Label
All
0
Clear all filters

Counterculture

Appears in
Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America

By Andrew F. Smith

Published 2004

  • About

Great strides were made in American agriculture during the twentieth century, but with progress came protest. As farming and food processing became more centralized, mechanized, and chemically enhanced, some Americans voiced concerns about the quality, safety, and palatability of the food supply. The food counterculture, best described by Warren Belasco in his book Appetite for Change: How the Counterculture Took on the Food Industry, 1966–1988, included a broad cross section of individuals and groups opposed to corporate agriculture, corporate manufacturing of food, and per-ceived government protection and subsidy of corporate food producers. Many participants in the counterculture eschewed foods processed with additives. They also avoided fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats that had been grown or prepared for market with chemicals. The question became, What steps can be taken to produce and distribute a chemical-free food supply? The counterculture answers were communes, urban gardens, food cooperatives, greenmarkets, and organic farming.

In this section

Part of

The licensor does not allow printing of this title