We dive into the hidden environmental cost of modern agriculture, from sprawling farmland covering 40% of the planet to the $300 billion global subsidy system that rewards scale over sustainability.

Author Michael Grunwald unpacks why food production, not cities, is the biggest driver of deforestation, water use, and carbon emissions, and what technology, policy, and smarter incentives could do to change course. From lab-grown meat and AI-engineered crops to the surprising truth about “natural” farming, he challenges how we think about food, land, and climate.

Key topics:
•⁠  ⁠Why agricultural sprawl dwarfs urban sprawl
•⁠  ⁠The real impact of meat production
•⁠  ⁠Subsidies and the politics of farming
•⁠  ⁠Tech solutions: alternative proteins, gene editing, AI agriculture
•⁠  ⁠Policy vs. innovation — what actually moves the needle?
•⁠  ⁠How consumers can make a difference without perfection
•⁠  ⁠If we need 50% more food by 2050, how do we grow more without destroying more?

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