opinion
The gradual stranglehold of Europe's 'climate change' policy has taken its toll on their farmers, and they 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 growing level of discontent among its farming community over the past few years, with tensions in some countries beginning to boil as farmers intensify protests across the continent. Major highways were blocked by tractors, straw bales were set on fire, and access to airports and seaports was restricted by protesters.
The increase in European farmers' anger comes as the European Union summit approaches. Farmers from Belgium to Italy and from France to Spain hope their voices will be taken into account when European leaders meet to draft new climate change regulations.
Enough is enough
European farmers are making waves across the continent as they flex their agricultural muscles to attract the attention of their elected leaders. French farmers recently blocked highways in and out of Paris with tractors and set fire to bales of hay to prevent access to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.
Belgian farmers blocked roads leading to the container port of Zeebrugge. Farmers marched through the streets of Milan and Rome, Italy.
Last year, German and Polish farmers protested, and Spanish farmers pledged to add their voices to the mix starting in February. Protest banners sport slogans such as: “Minister for a term, farmer for life.” These farmers have reached the limit with the EU bureaucrats.
Why all this anger at seemingly mild-mannered European farmers? They argue that oppressive EU regulations primarily targeting climate change initiatives have made it nearly impossible to thrive as a farmer in Europe and stay in business at all.
One such regulation is the requirement that 4% of their agricultural land be allocated to “unproductive” areas so that “nature can recover” in order to receive subsidies from the European Union. The requirement to leave land fallow to receive subsidies has put many farmers out of work, with rumors of some feeling so desperate that they have resorted to suicide.
Where does such an illogical restriction come from?
RELATED: China Buying American Farms Is So Dangerous Even Sen. John Fetterman understands it
Another dangerous encounter
Last year, the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties, known as COP28, was held in Dubai. It is an annual event where world leaders come together to discuss policy changes that can be made to avoid climate disasters. Meetings are often sparsely covered by the mainstream media.
Unfortunately, these extravagant meetings of the global elite tend to be where some of the worst ideas are born and then projected into government policies that affect the unsuspecting masses. Last year's event, in particular, showcased what they called “1.5°C compliant menus” focusing on plant-based foods to show the importance of “climate-friendly food and agriculture.”
Maryam Al Muhairi, Food Systems Lead at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), said of the lists:
“To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, and to keep 1.5°C within reach, we must address the relationship between global food systems, agriculture and climate.”
Don't be fooled by the eloquence of the line; When Mr. Al Muhairi mentions global food systems, he is talking about farms and pastures. Of course, the United States was present last year and was one of more than 150 countries that agreed to implement policies aligned with COP28 climate goals, including:
“…while simultaneously reducing the harmful environmental impacts of agriculture and maximizing the climate benefits of the sector.”
Europe is trying to “minimize the harmful effects” of agriculture by linking subsidies to needed fallow farmland. The question is: How does the United States move forward?
It's already here
Late last year, 12 state agricultural commissioners wrote a letter to six U.S. banks raising concerns about financial decisions the banks were making tied to climate change initiatives that negatively impact American farmers and ranchers. The six banks involved are part of the UN-backed Net-Zero Banking Alliance, or NZBA.
The NZBA is “committed to financing ambitious climate action” with the intention of banks making financial decisions based on climate initiatives.
The six US banks are:
- American bank
- Citigroup
- Goldman Sachs
- C. B. Morgan Chase
- Morgan Stanley
- Wells Fargo
RELATED: Huge investment firm BlackRock plans layoffs as controversial ESG platform faces final pushback
The commissioners wrote in the letter:
“Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture requires a comprehensive overhaul of on-farm infrastructure – one of the NZBA’s goals.”
They go on to explain the damage the NZBA will do to American agriculture:
“The proposed roadmaps to net zero describe radical, impractical, and costly changes to American farming and ranching operations such as switching to electric machinery and equipment; installing on-site solar panels and wind turbines; moving to organic fertilizers; changing rice field irrigation systems; and reducing ruminant meat consumption in the United States.” United States by half, costing millions in livestock jobs.
This last part should sound familiar. It's like promoting plant-based foods like COP28, or dare I say it…eating bugs instead of beef…
Boring but important
If it's not the banks that will bring American farmers to the streets to protest, it may be Congress. This year, Congress must pass an updated farm bill.
The Farm Bill includes all sorts of unexciting policy provisions related to SNAP benefits and farm subsidies. These agricultural subsidies, similar to those in Europe, are increasingly linked to climate initiatives.
As in Europe, taking control of America's heartland does not happen overnight, but through small, small movements over many years thanks to the sustained push of climate activists and international pressure from progressive European leaders. While the mainstream media ignores claims that European aristocrats and climate activists want to make us eat burgers, and that tech elites like Bill Gates gobbling up the largest amount of privately owned farmland in the country is nothing to worry about, banks and members of Congress are slowly encroaching on ranchers and farmers. Americans to perpetuate their dangerous climate ideology.
RELATED: Conservatives are going crazy over this viral protest song written by a Virginia farmer
Last October, the Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Report revealed that one in eight households in America experienced food insecurity in the previous calendar year. Then, I'll leave you with this final question – what is the ultimate goal of starving Europeans and Americans out by slowly eliminating agriculture and ranching?
Is it really about climate change, or is it about something else entirely?
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Policy Insider ranks third on Feedspot's “Top 100 Political Blogs and Websites” list.
