Wetherington has decades of experience as a historian and is currently director of the Filson Historical Society in Kentucky. Here, he takes a broad historical look at the central role agriculture holds in life in the United States. He tracks his theme of “control, consolidation and chemicals” from precolonial America and Native American farming to the modern dominance of large farming businesses. Wetherington provides social, political, environmental, and economic contexts for his explications of the changing landscapes, crops, and farmers over the centuries, tracing the shift from family farms to corporate agribusiness. He concludes with a look to the future, offering ideas for changing industrial farming to help make it more equitable and sustainable. This thorough and elucidating work is filled with details and demographics about people, land, crops, and legislation. It will find its best audience with those with some knowledge and experience of agriculture but could be rewarding for casual readers who want to understand how American history and society are tied to the changing landscapes of agriculture.

Booklist

This is more than just a history of agriculture. Wetherington weaves farmers’ lives into the fabric of American history by exploring the myriad issues that make up farming itself, from the environment and labor to public policy and the economy. With clear writing and a narrative that moves quickly, this is a book to either read straight through as one compelling American story, or to use as a reference to any single part of the farming story.

James C. Giesen, Professor, Mississippi State University and Fellow of the Agricultural History Society