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Why you should give a f*ck about farming: Because you eat
There is no farmers and others. If you eat or wear clothes, the decisions you make influence farming.
‘Eaters will be the ultimate arbiter of where and how food is grown and how the land is cared for … We all have a stake in the future of food and farming. I am going to show you why.’
Farming sits at the intersection of the world’s biggest challenges around climate change, soil, water, energy, natural disasters and zoonotic diseases. Yet Australia has no national food policy. No national agriculture strategy. Our water policy is close to the Hunger Games. People with means can shop at farmers’ markets and order brunch, by the provenance of their eggs, bacon, butter, tomatoes and greens. But do they really understand the trade-offs required to grow it?
In this book Gabrielle Chan examines the past, present and future of farming with her characteristically forensic eye. She lays out how our nation, its leaders, farmers and eaters can usher in new ways for us to work and live on our unique and precious land. We must forge a new social contract if we are to grow healthy food on a thriving landscape, while mitigating climate and biodiversity loss.
This important book will change your thinking about food, farming and how you eat.
‘Eaters will be the ultimate arbiter of where and how food is grown and how the land is cared for … We all have a stake in the future of food and farming. I am going to show you why.’
Farming sits at the intersection of the world’s biggest challenges around climate change, soil, water, energy, natural disasters and zoonotic diseases. Yet Australia has no national food policy. No national agriculture strategy. Our water policy is close to the Hunger Games. People with means can shop at farmers’ markets and order brunch, by the provenance of their eggs, bacon, butter, tomatoes and greens. But do they really understand the trade-offs required to grow it?
In this book Gabrielle Chan examines the past, present and future of farming with her characteristically forensic eye. She lays out how our nation, its leaders, farmers and eaters can usher in new ways for us to work and live on our unique and precious land. We must forge a new social contract if we are to grow healthy food on a thriving landscape, while mitigating climate and biodiversity loss.
This important book will change your thinking about food, farming and how you eat.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2021
35 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 26, 2022
Very occasionally, I read a work of nonfiction that shatters all I know. It's occasional because I tend to choose books that are on topics that I have some existing interest or knowledge in. I started
Why You Should Give A Fuck About Farming
by Gabrielle Chan thinking I had a reasonable grasp on the agriculture and water industry in Australia, sustainability and the impact of climate change. I was wrong.
This book expanded my thinking, threw light on aspects of farming and sustainability that I had not previously considered, and threw doubt on things that I had loosely held to be truths or relatively unchangeable parts of industry.
Chan begins by stating that if you eat, you have a stake in farming -
However, our largely city-dwelling population has become so removed from the production of food, that we do not understand the true 'cost' of food production, and more importantly don't see ourselves as implicated in, or responsible, for driving changes that would alter the way farming is done.
Farming sits at the intersection of the world’s biggest challenges around climate change, water, energy, and natural disasters. And yet, Australia has no national food policy, no national agriculture strategy, and a water policy that Chan describes as '...close to the Hunger Games' (this is the one bit of the book that I am across, and her description is accurate). This is a very complex problem, and Chan makes it clear that it needs innovative, strategic and collaborative solutions.
To give a snapshot of the complexities, consider the fact that the biggest input into agriculture is water, the cost of which is highly volatile (how can we plan in such a market? And what incentive is there for the adoption of new technology or practices, when changes are not enough to overcome seasonal changes in water price?); that food prices do not account for externalities such as the cost of environmental damage or migrant labour; and that the landscape will change again when large corporates have to manage carbon amelioration (will they buy up land to turn over, and to what?).
Chan points to the detrimental siloed approach of government policy around energy, agriculture, water, environmental protection, and food manufacturing, noting that '...politics and economics were originally organised around getting everyone fed...'. And yet, somehow politics and economics have lost sight of the long game. For example, c onsidering water as a mere commodity doesn’t make sense from a natural security or national security point of view. The same can be said for biodiversity or the importance of vibrant rural communities. If we fail to account for the environmental, social and economic issues of food production and water management, broader government policy (or lack thereof) will allow for the growth of conglomerate international farming businesses (who are driven by short-term economics).
I found the most fascinating part of the book was focused on food security and the security of supply chains (local and international). Chan notes that Australians import 90% of our fuel, and although we boast about 'producing most of our own stuff', our production is far from 'secure'. In fact, Australia is '...not food resilient'. I was astounded to learn that 75% of our food comes from just 12 plant and five animal species.
COVID and recent natural disasters have been effective at sharpening our attention to what happens if we can't get one particular thing. As Chan points out, COVID was also useful in illustrating that we '...don’t want an economy at all costs'. Perhaps the time is ripe for change. Perhaps people are willing to invest in the long game.
You want a book like this to finish with lots of reassuring answers (because honestly, I was feeling alarmed). Chan states that ultimately we must forge a new social contract that accounts for the true cost of farming (including ensuring that farmers earn a decent living), while mitigating climate and biodiversity loss. This is not a new concept but she goes further by providing specific examples, such as -
the idea that in the future, farmers are greater energy producers
a greater emphasis on transparency (meaning that the production process of food is part of the product - '...if farmers can’t stand behind the virtues of their food production processes they’ll fall behind.') and consumers demanding this transparency.
the importance of reinvesting in Australian agricultural research (we were once world leaders) - it would seem that there's enough at stake to fund organisations such as CSIRO to levels that they were in the past.
policy that crosses traditional government models.
4/5 Really important.
This book expanded my thinking, threw light on aspects of farming and sustainability that I had not previously considered, and threw doubt on things that I had loosely held to be truths or relatively unchangeable parts of industry.
Chan begins by stating that if you eat, you have a stake in farming -
Eaters will be the ultimate arbiter of where and how food is grown and how the land is cared for...
However, our largely city-dwelling population has become so removed from the production of food, that we do not understand the true 'cost' of food production, and more importantly don't see ourselves as implicated in, or responsible, for driving changes that would alter the way farming is done.
Farming sits at the intersection of the world’s biggest challenges around climate change, water, energy, and natural disasters. And yet, Australia has no national food policy, no national agriculture strategy, and a water policy that Chan describes as '...close to the Hunger Games' (this is the one bit of the book that I am across, and her description is accurate). This is a very complex problem, and Chan makes it clear that it needs innovative, strategic and collaborative solutions.
To give a snapshot of the complexities, consider the fact that the biggest input into agriculture is water, the cost of which is highly volatile (how can we plan in such a market? And what incentive is there for the adoption of new technology or practices, when changes are not enough to overcome seasonal changes in water price?); that food prices do not account for externalities such as the cost of environmental damage or migrant labour; and that the landscape will change again when large corporates have to manage carbon amelioration (will they buy up land to turn over, and to what?).
Chan points to the detrimental siloed approach of government policy around energy, agriculture, water, environmental protection, and food manufacturing, noting that '...politics and economics were originally organised around getting everyone fed...'. And yet, somehow politics and economics have lost sight of the long game. For example, c onsidering water as a mere commodity doesn’t make sense from a natural security or national security point of view. The same can be said for biodiversity or the importance of vibrant rural communities. If we fail to account for the environmental, social and economic issues of food production and water management, broader government policy (or lack thereof) will allow for the growth of conglomerate international farming businesses (who are driven by short-term economics).
I found the most fascinating part of the book was focused on food security and the security of supply chains (local and international). Chan notes that Australians import 90% of our fuel, and although we boast about 'producing most of our own stuff', our production is far from 'secure'. In fact, Australia is '...not food resilient'. I was astounded to learn that 75% of our food comes from just 12 plant and five animal species.
COVID and recent natural disasters have been effective at sharpening our attention to what happens if we can't get one particular thing. As Chan points out, COVID was also useful in illustrating that we '...don’t want an economy at all costs'. Perhaps the time is ripe for change. Perhaps people are willing to invest in the long game.
The sheer specialness of our environment which might swell the chest with nationalist pride if it were a sporting team or an opera house, is hard to comprehend.
You want a book like this to finish with lots of reassuring answers (because honestly, I was feeling alarmed). Chan states that ultimately we must forge a new social contract that accounts for the true cost of farming (including ensuring that farmers earn a decent living), while mitigating climate and biodiversity loss. This is not a new concept but she goes further by providing specific examples, such as -
the idea that in the future, farmers are greater energy producers
a greater emphasis on transparency (meaning that the production process of food is part of the product - '...if farmers can’t stand behind the virtues of their food production processes they’ll fall behind.') and consumers demanding this transparency.
the importance of reinvesting in Australian agricultural research (we were once world leaders) - it would seem that there's enough at stake to fund organisations such as CSIRO to levels that they were in the past.
policy that crosses traditional government models.
4/5 Really important.
Read
April 19, 2023DNF
October 16, 2022
This is a broad and nuanced exploration of the many many factors that go into agriculture and farming in Australia. Chan explores this well, bringing in a range of perspectives that contribute to this topic which ensure you cannot read this book and still have a simplistic view of farming.
Chan’s personal connection and motivation for writing this book is a driving force behind its production and the early chapters ground this topic really well in cultural experiences of food. I do wish this had continued a bit more in the later chapters which were more heavily focused on agriscience and policy discussions. There is a lot of political and governance discussion here - which is fitting for the topic - but it makes the later chapters slightly less friendly and less grounded in the lived experience of farmers.
Overall this book really hammers home just how important strategic thinking for our food systems is if we want to ensure a sustainable planet for current and future generations. It is absolutely bonkers that we don’t have a national food strategy and it is my hope that more thinking like Chan’s gets its way into decision making spaces when considering how Australians will eat in decades to come.
Chan’s personal connection and motivation for writing this book is a driving force behind its production and the early chapters ground this topic really well in cultural experiences of food. I do wish this had continued a bit more in the later chapters which were more heavily focused on agriscience and policy discussions. There is a lot of political and governance discussion here - which is fitting for the topic - but it makes the later chapters slightly less friendly and less grounded in the lived experience of farmers.
Overall this book really hammers home just how important strategic thinking for our food systems is if we want to ensure a sustainable planet for current and future generations. It is absolutely bonkers that we don’t have a national food strategy and it is my hope that more thinking like Chan’s gets its way into decision making spaces when considering how Australians will eat in decades to come.
February 12, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, probably because the author distilled information down, so it was understandable and meaningful
From the pressure on the workforce to the duopoly of big supermarkets to the weather, there is so much to farming.
I think this was well worth the read.
From the pressure on the workforce to the duopoly of big supermarkets to the weather, there is so much to farming.
I think this was well worth the read.
April 9, 2022
An insightful, personal and passionate analysis of what a lack of political leadership and respect for nature and indigenous wisdom has done to the food system in Australia. Essential reading for anyone who eats (ie everyone).
April 19, 2023
an interesting critique on australia’s farming industry and policy, and a great jumping off point on the subject
October 7, 2021
A comprehensive and confronting look at food production in our country today.
If you eat and/or wear clothes, this is something that you absolutely need to be informed about. Ignorance is no defence and it's time for us all to step up, inform ourselves and take agency in what we put in our faces every day.
If you eat and/or wear clothes, this is something that you absolutely need to be informed about. Ignorance is no defence and it's time for us all to step up, inform ourselves and take agency in what we put in our faces every day.
January 25, 2022
The title may be a bit naff but this is a substantial and thought-provoking look at failures by Australian leaders from across the political spectrum in managing the food and water security of our nation and how this has come to a head with the 2019 bushfires followed promptly by the Covid pandemic. If ever there was a time for the public to embrace this it is now.
The author is a journalist and farmer's wife and explores the issues in a refreshingly non-partisan way, with a focus on how we can live, eat and farm sustainably. Her central tenet is that our highly urbanized population has become so removed from the production of food that we rarely think of it even though it is so intrinisic to our well-being. Chan posits that if the wider population fails to engage with the environmental, social and economic issues of food production and water management we are giving government a free pass (my paraphrase) to continue to transform Australia into a nation where farming is reduced to a small number of agribusinesses, mostly owned by international interests which care only for economics and not at all for the environment.
Sometimes her vision of Australia's food future seems decidedly dystopian - the idea of all of our food production being controlled by a duopoly along the lines of the supermarket duopoly sends shivers through me. Yet the book is not doom and gloom; it is a call to arms to all of us, the "eaters" of Australia to engage in these vital issues and exercise our political muscle on government so that positive changes can be made.
The book is meticulously researched and while I confess that some of the economics and details of farm management were over my head the heart of the message is communicated clearly.
This is a really important book - which probably won't be read by our political leaders, who seem not to care. So its up to us.
The author is a journalist and farmer's wife and explores the issues in a refreshingly non-partisan way, with a focus on how we can live, eat and farm sustainably. Her central tenet is that our highly urbanized population has become so removed from the production of food that we rarely think of it even though it is so intrinisic to our well-being. Chan posits that if the wider population fails to engage with the environmental, social and economic issues of food production and water management we are giving government a free pass (my paraphrase) to continue to transform Australia into a nation where farming is reduced to a small number of agribusinesses, mostly owned by international interests which care only for economics and not at all for the environment.
Sometimes her vision of Australia's food future seems decidedly dystopian - the idea of all of our food production being controlled by a duopoly along the lines of the supermarket duopoly sends shivers through me. Yet the book is not doom and gloom; it is a call to arms to all of us, the "eaters" of Australia to engage in these vital issues and exercise our political muscle on government so that positive changes can be made.
The book is meticulously researched and while I confess that some of the economics and details of farm management were over my head the heart of the message is communicated clearly.
This is a really important book - which probably won't be read by our political leaders, who seem not to care. So its up to us.
March 14, 2022
Indeed. You should be a subsistence serf or slave, according to your skin color, like so many generations before you. And let Chan and his gang drive you like cattle.
January 9, 2023
OK, so firstly an admission that it took me quite a while to work through this book. A couple of months in fact as I found myself reading a chapter, then stopping to contemplate what I had just read both in itself and in alignment to previous chapters, as the work is structured by sub themes under the main title. Whay you should give a f#ck about farming and all of the elements that go with it.
Is this therefore one of those works that this reader found thought provoking and emotional? Did it cause pause for reliction, contemplation or take time to reinstate given the words and opinions of the author? Or was it just blatant in its bias, boring and tiresome in its presentation or of such an opinionated stance that it was put aside in disgust or frustration?
The former.
I found it thought provoking, not to the point of changing my opinions, but at a level that created at times deep contemplation of my own actions, what my actions might become and at the absolute nieve stupidity of the of several Australian political decisions (which to be honest, I held going into this, but to which this added an additional layer of understanding in a couple of cases).
So, if you live in Australia, care about the physical country and care about how farming may be impacted for better or worse by your own decisions, well this would be worth a read. Be aware however that this is not a "how you can change the world for good" work. Rather, it presents views on the larger picture of how farming is conducted, what the future of farming may be and how that future will either likely be successful or detrimental.
Can you impact that? In a micro way, of course you can. Will you save the world? Of course you won't, but you'll journey through it with a greater appreciation and understanding of why you SHOULD give a f@ck about farming.
Is this therefore one of those works that this reader found thought provoking and emotional? Did it cause pause for reliction, contemplation or take time to reinstate given the words and opinions of the author? Or was it just blatant in its bias, boring and tiresome in its presentation or of such an opinionated stance that it was put aside in disgust or frustration?
The former.
I found it thought provoking, not to the point of changing my opinions, but at a level that created at times deep contemplation of my own actions, what my actions might become and at the absolute nieve stupidity of the of several Australian political decisions (which to be honest, I held going into this, but to which this added an additional layer of understanding in a couple of cases).
So, if you live in Australia, care about the physical country and care about how farming may be impacted for better or worse by your own decisions, well this would be worth a read. Be aware however that this is not a "how you can change the world for good" work. Rather, it presents views on the larger picture of how farming is conducted, what the future of farming may be and how that future will either likely be successful or detrimental.
Can you impact that? In a micro way, of course you can. Will you save the world? Of course you won't, but you'll journey through it with a greater appreciation and understanding of why you SHOULD give a f@ck about farming.
January 12, 2022
As I finished this book, I finally took a proper look at the cover image. In it, a tomato plant sits like it's just been yanked out of the earth. Every part is on display... roots, stem, leaf, flower, fruit; even a chunk of soil is hanging on.
In the agricultural culture wars, every general would have us believe their priorities are paramount. Farmers, scientists, politicians, activists and others want someone to make everything better for them, as though the tomato could ever prosper by ignoring the soil.
But what these commanders too often forget is that we all consume food; not by choice but by necessity. We're all linked in ways too many of us have forgotten, or simply never knew.
Chan's book is a knowledgeable stroll through every aspect of food production giving equal attention to old warlords and new players, and shows where choice (and the illusion of choice) is trumping outmoded necessities in a swiftly altering landscape.
Here you'll find how we really are just a few meals away from famine at any given time; and there's a considered analysis of the frustrating water governance problem Australia is experiencing right now. Chatting with experienced primary producers, economists and other commentators, and drawing on her own observations about life on a cropping operation, the bigger picture comes into view with a few unexpected flourishes in addition to some very bad news.
The message is that things cannot be 'business as usual', and there is much at stake, but Chan lays out a farming manifesto that is at least reasonable to consider. The challenge will be laying down the old weapons and simply learning to share the true costs of food production.
In the agricultural culture wars, every general would have us believe their priorities are paramount. Farmers, scientists, politicians, activists and others want someone to make everything better for them, as though the tomato could ever prosper by ignoring the soil.
But what these commanders too often forget is that we all consume food; not by choice but by necessity. We're all linked in ways too many of us have forgotten, or simply never knew.
Chan's book is a knowledgeable stroll through every aspect of food production giving equal attention to old warlords and new players, and shows where choice (and the illusion of choice) is trumping outmoded necessities in a swiftly altering landscape.
Here you'll find how we really are just a few meals away from famine at any given time; and there's a considered analysis of the frustrating water governance problem Australia is experiencing right now. Chatting with experienced primary producers, economists and other commentators, and drawing on her own observations about life on a cropping operation, the bigger picture comes into view with a few unexpected flourishes in addition to some very bad news.
The message is that things cannot be 'business as usual', and there is much at stake, but Chan lays out a farming manifesto that is at least reasonable to consider. The challenge will be laying down the old weapons and simply learning to share the true costs of food production.
October 24, 2021
As someone who was born opposite cattle sale yards, who grew up helping on chook farms and hanging out on dairy and goat farms, I thought I already did know and care about farming. I was wrong! There is so much more to the picture, with farming facing unique and evolving threats: globalisation, corporate economics, landcare issues, climate change, changing consumer demands, and more. Farmers’ risks are growing as the returns are dwindling.
The subtitle of this book is “because you eat”, meaning we, as consumers, have responsibility, and some complicity, in the farmer’s predicament. If we want produce grown on environmentally friendly farms that also provide (at least) a decent return to the farmer, we have to accept the price of that. Veteran journalist and tree-changer Gabrielle Chan sees both sides of the rural-urban divide, and her book is a thorough, lively and compelling conversation-starter that engages and delivers much more than I expected. It makes the poltical, economic and social points succinctly without boring the reader, and it introduced me to new generation of farmers who are on the cutting edge of sustainable production. Readers of Matthew Evans' "Soil" will find it extends some of that book's arguments beyond food nutrition/flavour and environmental regeneration, into more socio/economic areas, but will have a similar effect on your consumer behaviour. Both books are essential reading for thoughtful people who eat food.
The subtitle of this book is “because you eat”, meaning we, as consumers, have responsibility, and some complicity, in the farmer’s predicament. If we want produce grown on environmentally friendly farms that also provide (at least) a decent return to the farmer, we have to accept the price of that. Veteran journalist and tree-changer Gabrielle Chan sees both sides of the rural-urban divide, and her book is a thorough, lively and compelling conversation-starter that engages and delivers much more than I expected. It makes the poltical, economic and social points succinctly without boring the reader, and it introduced me to new generation of farmers who are on the cutting edge of sustainable production. Readers of Matthew Evans' "Soil" will find it extends some of that book's arguments beyond food nutrition/flavour and environmental regeneration, into more socio/economic areas, but will have a similar effect on your consumer behaviour. Both books are essential reading for thoughtful people who eat food.
December 28, 2022
Gabrielle Chan provides a passionate analysis of farming in Australia, exploring and revealing how intertwined farming is with the choices of eaters, the ups and downs of the finance market, the women’s of international actors, the symbiotic relationship between farming and the environment.
Farming is often being seen by some in our society as just another industry to invest in and profit from, however, it is different from nearly every other industry in that it provides us with sustenance and nourishment and is inherently important for our individual and community well-being. This is a point highlighted by Chan and she puts forward the argument about what we as eaters value in farming and from the food that we put on our plates.
Progressively through the book Chan builds an argument for a national framework for food policy that caters to the needs of the environment, the eater, and the farmer. Chan makes a compelling case that to achieve the environmental and water outcomes for a sustainable environment and to build a prosperous and sustainable food industry we need look at an all-encompassing and joined-up policy approach with all stakeholders joining the conversation and sitting at the table.
This is a fantastic read and highly recommend it to people curious to learn more about how their food reaches their pantry, the challenges and head-winds faced by farmers and the industry, and a glimpse into what must be done to build a resilient and sustainable farming industry.
Farming is often being seen by some in our society as just another industry to invest in and profit from, however, it is different from nearly every other industry in that it provides us with sustenance and nourishment and is inherently important for our individual and community well-being. This is a point highlighted by Chan and she puts forward the argument about what we as eaters value in farming and from the food that we put on our plates.
Progressively through the book Chan builds an argument for a national framework for food policy that caters to the needs of the environment, the eater, and the farmer. Chan makes a compelling case that to achieve the environmental and water outcomes for a sustainable environment and to build a prosperous and sustainable food industry we need look at an all-encompassing and joined-up policy approach with all stakeholders joining the conversation and sitting at the table.
This is a fantastic read and highly recommend it to people curious to learn more about how their food reaches their pantry, the challenges and head-winds faced by farmers and the industry, and a glimpse into what must be done to build a resilient and sustainable farming industry.
September 27, 2021
This is a refreshing and vital read.
I try to be an optimistic person so won't delve too deeply into my take-aways, preferring to leave that opinion forming to the next person that picks this up.
Chan has done a marvellous job of weaving together all the considerations that should be brought to the table when thinking about how to supply healthy food from land that is cared for while supporting local communities. Highlighting the interconnectedness and urgency only strengthens her arguments.
Whether you're a consumer or a supplier or both, everything included between these covers is stuff you should care about. We've all got skin in the game.
I try to be an optimistic person so won't delve too deeply into my take-aways, preferring to leave that opinion forming to the next person that picks this up.
Chan has done a marvellous job of weaving together all the considerations that should be brought to the table when thinking about how to supply healthy food from land that is cared for while supporting local communities. Highlighting the interconnectedness and urgency only strengthens her arguments.
Whether you're a consumer or a supplier or both, everything included between these covers is stuff you should care about. We've all got skin in the game.
November 9, 2021
Farming in Australia has been undergoing drastic change over my lifetime and I suspect most people are not aware of those changes and their implications, but we all should be. For good or bad we are all affected by how land is managed and this is something we should all be informed about it. We all should understand the practicalities and economics of food production and we should all be willing to make informed choices when it comes to what we eat and wear. This is a great read, accessible, informative, direct sometimes even funny. "There is no farmers and others. If you eat or wear clothes, the decisions you make influence farming."
December 30, 2021
A really important book that thoughtfully explains the role we all play in agriculture, and the way society outsources many of its most head-scratching problems to farmers.
The book is full of relatable, personal stories that help to explain complicated concepts of science and economics.
My one criticism is that, in parts, the book assumes the reader has quite an advanced understanding of market factors (inflation, currency values) and their effect on producers and consumers. In a few instances Chan wrote (paraphrased) "because of X market factor, farmers are forced to do Y", which went totally over my head.
The book is full of relatable, personal stories that help to explain complicated concepts of science and economics.
My one criticism is that, in parts, the book assumes the reader has quite an advanced understanding of market factors (inflation, currency values) and their effect on producers and consumers. In a few instances Chan wrote (paraphrased) "because of X market factor, farmers are forced to do Y", which went totally over my head.
March 27, 2022
A little disappointed with this one. Had a lot of potential but after convincing me to give a fuck, it was light on with what I should actually do about it. Understand it is a very complex issue and there aren't definitive solutions, but some basic actions that we at the eating end can take to try to improve the situation would have been great.
June 19, 2022
Insightful and definitely enjoyed that it was written for an Australian audience. But as an individual who lives quite consciously to begin with there wasn't all that much to absorb from it. I'd definitely recommend this so people who are looking at getting into farming, about where their food comes from and want to change their eco footprint.
February 26, 2023
Super broad view of the oh so so so many ways farming and food production is critical to our future. A chapter starts with the topline perspectives and then deep dives into the nuance... corporations, world views, geopolitical pressures, local laws, it goes on. I loved this, and learnt a lot. If you eat food and live in Australia you should read it!
May 18, 2023
Very relevant and should be read by anyone who cares about sustenance living in modern Australia.
The fact that the author was not raised as a farmer, rather in Sydney with no connection to agriculture (expect as an "eater"), provides a very important perspective once she was thrown into the world of farming.
The fact that the author was not raised as a farmer, rather in Sydney with no connection to agriculture (expect as an "eater"), provides a very important perspective once she was thrown into the world of farming.
November 22, 2021
Important book as an Australian right now.
Eaters and farmers are inexorably linked.
Eaters and farmers are inexorably linked.
March 17, 2022
Thought provoking read. Action is needed now!
June 26, 2022
A real eye-opener.
July 22, 2025
Enlightening.
The topic is well covered from various angles, as you would expect from a professional journalists.
The topic is well covered from various angles, as you would expect from a professional journalists.
October 16, 2025
Bit basic and boring. Tried to read it three different times, couldn't get 100 pages each time. Tried skipping ahead but to no avail.
July 25, 2023
This book was an insightful look into the big world of farming in Australia. I enjoyed learning about the bigger political issues around farming in our country and how to live consciously with farmers in mind. The author does a good job of addressing the big issues around climate change, sustainability, and how farmers play an integral role in positive change.
I did find it quite political in nature (and repetitive, especially towards the end of the book) which the ‘eaters’ that read this book may find a little over their heads. I also found it a little light on specific strategies that readers could implement for positive change, but overall Chan addressed some very important topics and how farming consciously has the ability to spark radical change. Well done!
I did find it quite political in nature (and repetitive, especially towards the end of the book) which the ‘eaters’ that read this book may find a little over their heads. I also found it a little light on specific strategies that readers could implement for positive change, but overall Chan addressed some very important topics and how farming consciously has the ability to spark radical change. Well done!
January 28, 2025
It’s so frustrating how much we talk about farmers as a country, but don’t get into the weeds of farming itself. Gabrielle Jackson lays out all the shortcomings of Australia’s approach to a national food strategy (or lack thereof), and how political and cultural ideologies and identity have left us in this position. A really important read to continue the push for strategic change to reach a better future for all.
June 9, 2023
Wonderful.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews