Eric Schlosser’s Unanswered Question

In a 1,500-word diatribe against large-scale agriculture in the April 29 Washington Post, Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser gets to the point at about word 1,475. “The wealthy,” he proclaims, “will always eat well.”

Yes, the wealthy can always afford the pricey, organic food from boutique farms that Schlosser favors. The problem is feeding the rest of us at a price we can afford. And, while the author-activist never addresses that question directly, pork producers know the answer. All the farming methods Schlosser promotes—organic, free-range, local and more—can flourish in the United States. But modern, large-scale farming is the only realistic way to produce the food the world needs in a safe, affordable and sustainable manner.