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
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    50
    ·
    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
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      38
      ·
      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
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      29
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      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
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        18
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        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
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          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?)