David Robinson Simon examines the economics of animal food production, revealing how government subsidies, regulatory capture, and industry influence have created a system whose true costs are hidden from consumers and borne by society. Simon calculates that when environmental damage, healthcare costs from diet-related illness, and other externalities are included, animal products cost far more than their retail prices suggest. He traces how the meat, dairy, and egg industries have shaped legislation to protect their interests, from agricultural subsidies that lower feed costs to ag-gag laws that criminalize documenting conditions on farms. The book examines the industry's influence on dietary guidelines, its marketing to children, and its resistance to reforms that would address animal welfare, worker safety, and environmental protection. Simon draws on economic analysis to show how consumer choices are shaped by prices that do not reflect true costs, arguing that current prices represent massive hidden subsidies to animal agriculture. He proposes policy changes that would shift costs back to producers and consumers, allowing market prices to reflect actual impacts. The book provides economic arguments for reducing animal product consumption that complement ethical and environmental cases, showing how the industry's business model depends on keeping its true costs invisible.