Food: The New Gold (review)

The plethora of news stories concerning the American obesity epidemic, world hunger, and the economics of modern agriculture are bound to leave any thinking teen dazed and confused. Here Gay offers a slim introduction to some of the most urgent issues regarding food production and distribution. Chapters are concise and cogently organized, beginning with an overview of the current causes of world hunger, and then turning to the growth of the factory-farm system, the hazards associated with industrial-scale farming, the influence of climate change on crop growth, the controversy over genetically modified and engineered foods, the United States system of consumer protection, the intersection of food and politics, and the organic and locavore movements. Although some lip service is paid to the pros and cons of each issue, it's clear from both her text and sources that Gay urges skepticism, at the very least, of most of the touted benefits of huge agribusiness, genetic modification, and heavy farm subsidies. Students who have already looked into some of these issues will find the treatment here a little thin, but those who are taking a first look at the food on their plates and wondering just what it is and how it got there will find pertinent questions to ask and valuable paths to explore. Color photographs, source notes, a glossary, a bibliography, and lists for further reading are included.