The Haber-Bosch Process, developed in 1909, allowed for the high-yield production of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen. This ammonia could be used for fertilizer; the success of the Haber-Bosch process has led to several global outcomes, including high-yield food production, increase in human population, and increase in carbon emissions.

GMO stands for “Genetically Modified Organism.” This refers to a plant or animal species with DNA that has been altered using genetic engineering. Pollan highlights how the production of food, especially corn, has changed through genetic modification.

Monoculture means the cultivation of a single crop. The farms described in the first part of the book, including the feedlots in Kansas and the Iowan corn industry, represent monocultures.