Rebecca Carlson planned to use a USDA grant to hire overseas workers for her cherry harvest. A funding freeze has left her in debt and unsure whether she can hire the workers.

Farmer relies on government grants and immigrant workers.

Farmer votes for candidate who vows to block government grants and immigrant workers.

Farmer is surprised when government grants and immigrant workers are blocked.

  • raynethackery@lemmy.worldEnglish
    16·
    3 days ago

    Let’s face it. We have been talking about technology eliminating the drudge work of society for decades. We used technology to automate so many tedious but not necessarily body destroying jobs. Farm work is body destroying and should be automated as much as is technologically feasible.

    From the CDC:

    • Deaths

      • In 2022, workers in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry had one of the highest fatal injury rates (18.6 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalents), compared to 3.7 deaths per 100,000 FTE for all U.S. industries.
      • Transportation incidents were the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers. Other leading causes were violence by other persons or animals and contact with objects and equipment.
      • In 2022, over half (56%) of deaths in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry occurred to workers 55 years of age and older.
    • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      A “science will save us” comment, handwaving in the direction of future unrealized solutions for a crisis happening today.

      “Let’s face it…”, offering solutions that are years away, affordable only by Big Farm, and ignore the fact that there are simply many crops that are not harvestable by machine is a very unhelpful comment. You may be right about the dangers of farming, it has always been a dangerous occupation, but pointing out what could be accomplished a decade from now is no solution for the crops rotting in the fields this season. Wit this administration we are FAR more likely to see incarcerated and detained individuals forced into the fields than we are to any advances in farm tech - especially with the idiotic tariffs in place that will jack up the price of any imported machinery or the raw materials needed to produce said machines and will be unprofitable to attempt.

    • Ledericas@lemm.eeEnglish
      4·
      3 days ago

      but its cheaper to have “Slave” workers, than expensive machinery, where you have to maintain it.

      • bluewing@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        2 days ago

        Machines are still cheaper. They don’t need to be fed or housed every day and you get more work out of machine per hour than any living creature-- be it a horse or slave. And when you are done with a piece of equipment, you turn it off and walk away.