hese essays are examples of an ongoing debate centered on a single topic: industrialized agricultural practices.

The Hurst essay broadly responds to writers and advocates, such as Michael Pollan, who have argued for slower, more local, and more organic production methods.  In fact, Hurst specifically references Pollan in his essay. The Scherzer essay is a response to the arguments and mis-characterizations within the Hurst essay.  However, note that Scherzer’s essay isn’t an outright condemnation of Hurst; Scherzer concedes some points that Hurst makes and then admits that he doesn’t have the information or authority to respond to other claims.

These essays demonstrate the civil and deliberate nature that issue-oriented debates can take.  The writers place themselves within a broader context of an issue by clearly identifying their position, and they provide evidence that is intended to support their arguments.

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1.  Write a brief essay (300+ words) where you align yourself with or against one of the featured articles.  In your response, explain why you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with either Hurst or Scherzer.  In doing so, you are adding your contribution to this ongoing debate about how we should grow and raise our food.

2.  Your essay must contain at least one quotation from both the Hurst and Scherzer articles.