Barons Update: Third Printing! – “We spend more on food than most Western democracies… We’re paying more for garbage.”
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| Barons Update: Third Printing! |
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| Hey, it’s Austin, It’s been nearly two months since the publication of Barons and the reception has been way more positive than I ever expected. We’re already on our third printing, and the book has received universal acclaim. Independent booksellers named it one of The Best Books of Spring 2024 and the Los Angeles Review of Books gave it a glowing review, praising my writing style as “refreshingly accessible and nonacademic.” The book has received praise from across the political spectrum, including a rave review from The American Conservative. A full list of recent mentions and interviews can be found below. One of the coolest things I’ve gotten to experience has been friends texting me photos of the book in bookstores. Here’s one I spotted in a Barbara’s Bookstore at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. |
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| One thing that has struck me the last few weeks is how much I’ve come full circle during this process. I first read Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser’s book on the fast food industry, while working at a fast-food restaurant in high school (the local Iowa chain Hungry Hobo). At the time, I don’t think I could have ever imagined that he would be talking about my book on “NPR Fresh Air” and on “Real Time with Bill Maher.” I’m so grateful for the attention Eric has brought to the book, but also for how much he’s influenced me. Speaking of which, I highly recommend streaming his latest project: Food Inc. 2, and not just because it has one of the best taglines I’ve seen (“Back for Seconds”). There are Iowa connections all over the film, including a moment early on that follows Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson into a diner as he discusses how Tyson’s mishandled the COVID outbreak. I instantly recognized the diner as Morg’s because I went there a few years back with my grandparents after the Waterloo Irish Festival at the recommendation of my Aunt Sally. The film offers an incredible look at the current state of our food system, and if you liked Barons you should definitely check it out. One of my favorite moments from the book release was my event in Iowa Falls, Iowa (the hometown of Hog Barons Jeff and Deb Hansen). As I mentioned in my previous email, I invited the Hansens to attend it after their response to my book in the Des Moines Register. Unfortunately, they didn’t attend, but their community sure showed up. Thanks to Iowa CCI, nearly 50 folks came out to hear me chat about the book with Bob Leonard (here’s his excellent reflection on the event). Julie Duhn, whose story of fighting back against the Hansens is included in my opening chapter, delivered a moving introduction. Bob, Julie and I took the picture below that night. It’s one of my favorite photos, and I already framed it. |
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But I’m not done yet. I still have a few big things in the works – more info to come! NEW BOOK REVIEWS LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS Reviewed in “Muckraking Mountains of Manure: On Austin Frerick’s ‘Barons’” by Devin Thomas O’Shea Key Quote: “Each chapter of Frerick’s book is based on a tremendous amount of research, as well as anecdotal scenes of the author’s personal contacts with US agriculture. His prose is refreshingly accessible and nonacademic.” THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE Reviewed in “How American Agriculture Went Wrong” by Helen Andrews Key Quote: “Frerick is a staunch Democrat, but if there is one issue where the left and the populist right can make common cause, it’s farm policy… Conservatives should read Frerick’s book” ELECTRIC LIT Reviewed in “The Best Books of Spring 2024, According to Indie Booksellers” by Kelly Justice Key Quote: “Despite the dire subject matter, Frerick is able to inject moments of humor and ends the book with sincere hope for change in the future if we are willing to work together to make a difference.” SLOW FOODS UK Reviewed in “Rich, Powerful and Hiding In Plain Sight: The Robber Barons In Farming, Food and Retail” by Marianne Landzettel Key Quote: “The impact of these companies can be felt globally and makes the book essential reading.” UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS Referenced in “What Is “Big Ag,” and Why Should You Be Worried About Them?” by Karen Perry Stillerman Key Quote: “[Barons] illuminates some dark and shady corners of our food system, where companies you’ve heard of and others you surely haven’t operate in ways that ruthlessly seek profit at everyone else’s expense.” MARBLESEED Reviewed by Lori Stern Key Quote: “Although the vehicle of stories about each of these barons in turn is an interesting read, what I found most valuable was the final chapter where Frerick lays out a way forward.” NEW PRINT INTERVIEWS CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE Profiled in “Cedar Rapids Author Releases First Book on Corruption, Consolidation in American Food and Agriculture” by Elijah Decious Key Quote: “Most people know the food system isn’t working. They see food prices in the grocery store going up for no logical reason,” Frerick said. “The barons are reaping the profits and passing the cost on to us.” BITTMAN PROJECT Interviewed in “What are ‘Food Barons’— and Why Should You Care?” by Charlie Hope-DAnieri Key Quote: “The more concentrated a market is, the easier it is to gouge shoppers. I’d argue that there is no industry more concentrated than America’s food markets.” FOOD FIX Interviewed in “In Our Food Baron Era” by Helena Bottemiller Evich Key Quote: “Iowa is the canary in the coal mine for America” THE SLING Interviewed by Kate Conlow Key Quote: If you wrote a sequel, which barons would you include that didn’t make it into the book?” (read to find out 😊) NONPROFIT QUARTERLY Referenced in “Universal School Lunches Could Improve Children’s Nutrition and Help Local Farmers” by Janelle Carlson Key Quote: “In Barons, Frerick notes how the reliable contracts offered by schools would provide a lifeline for small local producers battered by monopoly markets for their products.” FOOD & ENVIRONMENT REPORTING NETWORK Interviewed in “Back Forty: Why Biden Won’t Get Credit for His Antitrust Effort in Farm Country” by Brent Cunningham Key Quote: “To my knowledge, there is no example in history where you deconcentrate a market by financing new entrants,” Frerick told me. “Many of these smaller operations won’t be able to get their products into grocery stores because all the slots go to the big guys.” NEW PODCAST INTERVIEWS ABC AUSTRALIA: LATE NIGHT LIVE Interviewed on “Laura Tingle’s Canberra and the Murky Business of Food Barons” by Phillip Adams Key Quote: “What is a farmer? All my Barons pretend to be farmers, but if you live at the Ritz-Carlton, are you a farmer, or are the undocumented men doing all the work on your operation the real farmers?” UCLA REPAST PODCAST Interviewed by “Who Isn’t Happy After a Good Meal? Austin Frerick and the Corruption of the Food Industry” by Michael T. Roberts Key Quote: “What is interesting about your narrative is that you appeal to people on different spectrums politically and that’s a rare achievement these days.” – Michael T. Roberts, Executive Director of the Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy at UCLA REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PODCAST Interviewed on “Episode 114: The State of the American Food System with Austin Frerick” by John Kempf Key Quote: “If we just remove the regulatory barriers….” – Host “[No.] You need to do the structural things first… JBS is not giving you an ounce of market share.” -Me STAND UP! WITH PETE DOMINICK Interviewed by Pete Dominick Key Quote: “I’ve not heard someone deliver to a conservative, right-wing, even MAGA audience the message you have and come across as well as you do” – Host Pete Dominick THE JIMMY MALONE SHOW Interviewed by Jimmy Malone Key Quote: “People don’t realize that these subdivisions strip the topsoil away during construction… you could do an ordinance where you have to leave some topsoil in place so people can grow their own food.” FARM TO TABLE TALK Interviewed by Rodger Wasson Key Quote: “To me, the story here is the collapse of the middle” THE MODERN ACRE Interview on “The Not-So-Secret Corruption of America’s Food System with Austin Frerick” by Tyler Nuss and Tim Nuss Key Quote: “We spend more on food than most Western democracies… We’re paying more for garbage.” FAIR HILL FARMSTEAD LIFE PODCAST Interviewed “#27: Author Austin Frerick on his Bestseller Book Barons – Exposing Titanic Greed and Monopoly in America’s Food Industry” by Judith Horvath UMFM 101.5: TURNING PAGES Interviewed by Matt McNeil SIRIUSXM MORNINGS WITH ZERLINA Interviewed by Zerlina Maxwell KPFA – UPFRONT Interviewed on “Austin Frerick on the Corruption of America’s Food Industry” by Brian Edwards-Tiekert NEW BOOK EXCERPTS FOODTANK Author of “Book Excerpt: Commodities and Consolidation” (this is an excerpt from my Grain Barons chapter) The Wall Street Farm Bill was precisely the sort of law that President Truman warned about in 1948. The sort of balance encouraged by the New Deal Farm Bill preserved economic stability and insulated farmers from fluctuations in prices. But the new law neutralized or eliminated all provisions that were designed to maintain balance. Instead, the Wall Street Farm Bill directed most of the subsidies to incentivize overproduction of a handful of key commodities, particularly corn and soy. Under the New Deal Farm Bill, a farmer faced with low corn prices could switch to another crop or even idle a portion of farmland in exchange for financial support. The new law removed any motivation to conserve land. Instead, farmers were encouraged to grow corn and soy whether prices were high or low, even on the most marginal land. Best as always, arf PS: If you are a writer interested in reviewing the book or an educator interested in teaching it, let me know. I’d be happy to send you a copy. |