This three-volume work examines all facets of the modern U.S. food system, including the nation's most important food and agriculture laws, the political forces that shape modern food policy, and the food production trends that are directly impacting the lives of every American family. * Examines a breadth of contemporary food controversies and offers diverse viewpoints on them, placing these perspectives fairly into a broader historical context * Presents a multidisciplinary approach to the subject of food that highlights related issues in transportation, business, diet and nutrition, public health, the environment, and public policy * Includes primary documents that illuminate important laws, policies, and perspectives on the environmental, public health, and economic impact of food * Provides readers with the latest information about food controversies as well as extensive resources for further study on major food controversies

Historically, the challenge for humans has been to secure a sufficient supply of food to stave off hunger and starvation. As a result, much of the research on food and agriculture in the past century has focused on issues related to production efficiency, food supply, and farm profitability.In recent years, however, farmers, agribusiness, policy makers, and academics have increasingly turned their attention away from the farm and toward the food consumer and to issues related to food consumption. This handbook provides an overview of the economics of food consumption and policy and isa useful reference for academics and graduate students interested in food economics and the consumer-end of the supply chain. It is also relevant to those employed in food and agricultural industries, policy makers, and activist groups. The first section covers the application of the core theoretical and methodological approaches of the economics of food consumption and policy. The second part concentrates on policy issues related to food consumption. Several chapters focus on the theoretical and conceptual issues relevant in foodmarkets, such as product bans, labeling, food standards, political economy, and scientific uncertainty. Additional chapters discuss policy issues of particular interest to the consumer-end of the food supply chain, such as food safety, nutrition, food security, and development. The final sectionserves as an introduction to particular issues and current topics in food consumption and policy.

The Food and Folklore Reader is the first comprehensive introduction to folklore methods and concepts relevant to food. Mapping the study of food through key sources in folkloristics, the forty readings span the entire discipline: from seminal works on identity and aesthetics, to innovative scholarship on contemporary food issues such as food security and culinary tourism. The book also features: - Expert commentary and comprehensive introductions to each of the book's five parts by renowned folklorist and food scholar Lucy M. Long - Global coverage, with examples from the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, Jewish and Filipino culture, and much more - Questions for discussion and suggestions for further reading - supporting learning and encouraging students to explore these ideas in their own work Definitive in scale and scope, this book defines the field of food and folklore for a new generation of students. An essential resource for all students in food studies, folklore studies, cultural studies, and anthropology.