American Farms, American Food
A Geography of Agriculture and Food Production in the United States
By (author) John C. Hudson, Christopher R. Laingen
Not available to order
Publication date:
16 August 2016Length of book:
158 pagesPublisher
Lexington BooksISBN-13: 9781498508216
American Farms, American Food bridges the gap between agricultural production and food studies allowing readers to learn about both subjects up close and in detail. Beyond that, the book provides background on the domestication, breeding, and development of crop plants and livestock that have become the food we eat. Themes such as the family farm, local food production, organic agriculture, genetically modified crops, food imports, and commodity exports are developed in nine separate chapters. The chapters treat specific crops or livestock types from the point of view of both production and consumption, highlighting the changes that have taken place in both farming strategies and food preferences over the years.
Each chapter is illustrated with numerous maps, occasional tables, and figures, providing a visual and statistical context, along with a list of references. An instructor organizing a course along the topical lines of this text could use each chapter as a core reading, developing more comprehensive lectures and discussion to engage student learning. . . . This monograph is a welcome addition to my personal bookshelf. . . It should be especially useful for undergraduate courses in agricultural geography, but also as a general reference tool for those wanting a quick summary of patterns of agricultural production in the United States.