"A big farming operation like his was a challenging enterprise, relying as it did on rampant pollution and the systematic mistreatment of immigrant labor." This highlights the unethical and environmentally harmful practices of the farm, emphasizing the complexities and moral issues involved in managing such a large-scale operation. The quote suggests that the farm's success depended on exploiting both natural resources and vulnerable workers.

"For Red it was no small feat to keep the feds off his back while at the same time soaking taxpayers for lucrative crop subsidies and dirt-cheap loans that might or might not be repaid this century." This illustrates the cunning and possibly corrupt strategies employed by Red to evade government scrutiny while profiting from government financial support. It underscores the manipulation of the system for personal gain at the expense of broader societal and environmental concerns.