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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[–] flandish@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Syndicalism. Farmers co-ops. Food from your lawn.

[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago

Have you talked to the average American about agriculture? They would starve themselves in a few months.

Also, you would have to come up with rules on who grows what and how seed savings would work. You need to keep things that can cross pollinate away from each other.

Now you know the point of Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:9.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Not really elaborating on that much... Not everyone can afford to drive out to the country to work on a farm for food, and a lot of people don't have lawns.

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I’m not saying a post reply on lemmy will cover what I mean or fix everything ; but my examples are things we can start with and they don’t hurt. Recovery from capitalism will take a long time.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Look, I'm all for dismantling capitalism, but you do your cause disservice if you criticize something, act like you have the answers, and then don't deliver. If you don't have the answers just say so up front.

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

is it a disservice to the slave to leave his chains or even discuss it, even if he has nowhere to go after?

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining." Teddy Roosevelt

I'm not saying to not discuss it. I'm not saying to stay a slave.

When were talking about people needing to eat, though, you're gonna need some solutions if you want to enact change. No one can do a revolution on an empty stomach, and if you're going to hand wave basic survival, you're not going to get anyone to follow you.

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

i don’t understand. i mentioned some starter solutions. Do you want a logistical breakdown soup to nuts? You can confer with greater minds than mine for that.

Personally I do what I can. I help my neighbors and my community at large, as best as I can. And I support where I can, too.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Those weren't feasible solutions at all.

80% or so of America lives in cities. So they aren't going to be able to use a coop farm and a lot of them don't have land to grow anything on.

Also farming isn't something anyone can pick up. Sure, harvesting is pretty easy to learn, but for massive scale farming that we need to survive, you need specialized equipment, training and tools. Things most people just don't have.

Your "solutions" are hand waving ideas that haven't been thought through in the slightest.

They won't work.

Again, just to make sure I'm crystal here, I'm so for dismantling the insane capitalistic system we have, stopping the exploitation of farm workers, reforming our food industry, etc. I really super am on your side here. But if we want those changes you're gonna have to actually think through the solutions you're giving people and not just give some nothing burgers like these.

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

what stops coop farms from bringing goods to cities?

also people have created solutions. they exist in the writings of folks like engels, etc.

Not having all the solutions should not stop people from recognizing things are shit.

Don’t gatekeep the emotional connection and instead ask leading questions.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

There's a big difference between recognizing things are shit and pretending you know the answer.

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

where did I pretend? you’re hanging on to an idea that is irrelevant - that I’m in some sort of conflict with you. sheesh.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If you think other people's ideas or their feelings when they interact with you are irrelevant, then you're kind of a dick.

Your whole vibe this whole conversation was giving the impression that you had a solution, and you admittedly don't. I asked for one to give you a platform to present a solution, but you clearly just pulled something out of your ass and then passed the buck to someone more knowledgeable when pressed.

If you haven't thought about what the solutions to basic problems like these are, and haven't done the research so you could tell me what those more learned people have come up with, you're nothing more than a parrot.

You wanna be a socialist? Do some research and come back to us with some solid solutions, not just "uh grow your own food in the lawn you probably don't have in an area that might not even grow everything or enough, peasant".

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

sigh. you think lemmy is a good forum for expounding ideas? your entire reply “vibe” seemed like you just wanted to hear an idea and shoot it down. just to shoot it down. i’m not falling into that rabbit hole. if you opened a little softer things may have been different.

meet me at the pub over a few guinness and I’ll be happy do spitball ideas. Like I already do in real life.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Dude I opened with kid gloves and threw you a soft slow ball.

Do is a favor and stop pretending to be part of our movement you're making us look bad.

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

show me an example of what a hit reply would have looked like to you? co-ops, farms, syndicalism… not hit enough? Did you need me to explain how toothbrushes would work?

basically i never claimed to have cogent large scale answers. you seem like that offended you or you are poking in bad faith. I feel instead you should be asking “leading” questions meant to inspire constructive thoughts on the matter.

i’m done with this thread. Enjoy your day.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It didn't hit enough, definitely said so, and if you bothered to read anything I told you exactly why those wouldn't work.

I'm not exactly keen on taking advice from you on much of anything, frankly, because you don't think things through or, you know, observe.