Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat

Forbes journalist Sorvino debuts with an in-depth study of the forces roiling the meat industry. Though the Covid-19 pandemic stoked fears of a nationwide meat shortage, Sorvino argues the problem goes back nearly 50 years. In the 1970s, the USDA subsidized agribusiness in America, stacking the odds against small-scale operations, and a wave of consolidation that began in the 1980s has resulted in a handful of companies controlling most of the beef, poultry, and pork industries. Soaring profits at Cargill, Tyson, JBS, and other conglomerates went to stock buybacks and corporate acquisitions, however, leaving plant workers to perform one of the most dangerous jobs in America for paltry wages. Sorvino also examines growing concerns over animal welfare and the environment, documents the challenges facing meat alternatives, and profiles activists including bison rancher Lucille Contreras, a member of the Lipan Apache Band of Texas whose Texas Tribal Buffalo Project “educates on healthy foods made using Indigenous techniques.” Ultimately, Sorvino advocates for “a patchwork of systems that prioritize communities and strengthen access to more nutritious, sustainably produced foods.” Though the book’s arcane legal and financial discussions are best suited to those with a background in the subject, this is a deeply informed and eye-opening call for change. (Dec.)