The Conquest of Bread: 150 Years of Agribusiness in California

Walker, a Geography professor at UC Berkley and co-author of The Capitalist Imperative, has written an all-encompassing study of one of California's main cash cows outside the silver screen and dot-coms--food. Methodical and meticulous, he examines key aspects of the state's agriculture industry, delving deep into its history and patiently setting forth explanations of its inner workings. With its 200-plus crops and substantial canned goods business, California is king among the states in production and revenue for both farming and food processing. After introducing this landscape of abundance, Walker discusses the essential components of California's agribusiness: laborers, growers and landowners; the land and its products; machines and biotechnology; and marketing and capital. He explores each topic systematically, providing a chronological view of the industry's development, complete with details about the state's rich historical background. More than a few charts and graphs accompany the text, but Walker's writing is rarely technical or overly academic. Though much has been written about farming in California, Walker's command of that literature and the relevant statistics allows him to present a comprehensive overview of California's thriving agribusiness.