Opinion: Why Are Farmers Under Attack? A Global Pattern Too Clear to Ignore
The global war on farmers. Is this really happening?
What do farmers have in common with pensioners, small business owners, and blue-collar workers? In recent years, they've all become targets—caught in the crossfire of policies that cripple the very backbone of our civilization. In one of the most telling media exchanges in recent memory, Piers Morgan and Tucker Carlson—two individuals from wildly different ideological camps—found common ground in their bafflement and outrage: Why are governments across the Western world targeting farmers?
It's a question we should all be asking. Because without farmers, there is no food, no security, and no future.
Farmers Feed the World—and They’re Being Squeezed Out
The claim that farmers are under attack is not conjecture—it’s fact, and the evidence is piling up.
In the United Kingdom, the government’s proposed agricultural policies threaten to phase out basic payment subsidies while introducing new environmental mandates that critics say are financially unworkable for small farmers (Farmers Weekly). In the Netherlands, farmers have been protesting en masse against nitrogen reduction policies that will force thousands off their land (Reuters). Meanwhile, Ireland has floated a proposal to cull tens of thousands of cattle to meet climate targets (Irish Independent).
And here in the United States, the story isn’t much different.
In Oregon, market gardeners have been barred from selling produce unless they can prove they have a water right, even in counties not requiring irrigation. As reported by Capital Press, this restriction has caused farmers to throw out crops and close operations, all while the state loses thousands of acres of farmland every year (Capital Press).
What we’re witnessing is not an isolated trend. It is systemic. And whether it’s from negligence, ideology, or something more calculated, the result is the same: fewer farmers, more control, and a dangerously unstable food system.
The False Narrative of Corporate Welfare
Some critics argue that farmers shouldn’t complain because they receive subsidies. But let’s clear up that misconception. According to data from the Environmental Working Group, the vast majority—over 90%—of agricultural subsidiesgo to the top 10% of producers, usually large corporate farms growing commodity crops like corn, soy, wheat, and rice (EWG Farm Subsidy Database).
The real family farmers, the ones feeding their neighbors and stewarding the land, often see little to no benefit from these programs. They’re told to compete in a "free market" while burdened by overregulation, land grabs, and soaring input costs—while corporations benefit from economies of scale, government buyouts, and even foreign investment.
Market Manipulation Is Real—and It's Global
Look deeper, and a more chilling picture begins to form.
Government agencies and global institutions like USAID have long been criticized for manipulating agricultural markets through overseas aid programs. While their mission statements say “food for peace,” their actions often disrupt local economies abroad and create artificial demand for certain U.S. crops—leaving both American and foreign farmers struggling with price fluctuations and volatility.
The Food for Peace Act, for example, has at times been leveraged to purchase surplus grains from American agribusinesses, which are then shipped overseas as aid—rather than investing in more localized, resilient food systems. Now, some in Washington are pushing to move this program under USDA oversight, arguing that it would be better managed by an agency that actually understands crop production (Congressional Research Service).
If that’s true, then the real question is: Why wasn’t it already under the USDA’s authority? How many decades have passed with this misalignment causing unintended—or perhaps very intended—market disruptions?
From Climate Policy to Controlled Collapse?
Even policies promoted under the noble banner of climate action are being used as cudgels against farmers. Reducing emissions and protecting natural resources are important goals—but not at the expense of food security or by implementing mandates that destroy livelihoods without viable alternatives.
The climate crisis cannot be solved by putting farmers out of business. And it certainly won't be solved by importing food grown under worse environmental conditions from halfway around the world.
Consider what’s happening in Texas: fires, droughts, and feed shortages have decimated cattle herds—and instead of aiding recovery, regulatory burdens and manipulated grain markets make it impossible for producers to bounce back. The U.S. cattle herd is now at a 70-year low, which directly impacts beef prices and availability (Drovers).
Coincidence? Maybe. But as the saying goes, once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and three times is a pattern.
So—Is It Incompetence, or Intent?
The inconvenient truth is that policymakers are not stupid. Agencies like USAID, the USDA, and their foreign equivalents employ some of the most sophisticated analysts and economists in the world. They know the consequences of their policies. They understand cause and effect. And when multiple countries adopt eerily similar measures that undercut their own food producers—one can’t help but wonder whether it’s part of a broader agenda.
Whether it's the “eat the bugs” movement, digital agriculture policies pushed by groups like the World Economic Forum, or the centralization of land and livestock into fewer hands, the trend is consistent: more control, fewer farmers, less sovereignty.
We Must Stand with Farmers—Now
If you care about your health, your freedom, and your community, then you must care about farmers. Not the faceless agribusinesses, but the real people growing your food, raising animals with care, and fighting tooth and nail to stay in business.
Supporting them isn’t just an agricultural issue—it’s a human rights issue, an economic issue, and a national security issue.
If we continue to ignore the war on farmers, we’ll soon find ourselves wondering why our grocery store shelves are bare, why our food tastes like cardboard, and why it costs a fortune.
By then, it may be too late.
Let your voice be heard. Support your local farmer. Push back against policies that destroy our ability to feed ourselves.