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A Precautionary Tale: How One Small Town Banned Pesticides, Preserved Its Food Heritage, and Inspired a Movement
Mals, Italy, has long been known as the breadbasket of the Tyrol. But recently the tiny town became known for something else entirely. A Precautionary Tale tells us why, introducing readers to an unlikely group of activists and a forward-thinking mayor who came together to ban pesticides in Mals by a referendum vote―making it the first place on Earth to accomplish such a feat, and a model for other towns and regions to follow.
For hundreds of years, the people of Mals had cherished their traditional foodways and kept their local agriculture organic. Their town had become a mecca for tourists drawn by the alpine landscape, the rural and historic character of the villages, and the fine breads, wines, cheeses, herbs, vegetables, and the other traditional foods they produced. Yet Mals is located high up in the eastern Alps, and the valley below was being steadily overtaken by big apple producers, heavily dependent on pesticides. As Big Apple crept further and further up the region’s mountainsides, their toxic spray drifted with the valley’s ever-present winds and began to fall on the farms and fields of Mals―threatening their organic certifications, as well as their health and that of their livestock.
The advancing threats gradually motivated a diverse cast of characters to take action―each in their own unique way, and then in concert in an iconic display of direct democracy in action. As Ackerman-Leist recounts their uprising, we meet an organic dairy farmer who decides to speak up when his hay is poisoned by drift; a pediatrician who engaged other medical professionals to protect the soil, water, and air that the health of her patients depends upon; a hairdresser whose salon conversations mobilized the town’s women in an extraordinarily conceived campaign; and others who together orchestrated one of the rare revolutionary successes of our time and inspired a movement now snaking its way through Europe and the United States.
A foreword by Vandana Shiva calls upon others to follow in Mals’s footsteps.
For hundreds of years, the people of Mals had cherished their traditional foodways and kept their local agriculture organic. Their town had become a mecca for tourists drawn by the alpine landscape, the rural and historic character of the villages, and the fine breads, wines, cheeses, herbs, vegetables, and the other traditional foods they produced. Yet Mals is located high up in the eastern Alps, and the valley below was being steadily overtaken by big apple producers, heavily dependent on pesticides. As Big Apple crept further and further up the region’s mountainsides, their toxic spray drifted with the valley’s ever-present winds and began to fall on the farms and fields of Mals―threatening their organic certifications, as well as their health and that of their livestock.
The advancing threats gradually motivated a diverse cast of characters to take action―each in their own unique way, and then in concert in an iconic display of direct democracy in action. As Ackerman-Leist recounts their uprising, we meet an organic dairy farmer who decides to speak up when his hay is poisoned by drift; a pediatrician who engaged other medical professionals to protect the soil, water, and air that the health of her patients depends upon; a hairdresser whose salon conversations mobilized the town’s women in an extraordinarily conceived campaign; and others who together orchestrated one of the rare revolutionary successes of our time and inspired a movement now snaking its way through Europe and the United States.
A foreword by Vandana Shiva calls upon others to follow in Mals’s footsteps.
240 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2017
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243 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 14, 2017
Completely thought I was going to hate on humanity in this book. And while Big Farm and their political co-horts were blood-boiling, the scrappy underdog was all about positivity. It didn't hurt that they won too, though the author is quick to point out that the fight isn't over, it's just changed. They got their way, but now have to make it thrive and stay vigilant.
Not only did the book have a story full of hope, it also has a step by step how-to replicate what they did. Granted, it's different for every area, but the basics apply everywhere. I fully expected to want to rage-throw my eReader across the room when I started reading, but I didn't. It was like a breath of fresh air every time I picked it up. If you are into sustainability and pro-organic, then THIS is the book for you.
It is what we need in the world right now. Hope, positivity and David concurring Goliath. Highly recommended. 5, hope-filled, stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Chelsea Green Publishing for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
Not only did the book have a story full of hope, it also has a step by step how-to replicate what they did. Granted, it's different for every area, but the basics apply everywhere. I fully expected to want to rage-throw my eReader across the room when I started reading, but I didn't. It was like a breath of fresh air every time I picked it up. If you are into sustainability and pro-organic, then THIS is the book for you.
It is what we need in the world right now. Hope, positivity and David concurring Goliath. Highly recommended. 5, hope-filled, stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Chelsea Green Publishing for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
December 3, 2020
Fascinating David and Goliath true story about a German-speaking town in the Italian Alps where just as people are beginning to rediscover their traditional food sources and techniques, commercial apple growers discover the region and bring along their damaging monoculture techniques that begin to poison the sensitive plants grown organically in that region, and also damage the tourist trade.
The author asks an interesting question: If these apples require so much artificial input (e.g. pesticides and herbicides) to survive, is it food? Or is it a food product? Tax credits for farming support the former, but not the latter, because farming is theoretically good for the land.
One would think that apples are pretty benign as an agricultural product goes, but because they are sold as an upscale product, the apples need to be perfect, and are sprayed up to 30 times per year (eek). The people who live in that rugged region have lived there for generations, and have found ways to wrest a living on those mountains, but watch as the butterflies and bees die and wonder what the overspray is doing to their kids and their cattle. They argue that it's fine for a landowner to do whatever he or she wants on his own land, but when that impinges on someone else's land, that's where their rights end. Through clever marketing pranks and smart legislation and good research, the townspeople manage to outwit the apple lobby and their pet politicians, and it is a joy to read.
The author asks an interesting question: If these apples require so much artificial input (e.g. pesticides and herbicides) to survive, is it food? Or is it a food product? Tax credits for farming support the former, but not the latter, because farming is theoretically good for the land.
One would think that apples are pretty benign as an agricultural product goes, but because they are sold as an upscale product, the apples need to be perfect, and are sprayed up to 30 times per year (eek). The people who live in that rugged region have lived there for generations, and have found ways to wrest a living on those mountains, but watch as the butterflies and bees die and wonder what the overspray is doing to their kids and their cattle. They argue that it's fine for a landowner to do whatever he or she wants on his own land, but when that impinges on someone else's land, that's where their rights end. Through clever marketing pranks and smart legislation and good research, the townspeople manage to outwit the apple lobby and their pet politicians, and it is a joy to read.
December 19, 2017
A strong and inspiring tale of a region coming together and defying powerful forces to rebuild their fraying social fabric and economic infrastructure. Hopefully their story can lead other communities to find their own solutions to the challenges of our day. We plan to invite the author to speak in our town.
April 26, 2021
Organic food, small villages in Italy, direct democracy in action . . . what's not to like? Maybe the author's love of puns, but they can be withstood given the important example this book shares about what is possible in shaping a future we want to live with and leave to our children.
January 26, 2019
A Precautionary Tale has wonderful descriptions of the people and places of the South Tyrol. The author could have easily left out the pesticide story and kept it a nice little travel book. Instead, there’s a fascinating story about an underdog and also a fair amount of big agriculture/big chemical bashing.
The author uses the setting of picturesque Mals Italy to highlight a unique situation (but not that unique) where an outright pesticide ban was the prudent thing to do.
I can’t argue that a pesticide-free world would be ideal, and who doesn’t prefer local fresh food over the opposite? It is clearly the direction we should move as a society. Unfortunately, getting to a point where pesticides are no longer used is going to be tough and this book does little to acknowledge that it’s not just the power that the big chemical companies wield—it’s also the fact that our entire food supply chain is built for large-scale agriculture. Large scale agriculture doesn’t lend itself to organic food production very well.
Somehow the ideas in this book are idealistic malarkey and common sense at the same time. I really enjoyed it.
The author uses the setting of picturesque Mals Italy to highlight a unique situation (but not that unique) where an outright pesticide ban was the prudent thing to do.
I can’t argue that a pesticide-free world would be ideal, and who doesn’t prefer local fresh food over the opposite? It is clearly the direction we should move as a society. Unfortunately, getting to a point where pesticides are no longer used is going to be tough and this book does little to acknowledge that it’s not just the power that the big chemical companies wield—it’s also the fact that our entire food supply chain is built for large-scale agriculture. Large scale agriculture doesn’t lend itself to organic food production very well.
Somehow the ideas in this book are idealistic malarkey and common sense at the same time. I really enjoyed it.
January 7, 2018
This was an inspiring story of one little Italian town, known for its tourism and organic, artisanal foods they grew and produced, that banded together to change the way the region farmed food. They eventually banned the use of pesticides, including those used by the big apple producers that were polluting their own village fields as the result. The book is written not only as an account of this town's journey but as a guide for other communities to follow suit. It was very hopeful.
*I received an advance reading copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
*I received an advance reading copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
October 24, 2019
A suspenseful and intimate tale of a community rallying together to protect their pristine environment from the dangers of pesticide contamination. The South Tirol region of the Italian Alps is stunning and lush – and under threat from pesticide-heavy Big Apple. Despite being an ocean away, this book provides practical guidance for community organizing and raising awareness of the environmental and health dangers of pesticide-laden agriculture and gives solid alternatives that are both sustainable and delicious.
January 3, 2021
I really enjoyed the ethos of the book, and was captivated by the effort of the Malsians, I just was really confused by some of the narrative choices....but I'm a linear writer when it's non fiction. So I want to give it 4 stars because the book gave me the warm and fuzzies and was a quick read, but I chose to be more discerning.
February 22, 2021
it felt uneven, and sporadically written. my biggest unease was the author's use of `big apple;` it felt biased and too projecting on the farmers in the valley. i am against the use of pesticides, but a more nuanced narration of the driving factors behind the use of pesticides and a cohercion towards their embrace needs to be established before attacking the status quo system.
September 2, 2023
I found this little gem in a street market and since I have finished the book I took for my travel, and I was curious... It is an easy reading and it brought memories of my days in the Alto Adige. It also tells the story of a group of people who fought opening the path for other towns/people to follow. Courage and synergies and creativity at its best
December 19, 2020
In a 200 pg book, it takes the author 100 pages to get to the reason why you are interested in this book, with lots of side quests, like a chapter on Otzi the Ice Man. In the end it was sort of anticlimactic but I guess that's authentic and real.
March 2, 2018
Read this book.
Very informative and hopeful. A page turner. Anyone that cares about the health of the planet and their own health should read this book.
Very informative and hopeful. A page turner. Anyone that cares about the health of the planet and their own health should read this book.
Read
March 22, 2023I could not slog through the incredibly superfluous writing in this. It could’ve used 60% less words and conveyed its meaning.
February 16, 2024
A good story for a hopeful future.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews