Agriculture in the United States is shifting, and could move even more in the coming years towards a new type of farming — with robotic, fully autonomous machines.
Agricultural AI can be used in various ways and for different tasks. According to <a href="https://intellias.com/artificial-intelligence-in-agriculture/#:~:text=AI%20can%20provide%20farmers%20with,minimizing%20the%20use%20of%20resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intellias</a>, artificial intelligence can carry out everyday farming jobs, as well as difficult ones. It can also collect and sort through information digitally, find solutions and then carry them out when working with other tools. This type of technology is also able to give farmers information on their product, showing zones that are in need of water, fertilizer, or pesticide application. 
Agricultural expert Dmytro Lenniy is a senior delivery manager and AgriTech practice leader who helps agricultural technology businesses. He told The Daily Wire over email that “AI’s advancement of agriculture revolves around three overarching areas: forecasting, disease detection, and automation.” 

The ability to predict certain conditions can also help farmers use the best means of growing and be as effective as possible.
Bowery Farming <a href="https://boweryfarming.com/artificial-intelligence/">notes</a> the prevalence of AI in everyday life, and points out that it is one of the major assets that helps them solve issues.
AI in farming can also help supplement work when there are not as many people entering the farming business, or looking to provide manual labor to farms. 
The United States has struggled to overcome a farmworker shortage that has happened in part due to immigration laws and less people wanting to go into the agricultural sector, according to <a href="https://agamerica.com/blog/farm-labor-shortage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AgAmerica Lending</a>.
Almost half of <a href="https://agamerica.com/blog/2021-agricultural-outlook-for-us-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farmworkers</a> are illegal immigrants, and just 4% of immigrants who work on farms have become U.S. citizens. The shortage has led to farmers <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/farmers-pushing-immigration-reform-counter-labor-shortages-escalating-rcna45741" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backing</a> legislation that would stymie immigration reform. 
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1603" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Farm Workforce Modernization Act</a> has been passed in the House of Representatives and is pending in the U.S. Senate. It includes provisions concerning alien farmworkers that would update the ways people can temporarily work in the U.S. on farms. Some worker organizations are against the bill, though, citing issues regarding inclusion of all immigrants and power inequality between farm operators and migrant workers.
A Texas A&amp;M University <a href="https://www.tamiu.edu/coas/documents/tamiu-abic.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> from this year was commissioned by the American Business Coalition, which pushes for immigration changes. It discovered that more migrant and H-2A employees was connected to less inflation, associated with higher wages and lower unemployment. 
Although AI in agriculture could fix many issues, there are also various risks to such technological development. The image of a robot working on a farm and becoming sentient is a Hollywood-esque idea that may come to mind. The concept might seem to be fictional, but it doesn’t mean there are no privacy, security, and legal concerns that are associated with such technology. 
Data processing could be a risk, as well. &#8220;The biggest risk when using AI is the possibility of incorrect recommendations or forecasting,&#8221; Lenniy told The Daily Wire. The systems must be specially programmed to be in tune with the region in which they are operating. Another major concern of using AI is maintaining the safety of a client’s private data, Lenniy noted.
The risk of cyberattacks on the food chain could increase, especially if farmers are working with a few “machine-learning programs,” per a recent <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-022-00440-4.epdf?sharing_token=Ar58hegfiZ9_SWByDd0An9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0MWFepXeZ7UIRwLudsvzXukGTXmldGdPHOZ1xLqh-O0zjDOYjk_G0WWJP91-Le8v8EbypGimrOYIFd1AKUHSjwpgLAe-Pn2p0qObJIONmbOaZn5RBiSfucIZUfRqKXxXPPdGY1my5fqvct3yXSIdryWVegYslmPYNdFkAJ6pfJpsJYeaT01_k4NGh0lSfn43c8=&amp;tracking_referrer=www.washingtonpost.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> in Nature. 
“Under these conditions, farmers will bring substantial croplands, pastures and hayfields under the influence of a few common [machine-learning] platforms, consequently creating centralized points of failure, where deliberate attacks could cause disproportionate harm,” the report noted. The journal pointed out that AI should be responsibly implemented, and history has shown that “a focus on increased productivity carries potential risks, including intensifying inequality and ecological degradation.”
While it can help farmers determine how best to plant and harvest, this type of development could also raise concerns if government attempts to get involved.
Already, New Zealand is attempting to tax farmers based on their livestock emissions, such as the burps and urine that come from animals. Farmers have pushed back extensively on the proposed tax, saying it will be disastrous for farmers and essentially lead to farms shutting down in an economy that is heavily driven by agriculture.
John Deere is one company that has jumped into the AI agriculture game, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/02/how-deere-plans-to-build-a-world-of-fully-autonomous-farming-by-2030.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hoping</a> to be entirely autonomous by 2030.
The company showed off its 8R farming tractor at the Consumer Electronics Show last January, which propels John Deere towards its goal by acting fully autonomous. After almost twenty years of funding and strategizing technology, the tractor is the final result, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/02/how-deere-plans-to-build-a-world-of-fully-autonomous-farming-by-2030.html">CNBC</a>.
The Autonomous 8R Tractor was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvFoRk4JsPc&amp;ab_channel=JohnDeere" target="_blank" rel="noopener">portrayed</a> in a video by John Deere, in which a farmer explained how he can check the self-driving tractor on an app on his phone. The video showed a tractor driving itself in a field.
Doug Nimz, a fourth generation farmer from Minnesota, pointed out that labor is difficult to acquire on farms, and many hours of labor are needed for brief periods of time.
&#8220;Autonomy will help because we will be able to put a tractor out in the field and let it run for 24 hours a day because it&#8217;s not manned,&#8221; Nimz said. &#8220;But it also helps us with the weather because we can run so hard when soil conditions are fit.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Autonomous 8R Tractor | John Deere Precision Ag" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QvFoRk4JsPc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Jorge Heraud, vice president of automation and autonomy for Deere in Moline, Illinois, told CNBC, “This comes from our realization that technology is going to drive value creation and increase productivity, profitability and sustainability for farmers.”
The move towards AI has its ecological benefits, as well. Microsoft is <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/project-farmvibes/">working</a> on developing technology that would add to sustainability by allowing farmers to track their farm&#8217;s estimated emissions, assist them “with climate adaptation by predicting weather variations” and “determine the right management practices that can be profitable and help improve soil health.”
The technology is <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/ai/microsoft-open-sources-its-farm-of-the-future-toolkit/">called</a> Project FarmVibes. 
“Project FarmVibes is allowing us to build the farm of the future,” Andrew Nelson, a farmer letting Microsoft Research use his land for the project, said. “We’re showcasing the impact technology and AI can have in agriculture. For me, Project FarmVibes is saving a lot in time, it’s saving a lot in costs and it’s helping us control any issues we have on the farm.”
Lenniy said the agricultural industry is heading in the direction of digitization, and AI is a main part of that shift. Farming operations that aren’t using AI will inevitably be behind those that do.
“That’s because the advanced knowledge will enable farmers to streamline their processes, increase efficiency and shorten supply chains. Simultaneously it will benefit food distribution, providing the public with a more steady supply of produce and increasing food security,” Lenniy said.
Lenniy pointed out that there is a shortage of experts who are familiar with all of the agricultural trends. It’s difficult for people to keep up with all of the shifting trends, so AI can help replace the “constant studying” and provide solutions.
Access to water is also a major issue and is something that the use of AI could help improve. AI can provide data about weather forecasts, so that farmers can use less water than they otherwise would need to without that information, Lenniy added. The predictions can also let farmers use less pesticides on crops.
The agricultural industry is changing and the use of artificial intelligence is ultimately something that could provide more solutions to the issues the industry is facing, but the risks and challenges of such technology should not be ignored.

US-TECHNOLOGY-SCIENCE-LIFESTYLE-COMPUTERS-ELECTRONICS

‘Let It Run 24-Hours A Day’: How Artificial Intelligence And Automated Tractors Will Change The Face of Farming

[HOLD FOR GW/READERS PASS]

Agriculture

Artificial Intelligence

Farmers

Readers Pass

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/farming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Farmers</a> in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-zealand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Zealand</a> are taking their frustrations to the streets in protest over the government’s newly proposed tax on emissions from animals, such as burps and urine.
As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-zealand-farmers-fume-after-government-proposes-animal-gas-tax" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> last week, New Zealand proposed the first-ever tax on farm animal emissions. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-new-zealand-animals-emissions-reduction-climate-and-environment-6f8847bc10ecdd0ba4d5c23bdab5617d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It claimed</a> that those in the agricultural industry could recoup that tax money by charging customers more for their eco-friendly items. 
Thousands of people in the agricultural sector <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/20/new-zealand-farmers-protest-worlds-first-livestock-burp-tax" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protested</a> the potential tax on Thursday. Groundswell New Zealand organized the event, and its co-founder, Bryce McKenzie, said rural areas would be harmed.
“The government’s ideological commitment to punitive and counterproductive emissions taxes on food production is an existential threat to rural communities,” McKenzie said, adding that the move would be counterproductive. He said whatever reductions that occur “will be replaced by less efficient foreign farmers.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor acted as if the tax would essentially be a good thing for farmers, but the people who would potentially be impacted don’t appear to feel the same way. 
“New Zealand’s farmers are set to be the first in the world to reduce agricultural emissions, positioning our biggest export market for the competitive advantage that brings in a world increasingly discerning about the provenance of their food,” Ardern said, noting that the fees garnered from the tax would go back into the farming industry.
“Farmers are already experiencing the impact of climate change with more regular drought and flooding,” O’Connor said. “Taking the lead on agricultural emissions is both good for the environment and our economy.”
Farmers spoke out at the time, with the Federated Farmers lobby saying the proposal would “rip the guts out of small-town New Zealand” and reduce the number of farms in the country, which has <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/10/20/new-zealand-farmers-cow-burp-protest-00062675" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 million dairy and beef cattle</a>, as well as 26 million sheep. The nation itself only has around 5 million people.
Critics say the end result of the tax would likely be more farmers leaving the industry altogether. 
Dave McCurdy, a farmer protesting on Thursday, said farmers care about the environment and treat it well. 
“It’s our life, our family’s lives,” he said. “We’re not out there to wreck it, we wouldn’t make any money. We love our farms. That’s what annoys us. We’re painted as these bad guys, but many farmers have spent generations looking after that land.”
McCurdy said that many farmers would suffer if the proposal and herd cutbacks move forward. “I’m out,” he said. “Waste of time.”

C0CEA3F5-3E3D-46F0-9D99-AEFACEC19470_1_201_a

New Zealand Farmers Protest Proposed Farm Animal Emissions Tax

New Zealand Farmers Protest Proposed Tax On Farm Animal Emissions Like Burps And Urine

Animals

New Zealand

Taxes

New Zealand farmers fumed about a new tax proposed by government officials Tuesday that would charge agriculturalists for greenhouse gases, biogenic methane, and nitrous oxide belched or urinated out from cows and sheep.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said such taxes would fuel the industry by funding new technology, research, and incentives for the farmers, The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-new-zealand-animals-emissions-reduction-climate-and-environment-6f8847bc10ecdd0ba4d5c23bdab5617d">reported</a>.
“New Zealand’s farmers are set to be the first in the world to reduce agricultural emissions, positioning our biggest export market for the competitive advantage that brings in a world increasingly discerning about the provenance of their food,” Ardern said.
Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/new-zealand-price-agricultural-long-lived-gases-methane-separately-2022-10-10/">reported</a> that the proposed plan would go into effect in 2025, making New Zealand the first country to impose a livestock emissions levy on farmers.
But farm workers feel unsettled about such plans, claiming it would “rip the guts out of small town New Zealand,” adding the country would see fewer farms and more trees.
Andrew Hoggard, president of the lobbying group Federated Farmers, said farmers have attempted to work with government officials since 2020 on a plan to reduce emissions while maintaining current food production levels. Still, the new plan would force them to sell their farms “so fast you won’t even hear the dogs barking on the back of the ute [pickup truck] as they drive off,” he said, per The Associated Press.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said that while farmers are already experiencing regular droughts and flooding, it poses an good opportunity for them and the country.
“Taking the lead on agricultural emissions is both good for the environment and our economy,” O’Connor said, according to The Associated Press.
However, opposing lawmakers said the plan would increase worldwide emissions by forcing other countries to make up for the lack of farming in New Zealand, which produces dairy products that are vital to its economy.
The Associated Press reports that while the country’s population caps at around 5 million people, the number of beef and dairy cattle in the country is double that size.
According to Reuters, the proposal goes to consultation before officials can pass and impose the law.
Government officials have pledged to reduce methane emissions from farm animals by 10% by 2030 and up to 47% by 2050, at which point they hope the country will be carbon neutral.

TO GO WITH AFP STORY “NZealand-farm-emis

New Zealand Farmers Fume After Government Proposes Animal Gas Tax

carbon

Climate Change

Gas Tax

As the agricultural industry around the world gets smaller, young farmers in the United States are rising to the task, even as they face hostile regulations and challenges.
The number of people <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/the-reason-we-are-running-out-of-farmers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working</a> in the global agricultural industry has decreased over the past several decades — <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS">from 44% in 1991 to 27% in 2019</a>, according to the International Labor Organization.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that <a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2020/young-producers.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">between</a> 2012 and 2017, the number of young producers rose by 11%, and the total amount of producers in the United States went up by 7%.
“According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, 27% of farmers were categorized as new and beginning producers, with 10 years or less of experience in agriculture,&#8221; Sarah Campbell, USDA Farm Service Agency National Beginning Farmer &amp; Rancher Program Coordinator, told the Daily Wire over email. &#8220;The 2022 Census of Agriculture is underway and we&#8217;re looking forward to those results to help us monitor the number of new farmers, especially in light of the global pandemic and rising farmland prices.”
According to the 2022 National Young Farmer <a href="https://www.youngfarmers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NationalSurveyReport2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a>, the average age of farmers is around 60 years-old, and almost half of the agricultural land in the United States is about to switch ownership over the next twenty years.
Jeff Mitchell, a professor with the Department of Plant Sciences in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis, told The Daily Wire that things are being done to help people pursue a career in farming.
In California, farmers say they see agricultural interest in the younger generation, but it all depends on several factors, including whether a person has a family history of farming.
Cannon Michael of Bowles Farming Company told The Daily Wire that “context is important &#8211; farms and regions are so very different it is hard to generalize on [whether the younger generation of farmers is more or less willing to enter into the business of agriculture].”
Dennis Jizmejian is a fifth-generation California family farmer on his father’s side. He says, “[i]]nterest is hard to tell. Obviously we live in a very farm-rich community. I would think there would be a lot more interested if it was easier to get into. It&#8217;s just really hard to get in and get started. It really is.”
Jizmejian said the amount of money needed to get started, “especially in California, is pretty crazy,” and there aren’t very many young people who have that kind of money. 
“The data I have seen is that the farming population for the most part is aging more not less — so the younger generation are not flooding into the business. Around me I see examples where younger generations are taking over and entering and then I see plenty of farms where the land is being sold due to lack of family engagement and high prices,” Michael said. 
The survey found that the biggest challenge for young farmers today is discovering land to buy that they can afford, with 59% of young farmers saying that finding an affordable property to purchase is “very or extremely challenging.” More than half of the participants — 54% — said they need additional &#8220;access to land&#8221; right now. 
The second leading challenge was access to money to expand their business, as many farmers deal with healthcare prices, production costs, housing, and student loan debt. The survey also took into account the challenges of different demographics, but across all races, young farmers in the survey said housing, land, and water were major issues over the last year.
Farmers are naturally eco-friendly, and the profession draws people to it for this reason. In the survey, 83% of young farmers said, “one of their farm’s primary purposes for existing is engaging in conservation or regeneration.”
It’s something that might push more people into the farming business. The Biden administration <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/09/22/historic-investment-partnerships-climate-smart-commodities-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently</a> put $2.8 billion towards certain projects as part of its “Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity.”
“There is strong and growing interest in the private sector and among consumers for food that is grown in a climate-friendly way,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.
Joel Currier, a Colorado rancher, told The Daily Wire that the younger generation &#8220;is more willing to enter the business of agriculture. Even if they are not interested in taking over the family farm or ranch, they end up working in another aspect of the agriculture industry.&#8221;
As far as challenges go, Currier also said that one of the most considerable hardships young farmers have to face is the massive beginning costs of starting out in the industry.
&#8220;For farmers and ranchers like me that are working on taking over a family business we can be faced with estate taxes and inheritance taxes. In some cases, these taxes can be so large the only option we have to come up with enough money to pay the taxes is to sell the farm or ranch,&#8221; he added.
Bill Diedrich, a farmer in the Central Valley of California and Jizmejian’s father, told The Daily Wire that “one of the large predeterminers” of someone continuing in farming is a love of the outdoors. He said some people might “dabble” in agriculture if they are interested in the economic side but do not love “dirt and machines.” In this case, “during the downswings, the fire to farm may fade.”
Diedrich added that “water, capital, market conditions, regulations, energy affecting inputs, all are determinates to their success.” He also said it’s a much harder road to get into farming without family money or gifts than in 1980 when he was beginning.
Trent Diedrich works at the Diedrich family farm, as well as Jizmejian. He said that initially, getting into agriculture is a substantial financial feat and is challenging to do, and even friends of his that would like to get into agriculture can’t do so due to the financial aspect.
He said that water is a significant issue making it hard for farmers, as well as the high cost to farm and decreasing prices for commodities. 
Daniel Sumner, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, at UC Davis, said younger family members are eager to take over family farms, but consolidation is also a factor. Young people are entering the agricultural business at a lower rate than in decades past because of this consolidation, he noted.
“[W]ith consolidation there are fewer farm operators in each generation and more hired managers, who may not invest their financial capital but rather invest their human capital. Some families have none of the next generation willing or able to farm… [w]hat usually happens is that a nearby farm neighbors or the cousin down the road consolidates that operation into a unified business,” he said. 
Sumner also said the number of female farmers has continued to rise. He said this is partially a “recognition that women have always been active participants in management of farms,” but there are also more opportunities for women in farming roles. 
The survey found 63.5% of respondents identified as “female, nonbinary, or a gender other than cisgender male.”
“That allows farming to draw on much more talent and suggests another generation of talent. We have seen female leadership in farm organizations, industries and farms for more than a generation, but now it has become routine and that is really excellent for the productivity of agriculture,” Sumner added. 
Different regions face distinct issues. Water is the main issue for California farmers, and Jizmejian said it is “drastically affecting” them. “Water availability is number one priority. [If] there’s ground you can find, you can farm. But some of it doesn&#8217;t have water or it&#8217;s very limited. It&#8217;s year to year,” he added.
He said the economic atmosphere is “not favorable,” as fuel, fertilizer, and labor costs have increased. “The regulatory environment in California is not on our side at all. It&#8217;s just death by a thousand cuts right now.”
Sarah Woolf is part of a third-generation farming family and also has a water consulting business specifically for agriculture.
&#8220;I would say [agriculture in California is] extremely challenging, specifically around water. We simply do not have enough water in California to support the cities, the environment, and the agricultural production that we&#8217;ve historically done,” she said. “And so all of those factions are being constricted and agriculture is probably going to take the biggest hit.”
She believes it’s “very difficult” to buy a farm and begin farming.
“In California agriculture is often demonized and vilified so I see a hesitancy and some younger people to want to get into an industry that is not well understood and not well respected in some circles,” Cannon Michael added.
Trent Diedrich said he jumped at the chance to work at his family’s farm, but he’s “heard stories of people younger than me selling everything they got and getting into other lines of work because the outlook is bleak,” adding it is on a case-by-case basis.
“It looks difficult, the long-term outlook of [agriculture] in the Central Valley is. It’s difficult to project what it&#8217;s going to be like in ten years, given the rate of change in the last five,” he said.
Still, the desire to farm is engrained in some people&#8217;s blood.
&#8220;If you grow up on a family farm you grow up used to a certain way of life,&#8221; Currier, the rancher from Colorado, said, noting that many of his family members who are beginning their families and live in the city &#8220;hope to return home to the ranch later in life with their kids.&#8221;

Farming

Young Farmers Step Up To Feed The Nation As Ag Business Shrinks

California

Colorado

Video from a Hispanic Texas farmer shows illegal immigrants fleeing Border Patrol first trying to get in his house, but when unsuccessful, entering his elderly grandfather&#8217;s home next door.
The farmer’s 150-acre ranch, which his family has owned for more than 100 years, abuts the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Well, this is my house. My house where I live with my children in this house right here,” the farmer narrates in the video. “There’s your freaking border wall. &#8230; Eight individuals just crossed the freaking border wall, running. &#8230; Tried going in my door but the door was locked. So what did they do? They ran right inside my grandpa’s house. Four of them made it inside the barricades themselves inside my 95-year-old grandpa’s house. You want to tell me it’s okay?”
“They tried to break into my house, that&#8217;s locked. They tried to razzle-dazzle my porch and my laundry room door and that&#8217;s locked,” he added.
“These guys just bull-rushed our houses. I mean trying to open doors, trying to get in,” the farmer told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-farmer-near-border-says-migrants-bull-rushed-property-broke-elderly-grandparents-house">Fox News Digital</a>. “Not everyone is that and I’m in agreement with that, but these guys were trying to get away and get into our houses. That was pretty bad.”
“When they have zero respect and barge in your home on a Sunday at four o’clock in the afternoon when you’re sitting down, rest and relaxing, recliner up and your door flings wide open and three people that you don’t know just come running through the kitchen, it’s unfathomable,” he added.
“I feel that we’re at an all-time peak right now. We’re at the highest we’ve seen this in, ultimately, 90 to 95 years,” he concluded.
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On Monday, the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/19/us/politics/us-border-arrests.html">acknowledged</a> “the historic pace of undocumented immigrants entering the country.”
Earlier this month, the executive associate director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Corey Price issued a stunning and revealing response when asked by Florida Chief Deputy Attorney General John Guard about ICE deportation rates in the past decade.
“I do not have the last ten years’ data available. But it is less than at least the last four years that I have here,” Price answered.
“In 2012, a decade ago, under President Obama, ICE removed almost eight times or, excuse me, almost seven times the number of aliens than the Biden administration did in either 2021 or 2022, right?” Guard followed up.
“That appears correct,” Price admitted.
“From 2008 to 2016, ICE removed up to 400,000 aliens per year and never less than 230,000. In 2021 the agency removed only 55,598 aliens,” The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11241771/Farmer-near-border-says-migrants-bull-rushed-property-broke-elderly-grandparents-house.html#comments">pointed out</a>.

Mesquite fence post with long prairie grass and sky

WATCH: ‘These Guys Just Bull-Rushed Our Houses’: Texas Farmer’s Video Of Illegals Barging Into His Grandpa’s Home

Texas Farmer’s Video Of Illegals Barging Into His Grandpa’s Home

Illegal Immigration

Southern Border

Texas

Some railroads are going to stop shipping crops on Thursday in anticipation of a possible railway <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/labor-unions?_gl=1*1eczayp*_ga*MTkxMzA0ODkzMS4xNjQ0MDIxMjI4*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTY2MzE4OTk1Mi42NzcuMS4xNjYzMTkwNzkyLjUyLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener">strike</a>, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-railways-halt-grain-shipments-ahead-potential-shutdown-agriculture-sources-2022-09-13/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sources via Reuters.</a> 
Upsets in shipping could lend to the already steep <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a> as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/farming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farmers</a> are beginning to harvest and send fall crops to producers. Farmers are also reportedly set to put fertilizer on their land following the harvest, but fertilizer shipments are being stalled, Reuters noted. 
According to the Consumer Brands Association via <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2022/09/14/congress-freight-rail-strike/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post,</a> railways in the country are ready to pause crop shipments on Thursday.
Max Fisher, chief economist at the National Grain and Feed Association, told the outlet that rail customers said at least one railway would pause accepting shipments of grain on Thursday morning.
Fisher said that some of the people who pay to use the railways and feed animals don’t have an adequate amount of soymeal, which could result in some producers needing to cull livestock. 
The majority of major railways in the country have already halted taking in new shipments of items that could be dangerous, such as ammonia fertilizer, according to Justin Louchheim, senior government affairs director at The Fertilizer Institute, an industry organization.
The possible strike is coming six weeks ahead of the time that many midwestern farmers start putting down fertilizer, according to Josh Linville, fertilizer director at StoneX Group. He also said that around 40% of U.S. fertilizer travels via rail during some time before it gets to a farm. 
A strike would reportedly especially hurt states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Grain is taken by rail from those states to areas in the pacific northwest to be exported, according to Thomas Lahey, domestic freight manager at Columbia Grain International, per the outlet. 
Poultry producers in the U.S. need around 27 million corn bushels and 11 million soymeal bushels each week for bird feed, according to the National Chicken Council, much of which is transported via railroads. 
&#8220;Any disruption of service could negatively impact the welfare of the birds, and ultimately impact production at a time when Americans are already dealing with record food inflation,&#8221; council spokesman Tom Super said.
North Carolina’s grain producers don’t grow enough corn to offer feed for all of the livestock, Bob Ford, executive director of the North Carolina Poultry Federation, said, per the outlet. 
&#8220;We&#8217;d be in trouble if they went on strike for very long,&#8221; Ford said. &#8220;We&#8217;d run out of corn.”
The start of the corn harvesting season in the south &#8220;will relieve some of the pressure&#8221; on feed resources, Wayne-Sanderson Farms spokesman Frank Singleton said. Wayne-Sanderson Farms is working alongside corn growers to provide feed if it becomes necessary during railway delays. 
Railways also move hexane, which is utilized to get the oil out of soybeans, according to Mike Steenhoek, executive director of Soy Transportation Coalition.
&#8220;Any slowdown or stoppage of rail service – especially on the eve of harvest – would significantly impact farmers&#8217; ability to meet customer demand – both domestically and internationally,&#8221; Steenhoek said.

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Report: Crop Shipments To Stop At Some Railroads Thursday

Report: Crop Shipments To Stop At Some Railroads Thursday In Anticipation Of Possible Railway Strike

The majority of Californians find the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drought" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drought</a> to be serious, according to a new poll.
A poll by UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-08-25/drought-poll-california-water-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">included</a> over 9,000 voters across the sate. It showed that 71% of respondents said California’s water shortage is “extremely serious,” and 23% said it was “somewhat serious.”
Of the respondents, 9% said they and their families have been impacted “a great deal” by the current drought, and 32% said they have been somewhat impacted. Fifty-seven percent said they have been impacted “only a little” or they have not been impacted at all.
In 2015, a similar poll was conducted and showed that 58% of respondents said they were impacted at least somewhat by the drought, while 76% said it was extremely serious.
“What’s striking to me is that it’s not really directly affecting as many voters as you might think,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley IGS poll. During this drought, he said, the water shortage “really hasn’t been as broadly felt by voters, at least not up to this point.”
When the 2012-2016 drought was at its peak, then-Governor Jerry Brown (D) mandated water cuts across the state by 25%, the Los Angeles Times reported. Instead, this time around, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Governor Gavin Newsom</a> (D) has asked Californians to cut water usage by 15% and has provided local water supplies with more options in taking conservation actions.
Los Angeles County is one area that has seen intense water <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/water-agency-cracks-down-on-water-use-in-southern-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restrictions</a> with regard to outdoor water use.
The main agency cracking down on those who break the rules in the area of Southern California is the <a href="https://www.lvmwd.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Las Virgenes Municipal Water District</a>, which operates in some of the wealthiest areas, such as Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, and areas of Malibu, according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/08/21/california-drought-water-restriction-enforcement/10174631002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USA Today</a>.
The agency has even begun putting flow restrictor devices on people’s homes who use a lot of water. The devices shut down the water for the outside, and limit how much can be used inside one’s home. Violators can get their names taken off of the list prior to getting a restrictor put on their house if they sign a form and lower their water use.
In the poll, 44% of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/los-angeles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">L.A. County</a> voters said complying was easy, with 13% saying it has been hard. However, 72% said they are doing all they can to cut down on water use.
While citizens in cities might not be feeling the effects of the drought, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farmers</a> are struggling under the lack of water. In recent years, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/environmental-policies-are-leaving-california-farmers-in-the-dust" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many have left their land fallow</a>, or uncultivated, while making hard decisions on which crops to plant. The situation could even lead to small family farms needing to close down and move out of the region.
The poll showed that in the San Joaquin Valley, where farmers are struggling, 18% said they had been impacted “a great deal” by the drought, which was the most of any area of the state.

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Poll: Most Californians Find Drought To Be Serious, Rural Communities Feel Impact More Than Others

Poll: Most Californians Find Current Drought To Be Serious, While Rural Communities, Such As The San Joaquin Valley Feel The Impact More Than Others

drought

Gavin Newsom

Farmers and ranchers located near the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oregon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oregon</a> state line in Northern <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> have been informed by the government to stop diverting water from a region dedicated to protecting fish.
On Friday, the State Water Resources Control Board sent a draft cease-and-desist order to the Shasta Water Association, informing the group they needed to stop collecting water from the Shasta River watershed, according to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-08-23/ranchers-told-to-stop-diverting-water-in-drought-hit-area" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Times</a>. The group is an irrigation organization exempt from taxes and has around 80 members.
The Shasta Water Association has twenty days to ask for a hearing or the order will be complete, which could mean that the group has to pay fines of up to $10,000 per day, the state water agency said.
Ailene Voisin, a state water board information officer, told the outlet that the water diversions were still happening as of Tuesday of this week.
The state agency has decreased water use in the specific watershed since last year to allow water to keep pouring into the Shasta River, which is a tributary of the Klamath River. It is also a safe place for a specific vulnerable species of salmon that is federally protected.
The region has already suffered from other recent events as salmon and other fish died in the Klamath river. Scientists believe the event was caused by a flash flood that carried waste from a wildfire and affected the oxygen quality of the water, according to Craig Tucker, a consultant on natural resources for the Karuk Tribe, per the outlet. He noted that around 50,000 to 100,000 suckerfish are estimated to have perished, as well as salmon and other fish.
The Shasta River then fell to around half of the minimum emergency flow necessity for the fish, which is 50 cubic feet per second, according to the state water agency. On Tuesday, that number was down to 14 cubic feet per second.
Tucker said that ranchers seem to be taking water from the river or diverting water on or near their property in order to use the water for their agricultural fields and pastures. However, the tribal groups haven’t gone onto their land in order to look into this claim.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drought" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drought</a> in the region has severely impacted agricultural output. In a letter to the water board on August 17, the agricultural group said it thought the exemptions permitted it to cut down its diversion of water by just 15%, and also stated it would begin using water for animals when the weather reaches high temperatures, and also to use for ponds in order to suppress fires.
“The curtailment has dried the Shasta Valley to the point of endangerment to health and life of the public and residents who live here, with apparent disregard to the livestock and pet health within this watershed,” the letter said.

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California State Water Board Tells Ranchers To Stop Taking Water For Agriculture

California State Water Board Tells Northern California Ranchers To Stop Taking Water For Agriculture In Shasta River Watershed

Oregon

Risk assessment experts at several companies worldwide are <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/businesses-should-prepare-for-risk-of-civil-unrest-from-food-scarcity-11660210202" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issuing</a> dire warnings about a global <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/food" target="_blank" rel="noopener">food</a> shortage that, combined with other problems, could inevitably lead to unrest and riots.
Laura Burns with Willis Towers Watson <a href="https://www.insiderengage.com/article/29zt8con03ocyhbt5ws8w/leadership-vision/wtw-political-risk-leader-political-risk-insurers-bracing-for-ukraine-russia-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compared</a> today’s conditions to the uprisings during the Arab Spring in 2011. The World Bank recently said record-high food prices have “triggered a global crisis that will drive millions more into extreme poverty, magnifying hunger and malnutrition.”
Srdjan Todorovic, the head of terrorism and hostile environment solutions at <a href="https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/ALIZF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Allianz</a> Global Corporate &amp; Specialty, pointed out the uniqueness of the current circumstances.
&#8220;We’ve seen the pattern over the last few years, but also if you… try to search back in history the current situation, political, economic that we’re witnessing at the moment globally, you probably can’t find a similar situation,” Todorovic <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bast3kxJrds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said.</a>
Many factors are <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading</a> to this global food crisis, including six months of war in Ukraine, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supply chain problems</a>, and worldwide <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a>. In 2007 and 2008, high food costs led to riots and protests across 48 countries, and prices today are already higher than they were then.
While a host of issues is causing increased food prices, high fertilizer costs are also leading to problems. High fertilizer costs resulted in Peruvian and Greek <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farmers</a> heading to cities to share their frustration. In addition, Sri Lankan protesters pushed out the current administration after they forcibly entered the presidential palace. Experts have said that was partly because of a chemical fertilizer ban that led to fewer crops harvested.
Officials at the United Nations are <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/fertilizer-soil-ukraine-war-the-next-global-food-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increasing</a> their warnings about the lack of fertilizer, especially as regions of Africa are dealing with prices that have surged by 300% since the war in Ukraine.
World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Juergen Voegele <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke</a> about this in April, <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying,</a> “Russia and Belarus account for 20% of global fertilizer exports. And again fertilizer prices were already very high before the war because of high oil prices, and the price of urea for instance actually tripled last year already.”
There are at least 50 countries that rely on Russia and Ukraine for at least 30% of their grain, including several developing nations in North Africa and Asia, according to Marsh, per <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/businesses-should-prepare-for-risk-of-civil-unrest-from-food-scarcity-11660210202" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal.</a> One example is Turkey, which imported 78% of its wheat from the two warring countries in 2020. Brazil is the primary market for Russian fertilizers.
Americans might be concerned about how this could affect the United States. However, most of the wealthier democratic countries around the globe can adjust to the increase in cost. The U.S. leads the world in food production and exports. America makes up 4% of the world population but generates a large percentage of food production, so the U.S. is likely insulated from a food crisis.
It seems there may be a lot of hardship in the short term, but over the long run, more strategies could be implemented to increase worldwide food production. Companies are also looking at how social unrest might affect their business. If there are uprisings and upheaval in some of these nations, it doesn’t only affect those areas. There is a ripple effect. With the interconnected global economy, disruptions in one country can have a massive impact on others.

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Experts Warn Of Impending Global Food Shortage That Could Lead To Social Unrest, Riots

Experts Warn Of Incoming Global Food Shortage That Could Lead To Social Unrest

Fertilizer

Food

Inflation

Ukraine-Russia War

Black <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farmers</a> are starting to wonder if they will receive the debt forgiveness that they had been promised after a measure was passed last year to prioritize them for such action.
When the Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color <a href="https://www.warnock.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Emergency-Relief-for-Farmers-of-Color-Act-of-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Act</a> passed last year with the American Rescue Plan, it <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/black-farmers-covid-relief-stimuus-bill-american-rescue-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provided</a> $4 billion in debt forgiveness to farmers of color from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
&#8220;This is a big deal for us,&#8221; John Boyd, Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association, told CBS MoneyWatch at the time. &#8220;We see this as a great opportunity to help thousands.&#8221;
The concept was met with pushback, and white farmers brought forward at least six federal lawsuits against the measure, since it didn’t allow them to try to receive the funds due to their racial group. Those suits are still pending.
The debt forgiveness measure, however, was taken out of the inflation act before many farmers could get the money. The new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/inflation-reduction-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inflation Reduction Act</a> gives $3.1 billion to “distressed borrowers” and an additional $2.2 billion to farmers who have &#8220;experienced discrimination&#8221; from the USDA, while taking race off as a measure of eligibility.
In a release, Boyd <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nbfa-president-boyd-releases-official-statement-on-president-bidens-withdrawal-of-support-for-black-farmers-301602971.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he was &#8220;very, very disappointed in this legislative action,&#8221; after reviewing the final legislation passed by the Senate.
&#8220;I&#8217;m prepared to fight for debt relief for Black, Native American and other farmers of color all the way to the Supreme Court. I&#8217;m not going to stop fighting this,” he said, adding, &#8220;Discrimination at USDA against Black Farmers was rampant and severe. Section 1005 Loan Repayment program was a necessary step towards fixing those harms. To acknowledge and correct racism is not unconstitutional or racist.”
“That&#8217;s a broken promise and a broken contract between the U.S. government and Black farmers,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/black-farmers-usda-loan-relief-inflation-reduction-act-ira/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s a huge loss for us and other Black farmers who have been waiting on this.”
Boyd <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-15/black-and-brown-farmers-say-inflation-reduction-act-breaks-promise-of-relief-for-past-wrongs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wants</a> President Joe Biden to put forward a moratorium on farm foreclosures.
“That&#8217;s the least he can do,” he said. “A farmer shouldn&#8217;t be losing his farm.”
Black farmers could still meet the requirements to get a sizable portion of the funds offered under the inflation measure, but CBS News reported it’s not entirely evident if their applications will now be lost in a larger pile of applications. Boyd told the outlet it will all come down to how the USDA determines the eligibility.
The USDA told CBS Moneywatch that they haven’t decided what farmers will need to provide in order to show evidence that they have experienced discrimination or are distressed.
&#8220;USDA intends to move expeditiously and our teams are already examining the best paths forward and our options for complying with the language,&#8221; a spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch last week.

3FCB5E19-8DD4-427A-A647-9AA0488DE9B9_1_201_a

Black Farmers Say Inflation Act Is Betrayal Of Promise Of Debt Relief

Black Farmers Say New Inflation Measure Is Betrayal After Debt Relief Measure Is Removed After Emergency Relief For Farmers Of Color Act Was Passed Last Year

Biden Administration

Inflation Reduction Act

Joe Biden

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Russell Brand</a> is sounding the alarm on the green energy movement and farmer revolts in Europe, claiming it’s all part of &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/great-reset">The Great Reset</a>.&#8221;
The British-born comedian spoke up about Bill Gates buying up farmland across the United States and how it&#8217;s affecting farmers during a <a href="https://www.bizpacreview.com/2022/07/20/actor-russell-brand-calls-green-energy-movement-a-scam-to-bankrupt-farmers-and-grab-their-land-globally-via-the-great-reset-1263594/">recent</a> episode of his podcast, &#8220;Under the Skin.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="[PROOF] The Great Reset Is HAPPENING!" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CA_Phpz4woY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The 47-year-old said people “should be respectful to the Earth … we believe in responsible energy,” but only to aid “ordinary people” and not “centralized power.”
While speaking about protests from Dutch farmers, the “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” star said, “This is connected to the land grab of Bill Gates. This is connected to corruption of companies like Monsanto. This whole fertilizer situation is a scam. They present it as a green ideology.” 
“‘Oh, we can’t keep using these fertilizers,’ And anyone who lives in the rural area will know that when those fertilizers get used, you think, ‘Oh God, this is a bit dodgy.’ But the reason that farmers are using those fertilizers is cause it’s necessary economically because of the pressure they’re under financially because of — often because of government-enforced imperatives,” Brand continued.
“The objective isn’t to get the farmers to behave in an organic, responsible ecologically apposite manner, no, far from it. It’s in order to bankrupt the farmers so that their land can be grabbed,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/1549008316277432326">said</a>. “This shows you how ‘The Great Reset’ operates. It uses a green agenda. And just so you know, I agree with the green agenda. I think that the planet should be treated with love and respect that we should see ourselves as in harmony with it.” 
“But when regulations are passed down from a globalist level and it affects the lives of ordinary farmers, it is the duty of all of us to support them, to stand in solidarity, to give them time to make those transitions, to say to the farming and agricultural community, &#8216;we’ll support you by buying your products,&#8217;” Brand insisted.
He claims the push for organic farming has sinister motives, ultimately. 
“The displacement of the people is the desired end point. The disempowerment of the farmers, the bankruptcy of the farmers is the desired end point. That’s what … &#8216;oh no, we were just trying to create more organic farms.&#8217; Look what’s happened. We f***ed up the livelihood of all these ordinary people. That’s not- it’s not a mistake, they’re trying to f*** up ordinary people.”
Brand has been a popular figure on the right lately, especially for his opinions on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his frank talk on the empty, vapid life of most celebrities.

An Evening with Russell Brand at Esquire Townhouse with Dior

‘Trying To F*** Up Ordinary People’: Russell Brand Rants Against The ‘Great Reset,’ Green Energy ‘Agenda’

Russell Brand Rants Against The 'Great Reset,' Green Energy 'Agenda'

Bill Gates

Celebrities

Great Reset

Hollywood

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/netherlands">Dutch</a> police opened fire Tuesday night, shooting toward a protester driving a tractor during ongoing demonstrations over proposed environmental regulations that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/farmers">farmers</a> say would harm their livelihoods. 
After the incident, police said they fired “warning shots” to ward off a tractor they believed would drive into them. Farmers have been blockading roads in the Netherlands as the government seeks to implement a reduction of nitrogen emissions, which would impact those with large farms. 
“At about 10:40 p.m., tractor drivers attempted to drive into officers and service vehicles. This happened at the entrance Mercurius/A32 in [Heerenveen]. A threatening situation arose. Warning shots were fired and targeted shots were fired,” Dutch police <a href="https://twitter.com/POL_Fryslan/status/1544434501648105480?s=20&amp;t=JQVzRPssODx43NEhzKuadQ">said</a> in a statement. 
No one was injured by the gunfire, though a tractor was <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/police-fire-dutch-farmer-protest-nitrogen-emission-cut/">hit</a>, and authorities arrested three individuals. The shooting will be investigated by an internal investigator with the Dutch government. 
The unrest stems from a new plan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dutch-farmers-spread-manure-on-streets-as-new-emissions-rules-threaten-to-close-down-livestock-farms">unveiled</a> at the end of last month to slash 50% of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/climate-change">pollutants</a>, such as nitrogen oxides and ammonia, by 2030, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/explainer-dutch-farmers-protesting-emissions-85848026">according</a> to a report from ABC News. As the government acknowledged in a statement, “The honest message &#8230; is that not all farmers can continue their business.”
In response, roughly 40,000 farmers gathered to protest the plans, blocking traffic across the country as they drove tractors slowly. “Some have dumped hay bales on roads, and small groups demonstrated at town and city halls, in some cases starting bonfires outside the buildings,” ABC reported, noting that other farmers “set hay bales ablaze.”
Urine and dung produced by livestock are a source of ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions, according to a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34192353/">study</a> published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2565/nasa-satellite-identifies-global-ammonia-hotspots/">NASA</a> satellites have linked agricultural regions to higher atmospheric ammonia concentrations, which lead to “poor air and water quality.”
On Monday, farmers continued their protests by blocking supermarket distribution networks, with fishermen blocking ports as a sign of solidarity, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/dutch-farmers-block-food-distribution-centers-over-new-environmental-rules/a-62356217">according</a> to a report from German state-owned news outlet Deutsche Welle. Dutch government data shows that the Netherlands’ policies could shutter 30% of livestock farms.
The Netherlands exported €94.5 billion — roughly $98.5 billion — of agricultural goods in 2019, according to a <a href="https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2020/01/17/dutch-agricultural-exports-worth-%E2%82%AC94.5-billion-in-2019#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20the%20Netherlands%20exported,due%20to%20higher%20export%20volume.">report</a> from the nation’s agriculture ministry. A majority of the goods are shipped to other European countries.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte condemned the protests. “You can demonstrate, but in a civilized way,” he <a href="https://apnews.com/article/netherlands-pollution-climate-and-environment-2e5901110047253d77b725362ad94134">remarked</a> at a NATO summit last week in Madrid, per The Associated Press. “So don’t block highways, don’t set off fireworks outside a minister’s house and spread manure and … scare two children, and endanger families.”
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.

NETHERLANDS-AGRICULTURE-PROTEST

Dutch Police Open Fire Toward Pro-Farmer Protester On Tractor

Environmentalism

The Netherlands

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