Money, Power, and Corruption in the Food Industry with Austin Frerick

The American food system is under the control of a few elite power players. The economic dynamics of the food system not only shape our food culture, but also affect our health. Our guest this week is Austin Frerick, an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. He worked at the Open Markets Institute, the U.S. Department of Treasury, and the Congressional Research Service before becoming a Fellow at Yale University. Austin is the author of “Barons: Money, power, and the corruption of America’s food industry”. In his book and in this interview, he describes the stories of seven corporate barons who dominate the food industry, each representing structural issues within the system. We discuss the importance of the Farm Bill, its impact on production, and the monopolization of the industry that profits at the expense of both farmers and consumers. Learn more about Austin’s  work and this topic at https://www.austinfrerick.com/ or follow Austin @AustinFrerick on social media.