Expert Debunks Common Myths About Food

Much controversy has surrounded the food and agricultural industries recently, particularly as they relate to the "eat local" movement, sustainable agriculture, organic food, factory farms, organic foods, and genetically modified foods. Indeed, how to know if the food we buy is safe to eat is a major concern of many.

Author and agricultural expert Maurice Hladik debunks common misconceptions relating to these and many more issues in his new, all-encompassing guide to the food industry, Demystifying Food from Farm to Fork.

The information presented is a culmination of Hladik's personal background as a young farmer, his professional experiences as an international agricultural diplomat to New Zealand, Germany, China, Thailand and South Korea and finally as an executive in an agriculture-based company.

"Combining these three aspects of my life gave me a dynamic perspective of the food industry," Hladik said. "I've been lucky enough to see these issues on a global and a local level."

Hladik's years of observation led him to draw two important, yet conflicting, conclusions about food: first, food production is the most devastating human activity for the global environment and second, the lack of food is the most devastating circumstance for humans. Hladik addresses both of these issues in the book, giving advice to readers looking toward the future of the agricultural industry.

Other topics discussed include:
- The global socioeconomic concerns surrounding the food supply
- The role government plays in determining what foods are available
- Farming, the environment and biodiversity
- Feeding the global population
- The factory farm/family farm dynamic
- Hormones and antibiotics in meat and dairy products
- Biofuels and food
- The 100-mile diet
- Animal and poultry welfare

For more information, visit fooddemystified.com.

Demystifying Food From Farm to Fork
By Maurice J. Hladik
ISBN: 9781462068036
Approx. 256 pages
Paperback 6x9
Retail price: $19.95
E-book price: $9.99
Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iUniverse

About the author

Maurice J. Hladik grew up on a farm in western Canada and was an active farmer into his early adult years. Hladik even has a noticeable "battle scar" on his wrist, a result of a combining accident when he was harvesting grain as a young man. He earned two degrees in agricultural economics from Canadian and US universities before becoming an agricultural diplomat in New Zealand, Germany, China, Thailand and South Korea. He also served a decade in the private sector as an executive of an agriculture-based company with an international reach.