Around 75% of immigrant farm workers in Bakersfield, California, ditched their shifts after Trump ramped up his threats by removing protections against ICE raids in “sensitive areas,” including schools and workplaces.

    • 418_im_a_teapot@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      I’m torn.

      Obviously taking advantage of cheap, desperate labor to maximize profit is wrong.

      On the other hand, the whole thing feels like a deliberate act by the ruling class to turn the working class against each other. I’m hesitant to hate on farmers when billionaires are also suppressing wages so harshly all of society.

      • teamevil@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I’m more raging against the corporations that have no problem benefiting off undocumented workers, underpaying and exploiting.

        Any individual farmer out there is trying to stay afloat is competing with John Deere and Monsanto already

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Nothing to be torn about: there are no “farmers” anymore, just Big Ag (Tyson, General Mills, Bayer (formerly Monsanto), etc.).

        • Podunk@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          I had no idea im not a farmer anymore.

          Now what should i do with all these cows and corn?

          • grue@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Are you genuinely independent, selling your produce at roadside stands/farmer’s markets/directly to restaurants/etc., or are you under the thumb of Big Ag anyway* even though you aren’t literally an employee of them?

            When I claim that the vast majority of people who call themselves “farmers” these days are in the latter situation, am I wrong?

            (* Yes I know that’s about chickens, not beef or corn. Are you gonna tell me the agribusinesses concerned with those crops don’t have similar issues?)

    • dan1101@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      I think a lot of them are here for the jobs, because they couldn’t make that much money in their home country.