Abstract
Foodopoly is a well researched and comprehensive overview of everything that is wrong with the food system in America. The American and global food systems have been popular topics for several years, and much of the available writing on the subject strives for emotional persuasion. Here, Hauter presents facts and figures to demonstrate the shift in food and farming over the past century that has led us to a food system that is operated from the top down by, for the most part, transnational corporations, and why this is a problem for farmers, consumers, and the environment.
For those well-versed in the topic of the U.S. food system, the themes contained in this book will not be new. However, the supporting material sheds light on lesser-known facets of the issue, such as describing the decline in the number of farms and farmers in the United States, not just as an unfortunate side effect of the growth of corporations and mechanized farming but rather as a deliberate tactic of the growing agribusiness sector in the midtwentieth century. The opening chapter is a comprehensive history of farming in America from the political and economic perspective, covering the agrarian revolt in the latter part of the nineteenth century through modern-day conflicts between family farmers, lobbyists, and policy makers.
Most of the themes of what the author presents as a dysfunctional food system are covered in individual chapters—the retail sector, which is controlled by only a handful of corporations; the surprising business models of the organic industry; consolidation in the beef, pork, and dairy industries; and environmental and public health concerns of large-scale intensive agriculture and biotechnology. The book takes a decidedly political and economic perspective—though the undermining of the American farmer is a constant theme; other more philosophical and ethical questions of the treatment of people and animals in the industrial food system are alluded to but not dwelled upon. Thus, this book provides a useful guide to how policy has influenced and shaped the food system and gotten us where we are today.
The bulk of the book is a no-holds-barred critique of the people and policies that have reduced food to nothing more than a commodity, despite its necessity and important social and cultural connections. Consolidation and vertical integration in food production and retailing have left farmers and consumers alike with little choice but to participate in a system that arguably works for neither. And, although Hauter is supportive of the alternative agriculture movement, embodied by farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSA), she makes the case early on that shifting support to these concepts would not amount to significant change. The answer lies in the policy she presents throughout the book. The removal of policies that had been put in place to provide parity for farmers, as well as deregulation or lack of enforcement of regulations designed to promote fairness, have, in Hauter’s opinion, been the leading cause of the problem, and thus policy will be the solution.
In addition to the “vote with your fork” argument, Hauter presents specific policy suggestions with regard to necessary changes in federal policy as it affects food and farming. Concrete solutions are often lacking in critiques of the food system, so it is refreshing that the book ends on actionable recommendations that go beyond joining a CSA. Overall, Foodopoly is a well-written, easy-to-read book that provides a thorough overview of a very complex system. For academics and practitioners in food systems, the book should serve as a welcome and useful comprehensive source that provides hard data and evidence to support what can sometimes be vague criticisms. For those who have not previously stopped to think about our food system at all, it will be an effective eye-opener. Foodopoly does not rely heavily on the vast academic literature available on the topics it contains, but its sources are credible in the form of government reports, reputable media outlets, trade publications, and testimony transcripts. Covering multiple themes with attention to detail, Foodopoly succeeds as a solid resource for those interested in a variety of aspects of the food system.