The article discusses the consolidation of our food system, with the proposed merger between McCormick & Company and Unilever described as a merger and acquisition. The author points out that as consumers increasingly lack real choices and as farmers, they are pushed towards being price takers. This shift in control comes at a cost, which weakens local competition and increases ownership. The article also notes that McCormick's $3 million settlement was for misleading labeling, specifically the use of “natural” claims on products that allegedly contained synthetic ingredients. While most of us cannot stop mergers, we can use our agency to push back. The authors suggest that by growing herbs, individuals can create pockets of abundance that ripple outward into their communities.