUT THE CROPS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT CROPS TOO.

TED: HOW IS IT INSTALLED?

DO YOU INSTALL IT LIKE FERTILIZER?

IS IT PUMPED THROUGH?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> IT'S GREAT BECAUSE FOR THE FARMER IT'S EASY PEASEY, YOU DO HAVE MYLAND TANK OPERATION THAT'S SET UP ON YOUR FARM, BUT IT BLENDS RIGHT IN WITH EXISTING IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

SO IT'S QUITE EASY, ACTUALLY.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, AND DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE?

LET'S SAY I'M USING X AMOUNT OF WATER RIGHT NOW, I GET MYLAND, I GET THE ALGAE, HOW MUCH AM I GOING TO SAVE?

X MINUS WHAT?

>> THAT'S THE QUESTION ASU IS WORKING ON.

MY CENTER ALONG WITH THE ASU CENTER FOR HYDRO LOGIC INNOVATION SAYS DOING MEASUREMENTS ON THE WATER WITH THESE THINGS CALLED EDDIE KOVARIANS TOWERS.

MYLAND HAS CLAIMS ON THE WEBSITE, BEFORE I SPEAK FOR ASU, I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE IT'S CERTIFIED.

STAMPED WITH APPROVAL AND ALL OF THAT.

TED: YOU BET.

IS THIS THE THING VIABLE TO BE MASS PRODUCED -- IN OTHER WORDS, CAN WE SEE THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND ALL OF THE MIDWEST WITH THIS OR IS IT A BOUTIQUE KIND THING?

>> IT'S USED IN SEVERAL STATES NOW, AND I HAVE A BUNCH OF MY GRADUATE STUDENTS THIS SUMMER, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S EQUIP PROGRAM, ENVIRONMENTAL EQUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS FARMERS COST SHARE THAT ARE CONVATION FOCUSED, SAVING WATER, IMPROVING SOIL QUALITY, THAT POTENTIALLY COULD QUALIFY FOR EQUIP.

IF IT DOES, FARMERS MIGHT GET 50 TO 90% COST SHARE WHEN THEY IMPLEMENT THE TECHNOLOGY, SO THAT'S A PART OF OUR PROJECT TOO.

TED: LAST QUESTION BEFORE WE GO QUICKLY.

THE QUALITY OF THE CROP, IS IT AS GOOD AS IT IS BEFORE?

MORE ALGAE SHOULDN'T MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE, SHOULD IT.

>> SHOULD MAKE A BETTER CROP.

TED: SHOULD MAKE A BETTER CROP, BETTER TASTING, SMALLER?

>> IT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO YIELDS, BUT CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF THE RESILIENCE AND THE HARSH CLIMATES WE FACE IN THE CLIMATE STRESSED WORLD.

TED: VERY ENCOURAGING, KATHLEEN MERRIGAN, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM AND THEN SOME.

THANKS FOR SHARING, APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.