Page 76 - Spring2020

All Thumbs Book Reviews

the spectrum—pro-big-business on the right ticulars. It’s well-written, very well-documented
and pro-socialism on the left—are inherently and heavy on statistics. I will say that some of
devoted to cronyism. A system truly designed it makes for dry reading, and the price tag is a
to benefit the poor and the average consumer bit steep.
would be one in which government does not One other disappointment is that the au-
pick the winners and losers. thors are regrettably conventional in terms of
As Arthur C. Brooks says in the introduc- their opinions on GMOs, herbicides, synthetic
tion to APD, “[The] deepest flaw in agricul- fertilizers and so on. They adhere to the com-
tural policy today is not merely that it creates mon belief that organic or regenerative methods
economic inefficiencies, whether involving the require much more land to produce the same
country’s resource base, market mechanisms, amount of food, that switching to regenerative
long-run productivity growth, or U.S. inter- farming would thus require pasture and forest to
national trade relations; it is that the cronyism be converted into fields for broadacre crops and
still present in our system reduces our ability to that the environmental costs of row cropping
direct resources and opportunities to those who are higher than for pastures or forests. Unfortu-
need them the most.” nately, there aren’t enough hard data—yet—to
Some will argue that we’ve had the wrong parry this line of argumentation effectively.
people making policies; if we just elected the Studies by the Rodale Institute demonstrate
right lawmakers and executives, they would give equal yields on a field-trial scale. There are also
us an agricultural policy that makes sense. The good results from individual farms—some of
problem is that no person or group is ever going which are even demonstrating carbon-negative
to be wise enough, unselfish enough or knowl- row cropping, particularly when incorporat-
edgeable enough to properly guide something as ing livestock—but we still need collection and
complex as a national (or even state or county) communication of large-scale data. Part of the
economy. Everyone has interests. problem is that we’re in the middle of develop-
Government does have a role to play. It ing regenerative techniques; we’re still in the
exists to make and enforce laws that establish innovator and early-adopter phases. The prudent
a framework for free trade, such as preventing take-away is that advocates of regenerative agri-
A system fraud, outlawing child labor, prohibiting unjust culture need to devote more energy toward do-

truly discrimination and providing a court system ing this research and communicating its results.
designed to where contract disputes can be adjudicated. It The authors’ failure to embrace organic
is the referee that ensures that individuals and farming in no way negates the overall truths
benefit the corporations abide by these minimal laws—but they illuminate about the problems with modern
poor and the referee should not be a player in the game. American agricultural policy. So cry “Foul!”
There’s much more to say (and to argue!) Laugh at the insanity of the current system. And
the average about these issues. Again, though, we should patiently work with your elected representatives
consumer all be able to agree on most of what APD dis- to try to reduce the power of special interests in
would be cusses. There’s a lot that we have in common. agriculture. Review by Paul Meyer
one in which It’s impossible to ignore our preferred solutions NEW REVIEWER - PAUL MEYER
completely, but we can all get behind the effort
government to at least try to curb the crony capitalism inher- The excellent review of Fibershed in Winter
does not pick ent in our current agricultural policies. 2019 and this one were by Paul Meyer, a home-
steader, aspiring farmer and almost-retired
The American Enterprise Institute pub-
the winners lished APD before the latest farm bill was Army officer. He is also a contributing editor
to Acres U.S.A. magazine and a freelance copy
and losers. signed, but all that has changed are a few par- editor (meyereditorial.com).
76 Wise Traditions SPRING 2020