the meat racket the secret takeover of america's food business

the meat racket the secret takeover of america

Leonard's revealing account shines a light on the inner workings of Tyson Foods, a pioneer of the industrial system that dominates the market. Now he delivers the first comprehensive look inside the industrial meat system, exposing how a handful of companies executed an audacious corporate takeover of the nation's meat supply. I thought I was well informed on this topic, but Leonard's book clarifies food production trends that are troubling for consumers and farmers alike.How much do you know about the meat on your dinner plate? Journalist Christopher Leonard spent more than a decade covering the country's biggest meat companies, including four years as the national agribusiness reporter for the Associated Press. The meat we buy at the grocery store may have labels that imply different companies produce and market it, but, in fact, most of the meat we eat is produced by a few companies through a system that bankrupts farmers and limits our choices as consumers.Leonard uses lots of examples but he is also careful to demonstrate that his examples are representative of what is happening across the nation. Through careful and thorough research, Leonard is able to explain how a few large companies, led by Tyson in the poultry industry and followed by Smithland and a few others in the pork and beef industries, have entrapped farmers into contract farming that makes them basically powerless employees in vertically integrated production. The Meat Racket uncovers and explains the development of monopoly in the American meat industry that has largely destroyed the independent family farm level control of meat production. Read moreįast Food Nation made many people aware of the dangers of our current food system to consumers. Important, timely, and explosive, The Meat Racket is an unvarnished portrait of the food industry that now dominates America's heartland. And you'll even see how big business and politics have derailed efforts to change the system, from a years-long legal fight in Iowa to the Obama administration's recent failed attempt to pass reforms. You'll discover how these companies are able to raise meat prices for consumers while pushing down the price they pay to farmers. You'll learn how the food industry got to where it is today and how companies like Tyson have escaped the scrutiny they deserve.

How much do you know about the meat on your dinner plate? Journalist Christopher Leonard spent more than a decade covering the country's biggest meat companies, including four years as the national agribusiness reporter for the Associated Press.

The meat racket the secret takeover of america's food business