Empty Fields, Empty Promises - (Rural Studies) by Loka Ashwood & Aimee Imlay & Lindsay Kuehn & Allen Franco & Danielle Diamond

About the Book

"The right to farm, by name, is essential to the survival of us all as growers and eaters. Since the late 1970s, states across the nation have adopted so-titled right-to-farm laws to limit nuisance suits loosely related to agriculture. But since their adoption, there has yet to be a comprehensive analysis of what these laws do and who they benefit, not just what their title suggests. In the first national analysis and guide of its kind, this book uncovers that right-to-farm laws benefit the largest of operators, like processing plants, while traditional farmers win the least using such laws. Disfavored most of all are those seeking to defend their homes and environment against multinational corporations that use right-to-farm laws to strip neighboring owners of their property rights. Through what the book calls the midburden, right-to-farm laws dispossess the many in favor of the few, paving the path to rural poverty. Empty Fields, Empty Promises summarizes every state right-to-farm law to help interested readers track and navigate their local and regional legal landscape. The book concludes by offering paths forward for a more distributed and democratic agrifood system that achieves agricultural, rural, and environmental justice"--

Book Synopsis

The right to farm is essential to everyone's survival. Since the late 1970s, states across the nation have adopted so-called right-to-farm laws to limit nuisance suits loosely related to agriculture. But since their adoption, there has yet to be a comprehensive analysis of what these laws do and who they benefit. This book offers the first national analysis and guide to these laws. It reveals that they generally benefit the largest operators, like processing plants, while traditional farmers benefit the least. Disfavored most of all are those seeking to defend their homes and environment against multinational corporations that use right-to-farm laws to strip neighboring owners of their property rights. Through what the book calls the "midburden," right-to-farm laws dispossess the many in favor of the few, paving the path to rural poverty.

Empty Fields, Empty Promises summarizes every state's right-to-farm laws to help readers track and navigate their local and regional legal landscape. The book concludes by offering paths forward for a more distributed and democratic agrifood system that achieves agricultural, rural, and environmental justice.

Review Quotes

"[Empty Fields, Empty Promises] offers a compelling case to revisit or even abolish RTF laws in favor of policies empirically shown to support the reversal of consolidation in farming and strengthen rural community power over local environments and health. The introduction and conclusion chapters are particularly appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in Rural Sociology, Sociology of Food and Agriculture, and Rural Studies. In comparison, the remaining chapters focused on state-specific RTF details are useful for practitioners engaging with issues related to land and farming."--Contemporary Sociology

"A valuable contribution to the field of agricultural law and policy . . . [that] challenges us to rethink our approach to agriculture, rural development, and environmental justice. Through rigorous research, thoughtful analysis, and a commitment to community-centered solutions, the authors offer a compelling blueprint for reforming RTF laws and building a more equitable and sustainable food system."--H-Environment

About the Author

Loka Ashwood is associate professor of sociology at the University of Kentucky. Aimee Imlay is assistant professor of sociology at Mississippi State University. Lindsay Kuehn is a public defender in Ramsey County, Minnesota, and a staff attorney with the Farmers' Legal Action Group. Allen Franco is an assistant federal public defender for the districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Danielle Diamond is a visiting fellow at the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law and Policy Program at Harvard Law School.