Clare R. Brock is an Assistant Professor of American Politics and Public Policy at Colorado State University. Her work focuses on the intersection of lobbying, partisanship, and policymaking, especially in the food and agricultural space. Prior to joining CSU, she was an Assistant Professor at Texas Woman's University.
Brock leverages insights from agricultural and food policy domains to paint a compelling picture of members of Congress as isolated, reelection-obsessed free agents dependent on lobbyists for information and coalition-building. Members also lack institutional support, suggesting that our image of Congress as the world's most well-resourced and independent legislative body needs reconsideration. In Brock's assessment, the core functions of Congress are shaped by groups and companies with the deepest pockets and whose priorities may not align with the majority of Americans as voters or consumers. Farmed Out makes important contributions to our understanding of how interest groups operate within a context of heightened partisanship and poor institutional capacity. Who governs? One wonders. * Christopher Bosso, Northeastern University * Brock has completed an impressive study of lobbying in the contemporary Congress. Focused on agricultural policy, Farmed Out provides a rich and detailed account of how rising partisanship on Capitol Hill has made lobbyists key coalition builders. Lobbyists and interest groups increasingly function as important go-betweens and negotiators among lawmakers and have had to adapt their strategies to deal with a more challenging policymaking environment. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the contemporary lobbying environment in Washington. * James M. Curry, University of Utah *