'This is going to end us': Florida growers warn Trump he's 'killing farming'

[Jack Valentino]

https://www.rawstory.com/farmers-workers-trump-end-us/

The inability of Florida farmers to find Americans willing to work to fill jobs abandoned by immigrants fearful of being taken into custody has some of them stating they will have to cut back on future plantings out of fear of going out of business.

According to a report from NPR, those farmers have suffered losses of almost half their seasonal workers and can’t afford to replace them with H2A visa workers as has been suggested by Donald Trump administration officials.

NPR’s Jasmine Garsd is reporting that despite pleas from farmers to grant amnesty to farm workers, the Trump administration is resisting, with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins telling them, “Ultimately, the answer to this is automation. And then also when you think about it, there are 34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program. There are plenty of workers in America.”

According to the report, “Farmers NPR spoke to called this idea ludicrous. Many said they are paying well above the minimum wage, and yet they have gotten few American-born job applicants.”

Read more:
https://www.rawstory.com/farmers-workers-trump-end-us/



This is going to drive food prices up-- the opposite of what Trump promised everyone....

I never put much stock in claims that a president could do much to drive down food prices--
but Trump is proving that they can certainly make things worse!

[Bettie]

1. He can always make things worse

that's the one thing he's good at, fucking things up.

[riversedge]

4. that's for sure.

[barbtries]

15. he has never failed

to exceed my expectations in that regard.

break us, make us sick, starve us, terrorize us. not necessarily in that order.

it's a murderous plan.

[ananda]

58. The entire GOP is a murder-suicide cult.

They are completely stuck in it.

[Irish_Dem]

29. Everything he touches dies.

Quite a superpower.

[yardwork]

2. Trump's plan is to allow China to buy farmland.

Farmers will have to sell, and China will scoop up our land and do who knows what on it.

I would not be surprised if China bribed Trump to impose some of these policies. It's so obvious that they are designed to force farmers out of business.

[Cha]

19. Yes, the "driving out of business.." the

same with the Military taking over DC. And the Tariffs for other Businesses Across America.

Hadn't thought about China being in the Farmers' Mix, though.

Makes sense.. Traitor selling Off America.. to the Highest Bidder.

[wolfie001]

20. They prolly bought his bit coin scams

All under the table. Who's gonna call him out on it? Criminal christo-fascists hold every branch of Govt. at this point. We're screwed because of the mind-numbingly stupid voters that still believe the fat fraudster even today.

[Scrivener7]

3. Huh. Maybe they shouldn't have voted for him then.

[DinahMoeHum]

7. If they did, they can STFU. . .

. . .and Embrace. The. Suck.

[Scrivener7]

33. How are you doing, Dinah? Things are good here, other than the political horror show.

[DinahMoeHum]

36. OK on my end, all things considered

n/t

[DBoon]

5. Here is the original NPR article

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/20/nx-s1-5496668/some-florida-farmers-reduce-crops-as-deportation-fears-drive-workers-away

I find it frightening that farmers are afraid to talk about this:

One strawberry farmer agrees to talk, but only if we use his initial only: W. In this deeply pro-Trump area, he worries that criticizing the president could cost him business.

and

F. is an immigrant himself, and asked to be referred to only by his first initial because he's afraid of retaliation for criticizing the administration's crackdowns, which are happening all over the state: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is actively deploying the highway patrol and local police in the effort.

[Jack Valentino]

91. Thanks for posting that...

I was too lazy to look it up..... but I read your link.

[dem4decades]

6. Trump will bus "workers " from Alligator Alacatraz.

Seeing Trump's no longer considering slavery as bad, it's an easy fix.

[wolfie001]

23. A skilled farm worker does like the same amount of work as 20 unmotivated workers.......

.....who don't want to be out in the fields. I'm offering a guess but from what I've read and heard about this topic, farm workers learn these skills, and it will not replicate with people that don't want to do it. Or can't do it. Imbecile-In-Chief will never figure this out. To our detriment.

[carpetbagger]

37. This is the truth.nt

[popsdenver]

62. And the Republicans

are planning to make 99% of the population into barest of existence and scrounging daily just for food, Just like in the Grapes Of Wrath, when the ROBBER BARRONS ruled the GILDED AGE............

[OldBaldy1701E]

85. Yup. (n/t)

[Aristus]

8. Florida went for Trump in three elections, right?

Kind of late to say you’ve been had.

Let Florida die on the vine for their blockheaded fecklessness. Or sell it back to Spain, if they’ll take such damaged goods.

[Crunchy Frog]

47. Give it to Putin in exchange for withdrawing from Ukraine.

Might really get Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, and I doubt most Floridians would notice.

[popsdenver]

63. You can be sure that

Trump and Repubs are already trying to figure out a way to present Putin with Alaska, then "annex" Canada so they won't have to rearrange the American Flag.........

That as well as the gathering storm they have concocted to give Putin the best present of all:
The absolute destruction of America, Democracy, and the Constitution........

[Jack Valentino]

74. I'm not concerned for THEM, but for the rest of us

who are dependent on their food production....

YES, if they voted for Trump, they made their own bed---
but have dragged the rest of us into their bed with them, with less food....


The whole immigration crackdown by Trump is going to cause higher food prices,
when he said he would bring lower food prices 'on day one'...


He's too fucking demented or stupid to realize what he is doing---
so much for 'Republicans are better for the economy'!
and our Democratic officeholders should be HAMMERING on this,
but for the most part they are not..... not yet, anyway...

[fujiyamasan]

79. Yep and margins increased each time

They basically ate the shit and said, “more please!”

[bagimin]

90. We also went for Obama

twice.

[Jack Valentino]

92. and WHAT? was there a better alternative somewhere at the time ???

I think NOT.


Obama polls really well now, especially considering his successor....
whom he would beat by double digits according to polls of
a hypothetical presidential general election, where both candidates
were a violation of the Constitution.....

[rubbersole]

9. Brooke Rollins' new program...

..."Harvest for Healthcare You Lazy Takers".

[Cha]

10. Absolute Shame they Voted for their

own Livelihood's demise.

[wolfie001]

26. Ironic how much "christian" hate they harbored for their own workers

The hard-working farm workers helped build the farm owners' lives and they sold them down the river faster than a plantation owner in 1850. Really despicable people. I hate them.

[Cha]

30. It is Horrible that Migrant Workers

Weren't Appreciated by so many... Clearly their hard work was a major force in getting their crops to Market!

And, now the FAFO part is here.. Via Traitor and it's Disastrous

[wolfie001]

31. The skills they have harvesting the crops cannot be replicated with unmotivated hires

Or with people forced to do it. Disaster.

[Cha]

32. Right!

[Chilopsis]

60. Unfortunately not a new thing

Though the scale of exploitation and cruelty to undocumented labor has grown like a malignant cancer, it is sorry to say, not a new thing.

I lived in rural New Mexico in the 70's while going to school. One farmer with fields near my home had a particularly insidious strategy. He would hire undocumented laborers, and provide housing and just enough $ to buy food.

When they asked about pay day, he would stall them and offer excuses, promising that he would pay them soon. This would go on until the workers put their foot down and demanded pay. At that point, he would call up immigration enforcement and report the workers, who were then arrested and deported.

Hire new unsuspecting workers, rinse, lather, repeat.

[wolfie001]

61. So self-defeating

Now the chickens have come home to roost. MAGA a-holes.

[Jack Valentino]

75. They had a poor understanding of their own farm economics combined with a mass deportation...

Relatively few persons have yet been deported or confined---
but so many of the rest are too afraid to come to work....

I don't believe that most of the farm owners had any such 'hatred' for their own workers,
but they failed to think through the likely results of policies based on Trump's blatherings.....

[Keepthesoulalive]

11. Be careful who you vote for

Florida was the first state called for asshole and you also have tissue boots as your governor. Perhaps you should have voted for the person who was not going to deport your workforce.

[littlemissmartypants]

12. JD Vance funded AcreTrader. Here's why that matters

18 September 2024

Some of the most pristine farmland in California can be yours, at least by proxy, in just a matter of minutes. That’s the promise that AcreTrader, a company with the mission of simplifying investing in valuable U.S. farmland, makes to prospective financiers.

Its current offerings include 83 acres of almond trees in the San Joaquin Valley, advertised as “an opportunity to invest in a water-secure almond orchard in the world’s most productive almond-producing region.” This property also boasts of senior water rights on the Kings River, suggesting that the land will continue to turn a profit long into the future—a dream of farmers and investors alike.

AcreTrader is just one of many companies launched in the past decade that facilitate the sale of farmland, which has increasingly become a staple in investor portfolios. Recently, it was revealed that this includes the investment portfolio of vice presidential nominee JD Vance, the Republican senator from Ohio.

Vance invested up to $65,000 in private investments in AcreTrader during his stint as a venture capitalist, according to his 2022 financial disclosure to the Senate ethics committee. The investment firm Narya Capital—which Vance launched in 2020 with backing from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel—was a vehicle for these investments, and a key backer in early funding rounds of the farmland startup. And while Vance is no longer listed as a partner at Narya Capital, according to his 2023 financial disclosure, he appears to still be an investor in the firm—or more technically, multiple legal entities with names including Narya.
“There’s no indication that Vance has divested from AcreTrader, and there’s every indication that that investment remains in place,” said Lisa Graves, the executive director of True North Research, an investigative research group. She points to how Vance sold off his stock in “Narya Capital Management LLC” in 2023, but that’s not the same as the (albeit similarly named) investment vehicles used to invest in AcreTrader.
Snip...
https://www.farmlandgrab.org/post/32430-jd-vance-funded-acretrader-here-s-why-that-matters

[kimbutgar]

13. Florida this is what you get when you vote for a lying conman and his Republican Party who don't give a shite about you

Sorry I have no sympathy for this state. And don’t get me started on evil 2.0 Desatan.

[rubbersole]

69. I've lived here since '57.

It was a great place to grow up. Uncontrolled growth and no state income tax drew the "snowbirds" to retire here. Property was inexpensive and air conditioning made the summers tolerable. Unfortunately, the late night comedians are spot on when they make jokes about the goobers that live here.

[bagimin]

89. I was here (Lauderdale) in '57 also and

we had no AC in the house or auto. I think most of the lower and middle class did not have AC. I'll bet our electric bill was probably around $10. too!

[republianmushroom]

14. Oh, damn, it is what they voted for.

live and learn little dudes. Ones action does have consequences.

[MontanaMama]

16. Their land will get scooped up by private equity firms.

It is still hard for me to believe that farmers didn't understand that this would happen. Truly unbelievable.

[markodochartaigh]

53. Definitely

the older farmers should have remembered family farms' assets being sold off at auction and the land being bought up by corporate "farmers" under Reagan in the 80's. And it has been going on ever since.

[Wednesdays]

59. They're completely okay with it.

Just so long as their land doesn't go to somebody "woke."

[perdita9]

17. Any agricultural harvest that can be automated has been automated

Some things just have to be picked by hand.

[Walleye]

22. I was just thinking that. Automation? For strawberries?

[wolfie001]

28. Raspberries are such a fragile fruit

One of my favorites. I hate tRUMP and anyone who has voted for him. That fat slimy f6cker.

[Walleye]

44. And picking these fruits is harder work than anybody in that administration has ever done

[wolfie001]

50. YES!!!

These are skilled, hard-working people! They should be taken care of and protected. It pisses me off so much!

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

18. ETTD!

[Baitball Blogger]

21. You wuz warned.

[GB_RN]

24. What. A. Jackass.

34 million able bodied people on Medicaid. Yeah, ya fuckstick, and most of them are already working at LEAST one job. Usually at a shit employer like Walmart (which actually teaches new hires how to file for Medicaid, so we end up subsidizing Walmart in the back end).

These assholes need to just FOAD*

*For those not familiar it’s an acronym for fuck off and die. Pronounce it like “Foe Add”.

[BoRaGard]

25. "This is our fault. We are to blame." - G.O.P.

I dreamed the gop had an integrity attack, and actually told the truth about something.

my apologies for faking everyone out

[Quanto Magnus]

27. Oh gee.... why aren't MAGAts lining up

to work these jobs.... Wasn't their big complaint about immigrants stealing their jobs????

[Permanut]

34. The answer to this problem is simple.

Shut down NPR.

[Jack Valentino]

96. "Farm work is TOO WOKE!" LOL

[irisblue]

35. NPR transcript and article here

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5496668

[Glaisne]

38. That's a shame.

[GreenWave]

39. Turns out the lazy dern foreigners are the magats themselves.

[ToxMarz]

40. If Florida gets hit with a major hurricane on top of this

they aren't gonna have anyone to work on the recovery or farms. People come from all over the country working on clean up, restoring power, roofing. Gotta be a huge number of immigrants (I'm sure many undocumented) coming in for all that work. They ain't coming!

[NBachers]

48. No, now they'll be invaded by Maggot "StormChaser" conmen who'll fraud & fuck them over.

Want to press charges and get your money back? Call Aileen Cannon!

[BidenRocks]

41. Anita Bryant is smiling from hell!

Karma for plowing under other crops, rather than open the farm for free.

Orange juice is highly overrated and with fewer people drinking, a Screwdriver or Mimosa are memories.

[UTUSN]

42. K&R

[evolves]

43. So...much...winning

Are we sick of winning yet?

[Ruby the Liberal]

45. "34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program"

AYFKM?

And then also when you think about it, there are 34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program. There are plenty of workers in America.”

[markie]

52. oh yah...

and to be sure they all want to move to Florida and definitely can afford to do it... everyone in this administration is an idiot

[Jack Valentino]

95. THIS 'medicaid recipient' has his OWN garden to work....

so sorry, I am unavailable for farm labor elsewhere at low wages...

[Emile]

46. and I bet the vast majority of them voted for the idiot.

[NBachers]

49. Tell 'em they should've voted for Kamala Harris.

[twodogsbarking]

51. He's killing everything except the one thing that many people hope he kills.

That may be crass but I believe it to be true.

[Jack Valentino]

93. Himself ????

[twodogsbarking]

98. And the winner is ..........drum roll.......Jack Valentino. Prizes are subject to availability.

There are, well, none available.

[markodochartaigh]

54. Call Mitt Romney!

He says he divides the US into makers and takers. Have him send some of his makers out to the fields.

[Nigrum Cattus]

55. This is what happens when you let billionaires into government

The repug party is just doing what their billionaire
overlords want them to. This is 100% on the repugs.

[RockRaven]

56. It was very stupid of you to vote for him then. And to do so repeatedly, as the majority

of you did, was something so beyond "very stupid" that I am uncertain how to word it in a way you would understand.

[Jack Valentino]

94. Potato chips over patriotism

[Demovictory9]

57. And science

[Attilatheblond]

64. GOP plan: Make America Hungry

and easier to control again.

[pat_k]

65. We are addicted to our underground economy...

... and anyone who thought we could go "cold turkey" without consequences has been deluding themselves.

Had anyone actually wanted to "deal with" our cheap immigrant labor "problem" before it became such an entrenched part of our economy, they could have long ago by passing a Federal minimum wage law that included adjustments that ensured a living wage relative to costs. Couple that with enforcement of wage and hour laws for every worker within our borders, regardless of status, and you can grow a healthy economy. (And as part of the enforcement, they could have offered a path to citizenship to workers who reported employer abuses, so essentially, the system would "police" itself.)

[NEOH]

66. FAFO...

The face eating leopards are hungry!! 😺

[turbinetree]

67. He does not give a shit because he let a war criminal ride in Tax Payer Funded limousine without ant interpreters

or aids...................and he hung out with someone that molested young woman............

[Devilsun]

68. The price of beef is way up in the last 6 months

[North Coast Lawyer]

70. Not seeing a problem.

Farmers are getting exactly what they voted for. Trump was very clear about this mass deportation thing. His rallies were full of people holding "Mass Deportation Now" signs. Trump was also very clear about wanting Americans to do the work heretofore preformed by immigrants. Farmers knew this. Farmers voted for this. Farmers can shut the fuck up and enjoy their winning.

[Jack Valentino]

97. The "problem" is not the consequences to the farmers who voted wrong, but

for the rest of us who want to continue to eat---

and will have to pay more to do so, because of the consequences of these Trump policies...

[Scalded Nun]

71. Don't worry. There is always more Kool-Aid for you and yours. Remember, this is what you wanted.

[Initech]

72. Hey! You guys wanted the fucking asshole in charge! We told you how bad things were going to get!

You didn't listen to us and voted for the fucking asshole anyways! This is entirely self-inflicted.

[JT45242]

73. 34 million who live close enough to farming country? Seriously...

Those people poor enough for Medicaid don't have the means to move to another state, pay first and last months rent...and oh yeah. The whole problem is that farmers refuse to pay wages above poverty to people to pick food so they would still be on Medicaid.

And hard to automate picking of most fruits and vegetables. It's not like corn in straight rows where you are chopping it up to be processed into livestock feed.

[BurnDoubt]

76. They should all plant Klepto Coins!!!!!

Yeah!
That's It!
Yeah.


This bunch of morons couldn't think their way out of a wet paper bag.
Chosen for their fashion-sense and proclivity for ass-kissing.

And no plan for when "Automation" saves the day for the farmers and takes away the meager-paying jobs only brown people will do, apparently.
Not to worry! They can get jobs at being HOMELESS.
And I'm waiting for the Agriculture Secretary to report they may have a solution to the high price of Meat, using previously unexploited sources in great numbers... ....................................................................................................................................................................
And don't EVER say: "It can't happen here!"

[flamingdem]

77. Wonder if this impacts sugar growers

They are responsible for horrible pollution around Lake Ochachobee that flows to the ocean.

[hildegaard28]

78. As if

Trump cares. They still don’t get it.

[global1]

80. Why Isn't The Repug Governor Of Florida Going To Bat For The State And. ........

taking on Tr**p with respect to this problem Tr**p is creating for Florida?

[BoRaGard]

81. "Screw the farmers. Stupid suckers. They can join the other losers. Ha ha." - G.O.P.

[llmart]

82. "This is going to end us."

Well, when your farm goes under you can get assistance from Medicaid and then you will be forced to work on someone else's farm picking the crops.

See? I have the best solution!!

Stoopid fuckers.

[hatrack]

83. Fuck 'em. They voted for this. They shit the bed, and now they're complaining that things smell bad.

Lie back and hit snooze again, clowns.

[Ray Bruns]

84. You know what would fix this problem? Another tax cut for billionaires and corporations.

[Clouds Passing]

86. Cruelty by starvation is their goal. All Democrats must go Newsom on these facists.

[EnergizedLib]

87. It won't matter if they don't vote for change

[Habitation]

88. Hey farmers, the billionaires are poised to buy on at a Discount

It's been obvious since January.

[BobTheSubgenius]

99. Nothing is ever so bad that Drumpf couldn't make it worse.