i think this and the idea that it’s generic “farmers” that are the worst offenders is wrong. and i think blaming the wrong people can result in the wrong fixes
as you(?) mentioned about the almonds, it’s hedge fund and commodity traders that are driving much of this. and like with the alfalfa being grown for livestock - it’s agricultural giants pressuring government and farmers to produce certain kinds of crops ( and meat )
farming’s hard as you probably know. and even if you’re lucky enough to still own your own land and make your own decisions about what to grow: you still have to worry about being able to keep that land. farmers don’t always have the flexibility to grow what or how they’d choose
policy in that case matters much more than individual choice. blaming farmers for the system of neo liberal capitalism won’t get us very far
