Conquest of Bread

For over a century, California (CA) has been the world¿s most advanced agricultural zone, that not only out-produces every state in America, but also most countries. CA¿s landscape and Mediterranean climate have been manipulated and exploited to serve a modern business system. Here, Walker offers an overview of the agro-industrial system of production in CA, from farm to table. He lays bare the long evolution of each link in the food chain, showing how a persistent emphasis on...
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For over a century, California (CA) has been the world¿s most advanced agricultural zone, that not only out-produces every state in America, but also most countries. CA¿s landscape and Mediterranean climate have been manipulated and exploited to serve a modern business system. Here, Walker offers an overview of the agro-industrial system of production in CA, from farm to table. He lays bare the long evolution of each link in the food chain, showing how a persistent emphasis on productivity and growth allowed CA to outpace developments elsewhere in the U.S. He allows the reader to weigh the claims of both boosters and critics in the debate over the most extraordinary agricultural profusion in the modern world. Illustrations.