From community to commodity

The costs of big ag in Dodge County, Incorporated

Abstract

First paragraph:

In Dodge County, Incorporated, Sonja Trom Eayrs offers a compelling and deeply personal account of her rural Minnesota community’s transforma­tion under the weight of industrial agriculture. Her narrative arrives at a critical moment in national discourse, as concentrated animal feeding opera­tions (CAFOs) and the corporatization of agricul­ture increasingly draw scrutiny. As both an attorney and environmental advocate, Eayrs documents the environmental degradation, public health crises, and erosion of democratic processes that have accom­panied the rise of corporate agriculture in Dodge County. Her work is especially relevant to readers of this journal, as it weaves together themes of agricultural practice, food systems, and community development. . . .