The End of Agriculture in the American Portfolio

Rating:
Summary: Long on Conventional Wisdom, Short on Practical Utility
Review: Blank has succeeded in delivering a witty take on the neo-classical economic argument in favor of international trade. Simply put, this argument says that there are gains to trade, and that nations, much like individuals, will focus on what they are good at or most productive at doing. As a result, all of the resources available to them will be funneled into those things that the individual/nation is good at so as to optimally maximize profit. However, in his exposition, Blank fails to take his arguments one step further- he only takes his arguments as far as the conventional neo-classical economic theory will allow him to go.

For example, Blank argues that America will leave agriculture simply because it is more profitable, and much less of a headache, to do other things that would make for a better, if not wiser, use of our resources. This would imply that ultimately the decision to leave agriculture, albeit made with considerable hand-wringing, hesitation, and consternation, is in the end a voluntary one. In Blank's clear-cut, black-and-white neo-classical economic universe, eventually multinational corporations win, farmers lose, private lenders beat a hasty retreat, retailers walk away smiling, consumers remain happily ignorant of all things agricultural, and the government is left footing the bill (and looking pretty stupid to boot). As such, he does a pretty good job of introducing most of the players in US agriculture- the farmer (large and small), the agribusinesses, the lenders, retailers, government entities- and paints a compelling though conventional picture as to why America will abandon agriculture for more profitable and less problematic economic endeavors.

However, there are several problems with his argument. Politics aside, it is unlikely that America will abandon agriculture entirely; pockets of resistance continue to form, and some profit-maximizing and optimally resource allocating types of modern, conventional agriculture will remain. Throwing the politics of agriculture in the mix, we must remind ourselves that literally billions of dollars chase American agriculture, and all participants, from multinational corporations to farmers and the government have a vested interest in keeping the money flowing. Furthermore, while Blank argues that jobs and income lost due to a shift out of agriculture will be offset by the introduction of high skill, high wage endeavors such as the internet and telecommunications(one can date this book and glean its utility by that last comment), the truth is that in many instances, once the Ag jobs and income leave, nothing comes along to fill the void created by the flight of agriculture from the region. Finally, Blank commits the unforgiveable faux-paus of underestimating the increasingly aware and concerned consumer, a powerful and influential force/foe whom he stereotypically paints as being a motley of passive, uninterested couch potatoes whose only desire is for fast, cheap, and convenient agricultural products.

In the end, Blank should be commended for his effort to introduce this economic problem child to the general public; however, astute readers must note that there is more to this story than Blank would care to present. In conclusion, although we can not safely say that American agriculture in general will go the way of the dinosaur in the forseeable future (if ever), we can say that it will remain a problematic economic endeavor and a highly charged headache for all parties involved.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but an overgeneralization
Review: This is a very interesting and thought-provoking book. For viticulturalists and stone fruit and citrus producers in the San Joaquin Valley, I have no doubt that the data presented in this book are very relevant. Those of us who make our livings in associated enterprises should be looking for ways to hedge our bets and diversify. My biggest criticism is that data gathered primarily from California and, to a lesser degree, other states in the region, are used to predict the course of "American agriculture". One of the main premises was that agricultural production is labor-intensive and requires large capital investments in land. Compared to horticultural crops in California, Midwestern row crops and wheat production in the US Plains states are very different. The improvement required to plant wheat is very different that that required for an almond orchard, and of course most operations in the Midwest and Plains are much more automated compared to California agriculture.