this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2025
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/32291701

The reason is simple: an increase in immigration enforcement, including high-profile ICE raids, shook Texas farm workers to their core. The news filtered fast that workers—regardless of legal status—chose safety over a salary.

Farmers, who had been working with their crews for decades, described the loss as “devastating” and “unprecedented.” This is alarming as most farms are founded upon immigrant labor, both legal and illegal, creating a domino effect for the food system as a whole.

. . . When farm workers vanish, the effects are felt far beyond the fields. Livestock is untended, crops go unpicked, food production declines, and food prices dramatically increase. In Texas alone, where specialty vegetables and fruits must be hand-picked, worker shortages jeopardize entire harvest seasons.

This results in fewer foods on grocery store shelves, higher prices for families nationwide, and a greater reliance on imports. Threads on Reddit and YouTube are already predicting price hikes and empty produce shelves.

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[–] HuskerNation@lemmy.zip 28 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Farmers will never learn, those people are the only ones willing to do the work. White kids have been raised that that work is beneath them

[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 41 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It isn't beneath me. I just don't think I could physically do it as a job. Also, the pay is bad. So, it's pretty low on my job list. I'd rather work a fast food job. And I never want to work one again.

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 25 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Disagree. There are plenty of people who would do the work, they're just not willing to do it for the amount farmers are willing to pay.

Also, you'd have to be insane to do outside work in both Florida and Texas, now that both states have got rid of mandated water breaks for outdoor workers.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

Not to mention going there. Except for people desperate for work, who in their right mind would travel to magastan out in the country m, to shave away with no water or bathroom breaks, in the hot sun all day without even water for minimum wage? There are just so many reasons for an immediate no

[–] Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world 27 points 3 days ago

That yes, but also more.

One positive aspect of social media is showing the young how the world really works, to an extent I think.

Poor immigrants are generally in a more uninformed and desperate survival situation. Many probably aren't of the mindset "fuck slaving away 14hrs a day for shit pay to make a billionaire richer". They just generally don't think that way yet.

I personally would rather die than be forced to work in those conditions. I sympathize with them and wish they didn't have to either. But they're still currently the ones more desperate and willing to suffer.

I would be willing to help with farm work however, if the pay was significantly better, 4-6hrs per day, 2-3 days per week. But normalizing this would necessitate eradicating billionaires and even hundred millionaires. Obviously not gonna happen.

I'm just sayin' it's more than just white kids are lazy. At least I hope so.

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 19 points 3 days ago

Nice try, racist. Stop splitting the working class up like that. Labor should be paid a living wage and any corp what cannot do that should fail. Race of the worker is irrelevant.

Capitalists have you convinced it is different between races but only because that distraction keeps capitalists exploiting the working class folk.

Ain’t no war but class war.