Breaking Down the Barons: A Deep Dive into America's Food System with Austin Frerick
Hi, y’all! Johanna here from the TX Soil Sisters.
( The podcast media player is below w/ links to things we talk about. Or listen here.)
This is the fifth in a series of podcasts that we recorded from the 2025 Southern Family Farmers and Food Systems conference at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, on August 4-5.
SFFFS is hosted by our friends at Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance and Small Producers Initiative.
This Soil Sisters podcast features Austin Frerick, an author and expert on agriculture and antitrust policy, discussing his book 'Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry.'
I’ve been so excited to meet Austin and have this conversation where we unpack [some of] the corruption and complexities of the American food system. And pairing them with solutions to break us free from the current big food model that’s not good for farmers, consumers (you), animals, nature…nobody but the Barons and their minions.
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Island Press, IndieBound, Prairie Lights, Raygun, River Lights or Swamp Fox
For tips, feel free to email or message via Signal at AustinFrerick.
If you’d like to use the book in a class, you can request an exam copy at islandpress.org/request-exam-copy.
Encourage your organization to ask info@islandpress.org for details about a discounted bulk purchase.
Austin emphasizes the power of our individual (and collective) voices to usher in substantial food system reform through our local and institutional channels like schools and hospitals, to rekindle traditional farming practices, and create resilient agricultural communities.
Happy farming and healthy living, y’all. Together, we got this.
Jo (and Crystal) ❤️
P.S. Receive Our TX Soil Sisters Newsletter by Signing Up Here. And Join Our Co-Op Here. 🙌
Austin Frerick on Soil Sisters Podcast at Southern Family Farmers and Food Systems Conference 2025
MEET OUR GUEST: Austin Frerick is an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. In 2024, he published his debut book, entitled Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry. The book, which includes a forward by Eric Schlosser, profiles a series of powerful magnates to illustrate the concentration of power in the global food system.
Frerick previously worked at the Open Markets Institute, the U.S. Department of Treasury, and the Congressional Research Service before becoming a Fellow at Yale University. He is a 7th generation Iowan and 1st generation college graduate, with degrees from Grinnell College and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He also serves on the Board of Directors as Vice President for Common Good Iowa and as Treasurer for the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project. In 2022, The Advocate named him a "Champion of Pride.” He has been quoted in The New York Times, National Geographic, Bloomberg, Politico, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post, among others.
listen to the Podcast
💚 Our Sponsors walk the walk & talk the talk. 💚
✨ @drinktejastonic - The official beverage of the TX Soil Sisters ✨
When you buy Tejas Tonic you’re supporting a Texas farm that's vertically integrated into Texas-made products. The hemp for this blissful bevvy is organically farmed in the Texas Hill Country. Enjoy 15% off Tejas Tonic w/ code: SISTERS at checkout 💰
⚡️ @b_pelectric - The Soil Sisters Podcast is powered by B&P Electric ⚡️
Whether you’re building, remodeling, installing low-voltage landscape lighting, or in need of an inspection. B&P is your central Texas electrical contractor. Tell ‘em the Soil Sisters sent you. 😎
Post-Show Soil Sisters Selfie w/ Austin!
Time Stamps
00:00 Welcome to Soil Sisters Podcast
00:45 Introducing Austin Frerick
01:18 The Broken Food System
02:22 The Importance of Traditional Farming
03:23 Challenges in the Food Industry
09:19 The Walmart Effect
13:32 The Power of Local Grocery Stores
21:07 The Impact of Checkoff Programs
30:25 The Ethanol Debate
34:12 The Farm Bill and Subsidies: Who Really Benefits?
35:16 The Monopoly on Chicken Genetics and Its Consequences
36:06 The Decline of Family Farms and Worker Conditions
37:36 The Impact of Monocropping and GMO Feed on Livestock
41:32 The Problem with Food Labels and Organic Standards
43:00 The American Food System vs. European Models
46:08 The Role of Government and Industry in Food Quality
48:52 The Future of Farming: Regenerative Practices and Policy Changes
01:04:06 The Illusion of Choice in the Food Market
01:07:02 Struggles of Minimum Wage Workers
01:08:25 The Hidden Costs of Convenience Foods
01:08:56 The Dollar General Dilemma
01:10:00 The Decline of Slaughterhouse Towns
01:13:49 The Exploitation in Chicken Farming
01:16:50 The Rise of Cisco
01:22:12 The Importance of Local Food Systems
01:24:28 The Impact of Poor Quality Food
01:28:23 The Problem with Cheap Imports
01:35:56 The Power of Passionate Industry Leaders
01:36:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Soil Matters Radio Hour on KLKT 107.9 FM, Radio Lockhart
If you live in Lockhart, you can catch the Soil Matters Radio Hour live each WEDNESDAY from 5-6p on KLKT 107.9. If you don’t live in Lockhart, you can listen to the livestream at KLKT.org.
