Opinion
The progressive grip of “climate change” politics in Europe has put a strain on their farmers, who have reached a critical breaking point. A breaking point that could reach the heart of America in the very near future.
Europe has seen a simmering level of discontent among the farming community in recent years, with tensions in some countries starting to boil over as farmers intensified protests across the continent. Major highways were blocked by tractors, hay bales set on fire and access to airports and seaports restricted by protesters.
The increased irritation from European farmers comes just as the European Union summit is about to begin. Farmers from Belgium to Italy and from France to Spain hope their voices will be taken into account as European leaders meet to draft new “climate change” regulations.
When enough is enough
European farmers are making waves across the continent as they flex their agricultural muscles to get the attention of elected leaders. French farmers recently blocked highways in and out of Paris with tractors and set fire to hay bales to block access to Toulouse-Blagnac airport.
Belgian farmers have blocked roads to the Zeebrugge container port. Farmers marched through the streets of Milan and Rome in Italy.
Last year German and Polish farmers protested and Spanish farmers have pledged to give their voice starting in February. Sporting protest signs with slogans such as: “Minister for a while, Farmer for life”, these farmers are at odds with European Union bureaucrats.
Why all this anger from seemingly mild-mannered European farmers? They argue that oppressive EU rules aimed primarily at climate change initiatives have made it almost impossible to thrive as a farmer in Europe and stay in business.
One of these regulations includes the obligation to dedicate 4% of agricultural land to “non-productive” areas so that “nature can recover” and receive subsidies from the EU. The requirement to leave land fallow to receive subsidies has put many farmers out of business, with reports that some have felt so desperate they have resorted to suicide.
Where would such a senseless restriction come from?
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Another dangerous encounter
Last year, the 28th Conference of the Parties, otherwise known as COP28, met in Dubai. It is an annual event where world leaders meet to discuss policy changes that could be made to avoid climate disasters. The meetings are often minimally covered by the mainstream media.
Unfortunately, these extravagant gatherings of the world’s elite tend to be where some of the worst ideas are born and then later fed into government policies that target the unsuspecting masses. Last year’s event, in particular, featured what they called “1.5 Celsius aligned menus” focused on plant-based foods to demonstrate the importance of “climate-friendly food and agriculture.”
Mariam Almheiri, COP28 food systems manager, said of the menus:
“To reach the goals of the Paris Agreement, and keep 1.5°C within reach, we must address the connection between global food systems, agriculture and climate.”
Don’t let the eloquence of the joke fool you; when Almheiri mentions global food systems, he is referring to farms and ranches. The United States was of course present last year and was one of more than 150 countries that agreed to implement policies to align with COP28 climate goals, including:
“…simultaneously reduce the harmful environmental impacts of agriculture and maximize the climate benefits of the sector.”
Europe attempts to “reduce the harmful impacts” of agriculture by tying subsidies to needed uncultivated agricultural land. The question is: how is the United States moving forward?
It’s already here
Late last year, 12 state agriculture commissioners wrote a letter to six U.S. banks expressing concern about financial decisions the banks were making related to climate change initiatives that negatively impact American farmers and ranchers. The six banks in question are part of the United Nations-backed Net-Zero Banking Alliance, or NZBA.
The NZBA is “committed to financing ambitious climate action” with the intent that banks will make financial decisions based on climate initiatives.
The six US banks are:
- Bank of America
- Citigroup
- Goldman Sachs
- JP Morgan Chase
- Morgan Stanley
- Wells Fargo
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In the letter the commissioners write:
“Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture requires a complete overhaul of farm infrastructure – one of the NZBA’s goals.”
They go on to outline the damage the NZBA will inflict on American agriculture:
“The proposed net zero roadmaps describe dramatic, impractical, and costly changes in American farming and ranching operations, such as the shift to electric machinery and equipment; on-site installation of solar panels and wind turbines; switching to organic fertilizer; alter rice field irrigation systems; and halve ruminant meat consumption in the United States, costing millions in livestock jobs.”
This last part should sound familiar to you. This sounds a lot like promoting plant-based foods like COP28 or, dare I say… eating insects instead of beef…
Boring but important
If it’s not the banks that bring American farmers to the streets to protest, it could be Congress. This year, Congress will need to pass an updated farm bill.
The Farm Bill includes all kinds of unattractive policy elements related to SNAP benefits and farm subsidies. These agricultural subsidies, similar to those in Europe, are increasingly linked to climate initiatives.
Just as in Europe, the stranglehold on America’s heartland does not happen overnight, but in small, tiny movements over many years, thanks to the persistent push of climate activists and international pressure from progressive European leaders. While the mainstream media dismisses claims that European aristocrats and climate activists want us to eat bug burgers and that techno-elites like Bill Gates gobbling up the most privately owned farmland in the country are not something to worry about , banks and members of Congress are slowly encroaching on American ranchers and farmers to perpetuate their dangerous climate ideology.
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Last October, the Department of Agriculture’s Household Food Security Report revealed that one in eight families in America had experienced food insecurity in the previous calendar year. With that said, I leave you with this final question: What is the ultimate goal of starving Europeans and Americans by slowly killing agriculture and livestock?
Is it really about climate change or is it something else entirely different?
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