"At least 100 years ago, the last robber barons, we got nice libraries out of it. This one, it's like, 'Oh, what is the family using its money for? To gut public education via charter school networks?' It's kind of Machiavellian–it's Machiavellian in a really sad way."
This week on the show, a conversation with Austin Frerick, the author of Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry. Frerick uncovers the sometimes shocking facts about seven large companies who play an outsized role in our nation's food system. From "Hog Barons" to "Coffee Barons," to Indiana's own "Dairy Barons," Fair Oaks Farm, Frerick breaks down what's gone wrong and where we might go from here.
Music on this episode
The Earth Eats theme music is composed by Erin Tobey and performed by Erin and Matt Tobey.
Additional music on this episode from Universal Production Music.
Credits:
The Earth Eats’ team includes: Eoban Binder, Alexis Carvajal, Alex Chambers, Mark Chilla, Toby Foster, Luann Johnson, Leo Paes, Daniella Richardson, Samantha Shemenaur, Payton Whaley and we partner with Harvest Public Media.
Earth Eats is produced, engineered and edited by Kayte Young. Our executive producer is Eric Bolstridge.
