The Minnesota House Agriculture Committee heard a presentation from a controversial author, Austin Frerick, who wrote a book titled ‘Barons: Money, Power and Corruption of America’s Food Industry.’ Frerick contends farm policy makes healthy food expensive. Crop insurance was cited as an example. “It’s not crop insurance, it’s just a subsidy.” Consolidation was also addressed in his presentation to the lawmakers. “As ethanol slowly fades out, what are we going to do with all this land?” asked Frerick. “I want to put animals back on the land.” He contends locally-produced meat and dairy products taste better and support the local economy. “That to me is one of the best things we can do for rural communities: end these industrial manure factories.”
