Summary
California farmers, many of whom supported Trump, face a potential crisis as his immigration policies threaten mass deportations of undocumented workers, who make up at least half of the state’s 162,000 farm labor force.
Deportations could devastate agriculture, leading to labor shortages, unharvested crops, and rising food prices.
Farmers hope for solutions such as workforce legalization or expanded H-2A guest worker programs, though these have been criticized for exploitation risks.
Historical parallels to programs like “Operation Wetback” and the bracero system highlight possible labor and human rights challenges ahead.
Still wild the conversation NEVER turns to the people employing undocumented workers and instead demonize the workers themselves.
The point isn’t to actually deport these people, it’s to give their employers and landlords a powerful tool to exploit them and prevent them from benefitting from any social services.
Yup. A place that my wife worked at employed at least one undocumented immigrant that got picked up by CBP. Did the company gave any fines or legal issues? Nope. But the undocumented employee had to pay a few thousand in fines and was never deported.
My Uncle is a close friend of Jeff Landry (R-Louisiana) and voted for Trump.
Constantly would demonize illegal immigrants with all kinds of vitriolic accusations. Then would immediately brag that his hydro seeding company is making so much profit because he hires almost exclusively illegal immigrants and pays them peanuts under the table.
I’ve reported him to the state numerous times but nothing ever gets done (remember who he is close friends with now…)
I hope he goes out of business. I hope it ruins him.
California farmers are some of the most ignorant people I have ever encountered.
I’m guessing the reason they didn’t want to say who they voted for is cognitive dissonance.
Woah there. That’s a pretty damned broad brush you are painting with. In fact it’s a pretty damned ignorant comment.
Do you think EVERY farmer in California is a Republican and/or Trump supporter?
Edit: Before you down vote (but of course feel free), kindly consider this: 89% of all farms in the US are small-scale family farms with less than $350k revenue (note that profit margins in farming hover around 10%). A growing number of new farms are organic/sustainable/agroecological. These are not Trump-supporting people, ffs. Please ask yourself what purpose it serves you to over-generalize and angrily shake your fist at ALL farmers as if somehow all farmers are conservative. All you are doing is furthering the industrial food systems narrative of farmer=bad. Think about it.
Do you think EVERY farmer in California is a Republican and/or Trump supporter?
The ignorant ones probably are
Of course. And there are many. But there are also many farmers in California - I am one - who would never in a million years vote for Trump or anyone like him.
No, just all of the ones that I’ve met.
All what, 2?
Even if they’re not they’re using too much water
Do you like to eat?
Maybe farm somewhere that rains?
That’s an incredibly stupid thing to say on so many levels.
It seems likely to me.
It seems likely to me.
Why? How many have you personally met and had a conversation with? Are you aware that there are thousands of small organic farms in CA that are run by smart, dedicated and progressive people?
Not many. But we’re not really talking about hobby farms.
But we’re not really talking about hobby farms.
You are misinformed and I strongly suspect do not know the technical definition of “hobby farm” but are using that as a term of derision to dismiss small farms so you can maintain your fictional notion that farmers are bad people. Have you thought much about where that prejudice comes from?
The vast majority of farms in California are under 300 acres. In the US 89% of all farms are classified as “small family farms” by the USDA, meaning they have less than $350k of gross income (GFCI, technically). Now you’ll see terms like “production value” mixed in with such reporting. Know that there’s an inherent problem with that - it’s geared only toward commodities, not speciality crops and particularly not those sold retail. That’s an important distinction.
Further, there has been a wave of new organic and sustainable farms popping up in California over the last 10-15 years. Do you think Trump supporters are starting small-scale organic/agroecological/regenerative farms?
I am by no means saying that large-scale industrial farms aren’t dominated by right-leaning people. But to generalize and outright dismiss farmers as a whole displays not only ignorance but prejudice that, critically, is tremendously damaging to small-scale organic/agroecological/regenerative farms as a whole.
89% by number of farms or by acreage? And do you have to sell your products to be called a farm, or does a small sustenance farm or backyard vegetable garden count as a farm?
And come one, dude. I’m happy you and some of your buddies aren’t Trumpers, but I spend a lot of time in Central CA and didn’t see any Harris signs anywhere. It’s Trump-land outside of Santa Barbara and SLO. Driving up 5 or 99 between LA and SF it’s all “Barbara Boxer created this drought” signs.
89% by number of farms or by acreage?
You couldn’t be bothered to look it up, eh? These are commercial farms - it’s the number.
And do you know what? The second someone asks about acreage in this context I have them pegged as someone who does not understand a damned thing about farming. Why? Because you the median net return for an acre of conventionally-grown corn is less than $130. The median net return for organic speciality crops can easily be $25-30k per acre or more. And yes, you can use that as a proxy for actual people fed.
Acreage means nothing in terms of feeding people. So tl;dr, do some research on what the USDA means by small family farm and learn about how those small family farms are feeding you. Why the fuck would you dismiss them like that?
Go on, go to a farmer’s market and ask any farmer to estimate how many people they feed relative to the size of their farm.
but I spend a lot of time in Central CA and didn’t see any Harris signs anywhere
LOL. You know why? Because we’re not stupid and don’t want our tires slashed. If you are a liberal in a red county you keep that to yourself.
But, but I though undocumented immigrants were lazy?! How can they both be lazy and take all the jobs?!
Schrodinger’s immigrant
Oh no, farmers lose the indentured servants they’ve been threatening with deportation for years!
Fucking morons. Enjoy getting your hands dirty.
Too bad it’s mostly the cities here declaring themselves as sanctuary cities for the undocumented. Weird that Latinos make up such a huge majority in the central valley, too, but haters gonna hate and boy does rural CA love to hate.
If someone opens a farm in the city they will have all the workers!!!
But no land
Lol.
Didn’t he have to bail farmers out last time due to his horrendous policies?
And farmers didn’t learn?
That’s pretty stupid? Is our food safe?
Removed by mod
It’s because they can use it as a threat to keep the workers cowed.
Poor farmers they have to actually get their hands dirty. Poor guy.
FAFO
Its just another fafo, nothing to see
Everyone of these supporters needs to pay.
Fuckin’ dumb-dumbs. FAFO.
Well, that sucks. Oh well.
