The High Cost of Cheap Labor

At least half of all farmworkers in the United States are undocumented Mexican immigrants. And “documentation” often dictates inclusion in a guest-worker program that’s been compared to slavery. Americans avoid these jobs, yet elected a president who promised mass deportation. There’s a crisis brewing in our fields, and it’s about to get much, much worse.

Source: Modern Farmer
Published: Feb 21, 2017
Length: 12 minutes (3,189 words)

The Post-GMO Economy: Our Longreads Member Pick

For this week’s Longreads Member Pick, we’re excited to share early access to “The Post-GMO Economy,” a new story by Elizabeth Royte that will be published next week by Modern Farmer, in partnership with the Food and Environment Reporting Network.

Become a Longreads Member to receive the full story and support our service. You can also now buy Longreads Gift Memberships to send this and other great stories to friends, family or colleagues. 

Source: Modern Farmer
Published: Nov 28, 2013
Length: 6 minutes (1,700 words)

This Is What Humane Slaughter Looks Like. Is It Good Enough?

A visit to the Prather Ranch Meat Company in California, which prides itself on high standards for handling cattle. But what does that even mean?

“The phone in Prather’s modest beige office rings a lot. But when people call these days, it’s most often not to ask what the cows are fed, or if they’re on antibiotics or hormones, or how lushly and freely they range.

“It’s to confirm how peacefully they died.”

Source: Modern Farmer
Published: Apr 18, 2013
Length: 10 minutes (2,674 words)