It is not hard to believe that big agribusiness is short-sighted and sacrifices the long term safety of the planet for profits. Rob Dunn explains how this happens, with big farms focusing on uniformity of product and maximizing efficiency. He explains how this leaves crops vulnerable to diseases and bio-terrorism. He argues that we would be much safer and better off if we kept farming a wide variety of different crops. He also explains how important it is for us to preserve the diversity of plants that exist already, because without that diversity, we will have no way to survive should we lose the ability to keep on farming the most popular crops. He starts with the example of bananas, and includes coffee, potatoes, cacao, rubber plants, wheat, and corn. He smuggles in a good amount of agricultural science, peppered with personal stories, business facts, sociology, and history, and makes the topic surprisingly interesting. The message is not new, since writers have been warning of the dangers of monocultures in farming for many years, but Dunn provides a detailed account of the issues. The writing flows well and Dunn makes his points forcefully. Dan Woren performs the unabridged audiobook with energy.

Link: Rob Dunn website

© 2017 Christian Perring

Christian Perring teaches business ethics in NYC.