Missouri Farmer's Anti-Pollan Rant

Requires some pretty specific knowledge to know if everything he says is right, but this guy has a point. Just as an example he says that un-caged pigs sometimes fatally sit on and/or eat their young, and turkeys allowed to roam free in the field can drown in a rainstorm because they look up. So the farmer builds a cage or builds a roof and pen because otherwise he takes a loss. I'm sure there are ways to prevent these deaths that Pollan would support, but they may be too expensive. The author's point though is that the "Industrial" farmer is not just an ignorant pawn of big business, but an expert with accumulated knowledge, problem solving skills, and a selfish interest in sustainability. And a bottom line.

Industrial farming practices may reduce quality/taste, and incur some moral cost (debatable--as organic practices do too, in terms of animals and in terms of human working conditions), but that doesn't really matter if you can't afford the alternative. Quantity is more of a concern for society as a whole.

This makes me think of the Anthony Bourdain quip: vegetarianism is a first-world luxury. The point being that (cheap) meat is fundamental to many cultures and unawareness/dismissal of that is more of an attack than some vegetarians realize.

This isn't meant to be a fair statement, and I don't totally agree because there are obvious exceptions, but there's some truth to it. To give you an idea of his views he also says that he doesn't care where the food comes from as long as it tastes good, and that the role of the chef is to maximize the pleasure of the meal. He also often describes himself as unapologetically self-serving, so you could say he's just trying to drum up interest in his show (which I don't watch by the way, but I'm a fan of Les Halles and think he's an interesting writer. I also think his newfound celebrity status is at odds with his ethos.) (See Bourdain's google talk and salon interview.)

These guys are coming from totally different places--professor/writer/moralist, farmer, chef--and each has something to contribute to the debate (not to mention an agenda).