The Financial Transformation of Agribusiness and Food Supply
What you find on the plate at your favorite restaurant is only the final step in the massive global food supply chain. While there are still some mom and pop farms that deliver fresh products directly to stores and restaurants, the reality of the food industry is that it has become an enormous, corporate business. Agribusiness has transformed from an individual-based system to one owned and controlled by investors and shareholders. Part of what this means is that the system of food production and delivery, from tomatoes to steaks to hot pockets, is dedicated to profits and the bottom line. Depending on your point of view, this could be either a good or bad thing. A focus on profits means that money triumphs people, with jobs being lost and farms being shut down. It also means that men and women in business suits in New York, London, or Dubai are more likely to be making decisions about what goes on your plate than your local farmer does. Investors are the ones who dri...