16 | Unit 3.3
Environmental Issues in Modern Agriculture
Hassanein, Neva. 1999. Changing the Way America
Farms: Knowledge and Community in the Sustain-
able Agriculture Movement. Lincoln, Nebraska:
University of Nebraska Press
Heffernan, William D., Mary Hendrickson, and
Robert Gronski. 1999. Consolidation in the Food
and Agriculture System. National Farmers Union:
http://www.nfu.org
Provides the clearest and most compelling
evidence of the concentrated economic
control that a small number of transnational
corporations have over the processing and
distribution of foodstuffs.Kegley, Susan, Lars Neumister, and Timothy Martin.
- Disrupting the Balance: Ecological Impacts of
Pesticides in California. San Francisco: Californians
for Pesticide Reform. http://www.igc.org/cpr/publications/
publications.html
Reports in considerable detail the continuing
impacts of agrochemicals on California’s
ecosystems.Kegley, Susan, Stephan Orme, and Lars Neumister.
- Hooked on Poison: Pesticide Use in California
1991–1998. San Francisco: Californians for Pesti-
cide Reform. http://www.igc.org/cpr/publications/publica-
tions.html
Drawing from California’s pesticide database,
reports patterns of pesticide use in the state by
chemical, crop, and county.Kimbrell, Andrew, ed. 2002. Fatal Harvest: The
Tragedy of Industrial Agriculture. Washington DC:
Island Press.
A coffee table-sized book with many short
essays and large photos describing the
environmental and social consequences of
our modern agricultural system. Provides
a thorough identification of the range of
consequences from this system. A lower-cost
version without photos has all the essays,
and would be an appropriate reader for
undergraduates.Kloppenburg, Jack. 1988. First the Seed: The Politi-
cal Economy of Plant Biotechnology. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
A brilliant historical analysis of seeds, plant
breeding, genetic diversity, and the appeal of
biotechnology to capitalism.Korten, David C. 2001. When Corporations Rule
the World. 1294 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, CT
06002, U.S.A.
A central text in the emerging global Living
Democracy Movements. Addresses the social
and environmental consequences of economic
globalization.Lockeretz, William, ed. 1997. Visions of American
Agriculture. Ames: Iowa State University Press.
A selection of writings by experts on social and
economic evolution in the agricultural sector.Miller, G. Tyler, Jr.. 1998. Living in the Environ-
ment. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Com-
pany.
Undergraduate-level textbook in environmental
science. Addresses prevalent environmental
issues including problems in modern
conventional agriculture and alternatives.National Research Council. 1989. Alternative Agri-
culture. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
This book was significant because of the
scientific legitimacy it accorded to the
emerging sustainable agriculture movement.
Its methodology was criticized by both
conventional and alternative agriculture
advocates. Although its findings and
recommendations are not particularly
provocative by today’s standards, it marked
an important milestone in efforts to promote
alternative approaches to production.—. 1993. Soil and Water Quality: An Agenda for
Agriculture. Washington DC: National Academy
Press.
Provides the most scientifically thorough
discussion of the soil and water conservation
challenges facing agriculture in the U.S.
Although written by scientists, its target
audience is policymakers. Clear and well-
organized.Pimentel, David, et al. 1993. Environmental and
economic impacts of reducing U.S. agricultural pes-
ticide use. In The Pesticide Question: Environment,
Economics, and Ethics, D. Pimentel and H. Lehman,
eds. New York: Chapman & Hall.Resources