Austin Frerick ’12, Island Press, March 2024
Frerick notes, “This book (especially my slaughter baron chapter) stems from two MAPs I did at Grinnell with the late Jean Ketter and Tim Werner.” In Barons, Frerick explores the story of seven corporate titans, their rise to power, and the consequences. From the global coffee industry to grain businesses, Frerick chronicles the monopolies and ubiquitous corruption that define American food, and traces how the deregulation of the American food industry has brought about the consolidation of wealth in the hands of few to the detriment of neighborhoods, livelihoods, and democracy itself. Frerick also shows a different path is possible, by illustrating how taking back power from the barons could foster a fair, healthy, and prosperous food industry.