♪ ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
John: WELCOME, WELCOME,
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT."
I'M JOHN OLIVER, THANKS SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
IT'S BEEN A BUSY WEEK!
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CHARGED A
21-YEAR-OLD WITH LEAKING
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS, OUR
BUSINESS DADDY TOOK ITS CONTENT
PURGE UP A NOTCH AND JUST THREW
THE WHOLE HBO OUT.
AND THE NRA HELD ITS ANNUAL
CONVENTION, AT WHICH SOUTH
DAKOTA GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM
TRIED DESPERATELY TO
DISPEL STEREOTYPES ABOUT THE
GROUP, ONLY TO BE UNDERCUT BY A
BRUTAL CUTAWAY.
THE MEDIA WOULD HAVE
US BELIEVE THAT THE NRA IS ONLY
MADE UP OF OLD WHITE GUYS.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER
PEOPLE, A LOT OF DIVERSITY
WITHIN THE NRA.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING,
I MAY BE A MOM AND A GRANDMA,
BUT I AM THE NRA.
[LAUGHTER]
John: THAT'S AN OSCAR-WINNING
EDIT RIGHT THERE.
NOTHING UNDERMINES HER POINT
BETTER THAN A CUTAWAY PROVING
THE DIVERSITY IN THAT CROWD
RANGE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
"ANTIQUES ROADSHOW" AND "FRIENDS
REUNION".
THAT LOOKS LIKE A VERSION OF
"GUESS WHO" THAT'S JUST "OOPS
ALL PETER".
BUT INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THAT,
TONIGHT, LIKE EVERY FIGHT YOU'VE
HAD WITH YOUR UNCLE SINCE 2016,
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
ABORTION.
THE THING REPUBLICAN MEN LOVE TO
BAN ALMOST AS MUCH AS THEY LOVE
TO SECRETLY PAY FOR.
JUST OVER A WEEK AGO, A TEXAS
JUDGE SUSPENDED THE FDA'S
APPROVAL OF MIFEPRISTONE, A KEY
COMPONENT IN MEDICATION
ABORTIONS.
AND AS MANY QUICKLY POINTED OUT,
THE RULING WAS SHAKY AT BEST.
THE CONSERVATIVE TEXAS JUDGE
BEHIND THE RULING TO BAN THE
DRUG ARGUES THAT THE FDA
IMPROPERLY APPROVED IT 23 YEARS
AGO, IGNORING
LEGITIMATE SAFETY CONCERNS.
BUT AT THE TIME, THE FDA
ACTUALLY SPENT TRIPLE THE
AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME STUDYING
THE DRUG.
John: YEP.
THE JUDGE IN QUESTION,
MATTHEW KACSMARYK, ARGUED THAT A
DRUG THAT'S BEEN ON THE MARKET
IN THE U.S. FOR 23 YEARS, IS
SOMEHOW TOO DANGEROUS.
WHICH IS WILD, GIVEN THAT IT'S
BEEN WIDELY AVAILABLE FOR A FULL
KIERNAN SHIPKA NOW.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE FACT THAT
MIFEPRISTONE WAS STUDIED FOR
TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE
FDA NORMALLY WOULD, IT'S THAT
IT'S DEMONSTRABLY SAFER THAN
MANY OTHERS ON THE MARKET.
AND ANALYSIS FOUND THE RISK
OF DIRECT FROM ANOTHER DRUG
PENICILLIN IS FOUR TIMES GREATER
THAN IT IS FOR THIS ABORTION
MEDICATION.
THE RISK IN DEATH AFTER TAKING
OTHER DRUG IS TEN TIMES GREATER
AS WELL.
John: RIGHT, ONCE IT'S CLEAR
THAT SOMETHING'S SAFER THAN BOTH
TREATING STREP THROAT AND GIVING
AN OLD GUY A BONER, IT'S PRETTY
HARD TO PULL THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CARD.
AND LOOK, IT'S NOT THAT
SURPRISING THAT THIS JUDGE
ARRIVED AT A CONCLUSION
NOT SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE.
NOT ONLY DOES HE HAVE A FACE
THAT
SCREAMS "HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
COACH WHO FOLLOWS ALL THE
CHEERLEADERS ON INSTAGRAM", BUT
PRIOR TO BEING APPOINTED TO THE
COURT BY TRUMP, HE WAS LOUDLY
ANTI-ABORTION AND PART
OF A RIGHT-WING LEGAL
ORGANIZATION.
EVEN HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING
FEATURED SOME PRETTY BIG RED
FLAGS.
YOU SAID IN 2015 THAT
RECOGNIZING THE RIGHT TO SAME
SEX MARRIAGE WOULD LEAD THIS
COUNTRY ON QUOTE, "A ROAD TO
POTENTIAL TYRANNY."
DO YOU CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT?
SENATOR, I AM, UH, I DON'T
HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF THAT
QUOTE.
IT WAS IN AN AMICUS BRIEF
THAT YOU WROTE IN
OBERGEFELD V HODGES.
I DON'T REMEMBER THAT
PARTICULAR QUOTE.
John: OH, YOU DON'T, DO YOU?
IT'S PRETTY TELLING THAT INSTEAD
OF AN OUTRIGHT "NO," HE SAID "I
DON'T REMEMBER."
INDICATING HE KNOWS IT'S
SOMETHING THAT HE COULD'VE SAID.
I DON'T REMEMBER EVERYTHING I'VE
EVER SAID, BUT I CERTAINLY KNOW
WHAT SOUNDS LIKE ME.
HAVE I EVER SAID "YA GOTTA GIVE
IT TO THE NAZIS?"
NO, I HAVEN'T.
HAVE I EVER SAID, "WHERE THE
SKANKS AT, JOHNNY O WANTS TO GET
HIS DICK WET"
NO, I HAVEN'T.
HAVE I EVER SAID, "THE GIRL ONE
FROM GREMLINS 2 COULD
GET IT?"
SENATOR I DON'T HAVE ANY
RECOLLECTION OF THAT PARTICULAR
QUOTE.
SO WE ALWAYS KNEW WHERE
KACSMARYK WOULD GO ON AN
ABORTION CASE.
BUT THE WAY HE GOT THERE WAS
STILL SHOCKINGLY DISHONEST.
AT ONE POINT, HIS RULING CITES A
STATISTIC THAT 77% OF WOMEN WHO
HAD A "CHEMICAL ABORTION"
REPORTED A NEGATIVE CHANGE AS A
RESULT.
BUT THE SAMPLE FOR THAT STUDY
WAS BASED ON 98 BLOG POSTS ON AN
ANTI-ABORTION WEBSITE.
EVEN THE STUDY ITSELF POINTED
OUT HOW NON-REPRESENTATIVE IT
WAS, SAYING, "MOST WOMEN
REPORTED THAT THEIR MEDICATION
ABORTION CHANGED THEM, WHICH IS
NOT SURPRISING GIVEN THE
NAME OF THE WEBSITE "ABORTION
CHANGES YOU."
AND THAT'S SOME HEAVY
CONFIRMATION BIAS.
THIS IS THAT SITE!
AND USING THAT AS YOUR SOURCE IS
LIKE CLAIMING THAT ABORTION
MAKES YOU BETTER AT FRISBEE
GOLF, BY CITING A POLL ON THE
WEBSITE, "ABORTION MAKES YOU
BETTER AT FRISBEE GOLF DOT COM."
BY THE WAY, FUN FACT, WHENEVER
WE MENTION A FAKE WEBSITE ON
THIS SHOW, WE HAVE TO BUY THE
ACTUAL URL TO MAKE SURE NO ONE
TAKES IT.
SO, WE NOW OWN THE DOMAIN
"ABORTION MAKES YOU BETTER AT
FRISBEE GOLF DOT COM."
WHICH IS CURRENTLY JUST A PAGE
WITH THE WORDS, "WHY ARE YOU
HERE?"
ALSO, ONE MORE THOUGHT ON
"ABORTION CHANGES YOU".
NOT TO BE CRASS, BUT YOU KNOW
WHAT ELSE DOES THAT?
A FUCKING PREGNANCY.
BECAUSE I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU,
FOR WEEKS AFTER GIVING BIRTH,
THAT BABY'S NOT THE ONLY ONE IN
DIAPERS.
ALSO THERE'S A BABY NOW.
AND LOOK, ENDING ACCESS TO
MIFEPRISTONE WON'T, IN ITSELF,
END MEDICATION ABORTIONS
ENTIRELY.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO IT WITHOUT
MIFEPRISTONE, BUT IT CAN BE MORE
DIFFICULT AND MORE PAINFUL.
ALSO, MIFEPRISTONE ISN'T JUST
USED FOR ABORTIONS.
IT'S A CRITICAL TOOL FOR
TREATING MISCARRIAGES.
SO, LIKE MOST ANTI-ABORTION
MEASURES, THIS RULING COULD ALSO
END UP SEVERELY IMPACTING THOSE
WITH MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS FROM
WANTED PREGNANCIES AS WELL.
AS THIS DOCTOR POINTS OUT,
ANYONE HAVING A MISCARRIAGE WHO
CAN'T ACCESS A MEDICATION
ABORTION MAY BE SUBJECT TO SOME
INTENSE SUFFERING.
"THEY'LL HAVE TO EITHER HAVE
SURGERY, OR THEY'LL HAVE TO
WAIT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WAIT FOR
THE PREGNANCY TO PASS ON ITS OWN
WHICH COULD TAKE EIGHT WEEKS.
AND THAT'S BRUTAL AND
THAT'S, I MEAN, TORTURE FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A
MISCARRIAGE.
John: EXACTLY, CAN YOU
IMAGINE GETTING SOME
OF THE WORST NEWS OF YOUR LIFE
AND THEN HAVING TO CARRY IT
AROUND PAINFULLY WITH YOU FOR
EIGHT WEEKS, ALL BECAUSE SOME
DISNEY CHANNEL VICE PRINCIPAL
FROM TEXAS DECIDED TO PLAY
DOCTOR FOR THE ENTIRE FUCKING
COUNTRY?
NOW, THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN A
LOT OF APPEALS, AND THE SUPREME
COURT JUST STEPPED IN, AND
PUT KACSMARYK'S ORDER ON HOLD
UNTIL AT LEAST THIS COMING
WEDNESDAY.
SO THERE'S A LOT UP IN THE AIR
HERE.
BUT IT'S NOT IDEAL THAT THE
DREAM TEAM WHO OVERTURNED
ROE V. WADE MAY SOON DECIDE
WHETHER TO GREENLIGHT
THE SEQUEL.
BECAUSE OVERTURNING ROE WAS
CLEARLY
NEVER ABOUT "RETURNING IT TO THE
STATES."
IT WAS ALWAYS A STEP TOWARDS
BANNING ABORTION ENTIRELY.
AND IT'S FRANKLY BOTH ABSURD AND
INFURIATING THAT SUCH VITAL
HEALTHCARE CAN BE THROWN INTO
CHAOS FOR EVERYONE, ALL BECAUSE
OF THE BADLY-REASONED DECISIONS
OF THIS FUCKING GUY.
IT SEEMS LIKE ABORTION HAS
BECOME A SCHRODINGER'S RIGHT IN
THIS COUNTRY THAT PEOPLE
SIMULTANEOUSLY DO AND DON'T
HAVE, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY
LIVE, WHO'S IN THE WHITE HOUSE,
AND WHAT THE SHITTIEST JUDGE IN
AMERICA FEELS LIKE DOING.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR
IT TO BE PROTECTED BY LAW--
IDEALLY IN THE CONSTITUTION--
AND FOR IT TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR
WHAT IS: A BASIC RIGHT, A HUMAN
NECESSITY AND SOMETHING THAT I
HEAR-- AND I GOT THIS FROM A
COMPLETELY REPUTABLE WEBSITE--
COULD ACTUALLY MAKE YOU BETTER
AT FRISBEE GOLF.
AND NOW THIS.
Announcer: AND NOW, DID YOU
KNOW ACTION NEWS' ROBERT
GRANT HAS A FUCKING DAIRY
ALLERGY?
I'VE NEVER HAD NUTELLA.
I HAVE A FUN FACT, TOO!
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO
SAY.
I CAN'T HAVE NUTELLA BECAUSE
I HAVE A DAIRY ALLERGY.
WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME
LIKE THAT?
YOU HAVE TO BRING UP THE
DAIRY THING?
WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE.
WE RECOGNIZE THE ORGANIZATION
THAT GAVE US HOW YOU SAY THIS?
TAGALOG?
I HAVE A DAIRY ALLERGY, SO I
DON'T KNOW.
ROBERT, CAN YOU EAT SNICKERS?
YOU KNOW I CAN'T EAT--
YOU HAVE A DAIRY ALLERGY.
I DON'T MEAN TO OVER SHARE,
BUT I AM ALLERGIC DAIRY.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU CAN'T EAT
IT.
I CAN'T EAT IT.
THE DAIRY ALLERGY ALWAYS GETS
ME.
THE HOT CUP OF COFFEE.
THE HOT CHOCOLATE'S NOT FOR YOU,
THOUGH, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE
DAIRY.
WHY, MEGAN?
I LIKE POPCORN WITH A BUNCH
OF CRUNCH ON TOP.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT CRUNCH IS.
IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE DAIRY
IN IT AND YOU CAN'T EAT IT.
SORRY, ROBERT.
YOU CANNOT PARTAKE IN THAT.
DAIRY ALLERGY IF YOU DIDN'T
KNOW.
ROBERT CAN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE
DAIRY.
THE CHOCO TACO MAY BE THE
RETURN.
ROBERT CALLS IT THE CHOKE-O TACO
SO YOU KNOW WHO EATS ICE CREAM
IN THIS STUDIO.
I HAVE DAIRY ALLERGIES.
[LAUGHTER]
John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
FARMING.
FARMS ARE WHERE WE GET OUR FOOD,
OUR METAPHORS ABOUT FASCISM, AND
THEY'RE EVEN THE SUBJECT OF
SURPRISINGLY POPULAR VIDEO GAMES
LIKE THIS.
I PLAYED FARMING
SIMULATOR.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD WAS REVEALED
TO ME.
AGRICULTURE.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.
FORESTRY.
AND A LOT OF EXCITING MACHINERY.
NEVER CULTIVATED A FIELD BEFORE.
AND, OH BOY, LET ME TELL YOU
ABOUT SPRAYING A FIELD WITH A
DOUBLE APPLICATION RATE, AND
DYNAMIC WORKING WIDTH.
THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE!
BELIEVE ME, FARMING IS
EASY.
MASTERING IT IS A CHALLENGE.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS TIME TO
RELAX.
John: I HAVE GREAT NEWS FOR
THAT GUY WHO'S "NEVER CULTIVATED
A FIELD BEFORE".
YOU STILL HAVEN'T.
YOU HAVEN'T GROWN A VEGETABLE,
YOU HAVEN'T SPRAYED ANYTHING
WITH A DOUBLE RATE OF ANYTHING,
AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN
REALLY WATCHED ANY BARNYARD
ANIMALS GO TO POUND-TOWN.
THAT GAME IS TO FARMING WHAT
CALL OF DUTY IS TO WAR.
IT LOOKS SIMILAR, BUT IF YOU
WERE EVER CALLED ON TO DO THE
REAL THING, YOU'D BE
CATEGORICALLY FUCKED.
NOW, THAT FARMER LOOKS PRETTY
MUCH LIKE THE STEREOTYPICAL ONE
IN MOST PEOPLE'S MINDS-- A
WHITE GUY IN OVERALLS ON A
TRACTOR.
IT'S A TROPE DRAWN STRAIGHT FROM
CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS, WHERE
FARMERS ALWAYS SEEM TO BE A
WHITE MAN WITH SOME STRAW IN HIS
MOUTH WHO'S HOLDING AN ADORABLE
LITTLE PIGLET THAT, WHILE THE
BOOK SKIPS OVER IT, HE DOES
EVENTUALLY KILL AND EAT.
BUT WHILE SOME FARMERS DO INDEED
LOOK LIKE THAT, MANY OF THE
PEOPLE DOING SOME OF THE HARDEST
WORK ON FARMS-- HIRED FARM
LABORERS-- DO NOT.
THERE ARE ROUGHLY ONE AND A HALF
MILLION HIRED FARMWORKERS IN THE
U.S., MOSTLY CROP
WORKERS.
AND GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES
INDICATE THAT MOST OF THOSE ARE
FOREIGN-BORN.
AND AMONG THEM, THE MAJORITY ARE
UNDOCUMENTED.
AND THIS HAS BEEN AN OPEN SECRET
FOR YEARS NOW.
JUST WATCH THIS INTERVIEW WITH A
FARM OWNER FROM 2009, QUICKLY
TAKE A TURN.
HOW MANY GUYS DO YOU EMPLOY?'
I HAVE 22 FULL-TIME
EMPLOYEES.
ARE MOST OF THEM LATINO GUYS
OR THEY--
100%.
THESE GUYS CITIZENS?
RESIDENTS?
THEY ALL ARE LEGAL.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?
CUT THE CAMERA.
WE TALKED OFF-CAMERA AND A
FEW MINUTES LATER, MYERS ALLOWED
US TO RESUME THE INTERVIEW.
THE LEGAL DOCUMENTATION THAT
THEY PRESENTED TO ME
IS-- THEY ARE LEGAL.
John: OH, THEY ARE, ARE THEY?
I'VE GOTTA SAY, THAT'S NOT A
PARTICULARLY CONVINCING BIT OF
MISDIRECTION.
COVER-WISE, THAT'S ABOUT AS
EFFECTIVE AS A CAMOUFLAGE OUTFIT
THAT JUST SAYS "NOT A GUY" ON
IT.
THE TRUTH IS, FARMS DEPEND
HEAVILY ON FOREIGN-BORN WORKERS
TO DO HARVESTING AND PICKING, AS
MANY CROPS ARE TOO DELICATE TO
BE MECHANIZED.
THAT'S WHY MOST FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES ARE STILL HARVESTED
BY HAND.
AND BY AND LARGE, AMERICAN
CITIZENS HAVE SHOWN VERY LITTLE
INTEREST IN DOING THAT.
IN FACT, WHEN WASHINGTON STATE
SPENT THOUSANDS ON AN
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN TO FIND
U.S. FARMWORKERS IN 2021, IT
RESULTED IN ONE JOB REFERRAL AND
ZERO HIRES.
BUT OVER THE PAST DECADE AND A
HALF, CHANGES IN IMMIGRATION
POLICY
AND ENFORCEMENT HAVE MADE IT
MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR FARMERS
TO FIND WORKERS-- FORCING SOME
EXTREME CHOICES.
6,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP ON A
SATURDAY FOR THE CHANCE
TO PICK SOME FREE VEGGIES.
THE FARMER WHOSE FAMILY OWNS THE
FIELD, HAD BEEN SLEEPLESS FOR
DAYS, AND GETTING EVER MORE
AGITATED ON TIKTOK--
I NEED THIS VIDEO TO GO OUT
FOR PEOPLE TO SEE IT AND
UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF
WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE BORDER,
AND THE LACK OF LABOR THAT WE
HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AGITATED THAT HE
COULDN'T HIRE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO
PICK THE ASPARAGUS CROP, SOME
$180,000 WORTH.
SO, INSTEAD OF THROWING IT AWAY,
HE GAVE IT AWAY.
DO YOU GUYS LIKE EATING
ASPARAGUS?
NO.
YES.
John: OKAY, THAT THIRD GIRL
IS CLEARLY TORN BETWEEN A
CHILD'S NATURAL HATRED OF
ASPARAGUS AND THEIR NATURAL LOVE
OF DISAGREEING WITH SIBLINGS.
ALSO, I'M A LITTLE EMBARRASSED
TO ADMIT, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT'S
WHAT A FIELD OF ASPARAGUS LOOKS
LIKE.
YOU'RE TELLING ME IT DOESN'T
GROW TOGETHER IN A NICE LITTLE
BUNCH?
IT JUST STICKS OUT OF THE GROUND
INDIVIDUALLY LIKE A BIG FIELD OF
BODY HAIR?
TELL ME THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE
YOU PUT THE JOLLY GREEN GIANT'S
HAPPY TRAIL UNDER A MICROSCOPE.
I'M MAD.
THE POINT IS, WITHOUT ACCESS TO
LABOR, CROPS JUST ROT IN THE
FIELD.
IT'S PROBABLY WHY FARMWORKERS
WERE CATEGORIZED AS ESSENTIAL BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND YET, WHILE WE CLAIM THEY'RE
ESSENTIAL, WE SUR DON'T TREAT
THEM LIKE IT.
FARM WORKERS ARE AMONG OUR
LOWEST PAID WORKERS, MAKING ON
AVERAGE IN THE RANGE OF $20,000
TO $25,000 A YEAR.
AND THEY'RE OFTEN SUBJECTED TO
DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS.
DURING THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE
SEASON, YOU MAY'VE SEEN VIDEOS
OF FARM WORKERS TOILING IN
THE FOREGROUND OF A RAGING FIRE.
AND EVEN WHEN THEIR WORKPLACE
ISN'T ACTIVELY BURNING TO THE
GROUND, THEY'LL TELL YOU--
THEIR WORK CAN SOMETIMES FEEL
PRETTY DEHUMANIZING.
ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT
THINGS IS JUST TO COME TO A
REALIZATION, HOW LITTLE YOU MEAN
TO THE PEOPLE THAT-- THAT YOU
ARE WORKING FOR.
YOU DON'T OFFICIALLY START
GETTING PAID UNTIL YOUR FIRST
BUCKET IS FILLED.
IF YOU FALL BEHIND, YOU HAVE TO
RUN TO TRY AND CATCH UP.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T STAND
IT BECAUSE IT'S SO HOT.
SOMETIMES YOU COULD FEEL THE
BREEZE FROM THE PESTICIDE THEY
WERE SPRAYING OVER THERE.
IT FELT GOOD.
John: THAT'S PRETTY BRUTAL.
ALTHOUGH APPRECIATING THE
COOLING AIR FROM THE PESTICIDES
IS SOME LEGENDARY GLASS HALF
FULL THINKING.
"SURE, IT'S HARD WORK, BUT THE
POISON BREEZE IS NICE.
SO IT KIND OF BALANCES OUT."
THE WAY OUR FARM LABOR SYSTEM
WORKS IS DEEPLY EXPLOITATIVE.
BUT THE THING IS, THAT'S VERY
MUCH BY DESIGN.
SO TONIGHT LET'S TALK ABOUT
FARMWORKERS: THE CONDITIONS THEY
FACE, HOW WE'VE FAILED TO
PROTECT THEM, AND WHAT WE CAN DO
GOING FORWARD.
AND LET'S START BY ACKNOWLEDGING
THE HISTORY OF FARM WORK IN
AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROOTED
IN EXPLOITATION.
FROM ITS ORIGINS IN SLAVERY, TO
ITS LATER EVOLUTION INTO
SHARECROPPING.
BUT WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IS
THAT DURING THE NEW DEAL, AS
LAWS WERE FINALLY PASSED TO
ESTABLISH SOME BEDROCK LABOR
PROTECTIONS, FARMWORKERS WERE
REPEATEDLY AND SPECIFICALLY
EXCLUDED FROM THEM.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THE 1935 LAW
WHICH PROTECTED EMPLOYEES'
RIGHTS TO JOIN UNIONS EXPLICITLY
STATED THAT "THE TERM EMPLOYEE
SHALL NOT INCLUDE "ANY
INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED AS
AN AGRICULTURAL LABORER".
AND THE 1938 LAW WHICH CREATED A
FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE AND
OVERTIME, AGAIN, CARVED OUT AN
EXCEPTION SO THOSE PROVISIONS
SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANYONE
EMPLOYED IN AGRICULTURE.
WHICH IS PRETTY INSULTING.
IT'S LIKE ANNOUNCING YOUR
COMPANY'S NEW
ANTI-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT POLICY
BUT CLARIFYING THAT NONE OF IT
PROTECTS JEFF.
JEFF'S EXEMPT, SO: SLAP HIS ASS,
TWIST HIS NIPS, WE DON'T CARE.
IT'S OPEN SEASON ON JEFF.
AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE REASONS
FOR THAT WERE EXPLICITLY RACIST.
ONE REPRESENTATIVE EVEN WARNED
DURING DEBATE ON THE MINIMUM
WAGE BILL THAT "YOU CANNOT PUT
THE NEGRO AND THE WHITE MAN ON
THE SAME BASIS AND GET AWAY WITH
IT."
THAT REPRESENTATIVE?
IT WAS ACTUALLY TUCKER CARLSON.
IT TURNS OUT HE'S A HIGHLANDER.
NOW, SINCE THEN, THE LABOR FORCE
HAS CHANGED.
BLACK AMERICANS LEFT THE
SHARECROPPING SYSTEM DURING THE
GREAT MIGRATION, AND FARMERS
INCREASINGLY CAME TO RELY ON
LABORERS FROM MEXICO AND OTHER
CENTRAL AMERICAN NATIONS.
AND OVER THE YEARS, LEADERS LIKE
CESAR CHAVEZ AND DOLORES HUERTA
FORMED THE UNITED FARM WORKERS
AND WON SOME SIGNIFICANT GAINS.
THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE WAS
EXPANDED TO INCLUDE FARMWORKERS
IN 1978.
AND SOME STATES DO NOW PROVIDE
AT LEAST SOME ACCESS TO OVERTIME
PAY AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
BUT THE FACT IS, FARMWORKERS ARE
STILL EXCLUDED FROM A LOT OF
BASIC LABOR PROTECTIONS,
INCLUDING THIS MAJOR ONE.
THE CHILD LABOR LAW IN THE
U.S. IS PRETTY GOOD, EXCEPT WHEN
IT COMES TO AGRICULTURE.
AND THEN IT HAS A BIG GAPING
HOLE.
U.S. LAW ALLOWS CHILDREN TO
WORK IN AGRICULTURE AT FAR
YOUNGER AGES FOR UNLIMITED HOURS
OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL IN MUCH MORE
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS THAN ANY
OTHER SECTOR.
SO, A CHILD CAN WORK PERFECTLY
LEGALLY FOR ANY FARMER AT AGE
12.
THAT CHILD COULDN'T WORK SERVING
THE FOOD THAT HE CAN WORK 10,
12, 14 HOURS PICKING.
John: YEAH, THAT'S ABSURD.
AND LOOK, I'M NOT SAYING WORKING
IN A RESTAURANT ISN'T TOUGH,
ANYONE WHO THINKS OTHERWISE
SHOULD BE FORCED TO SERVE AN
IMPERFECT OMELET TO
JAMES CORDEN.
BUT IT'S CLEARLY NOT THE SAME
THING.
AND THIS EXCEPTION ISN'T JUST TO
LET KIDS WORK ON THEIR OWN
FAMILIES' FARMS.
THERE ARE HIRED CHILDREN WORKING
IN FIELDS, ALL ACROSS AMERICA,
PICKING OUR FOOD.
BECAUSE WHILE MOST JOBS ARE
OFF-LIMITS TO KIDS UNDER 14,
AGRICULTURAL "EMPLOYERS MAY EVEN
HIRE CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 12 TO
WORK ON SMALL FARMS WITH WRITTEN
PARENTAL CONSENT."
AND THIS SHOULD PROBABLY GO
WITHOUT SAYING, BUT THIS WORK
CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR KIDS.
JUST LISTEN TO THIS GIRL, WHO
STARTED WORKING IN TOBACCO
FIELDS WHEN SHE WAS ONLY
12, DESCRIBE HER FIRST DAY ON
THE JOB.
I FELT REALLY LIGHTHEADED AND
DIZZY, AND I WANTED TO GO GET A
CUP OF WATER AND I COULD NOT SEE
TO WHERE THE TRUCK WAS THAT
CONTAINED THE WATER.
AND I WAS LOOKING FOR MY MOM AND
I COULDN'T FIND MY MOM.
EVENTUALLY, I JUST FELL.
YOU DON'T REALLY THINK
ABOUT A CHILDHOOD, LIKE, I'VE
NEVER REALLY THOUGHT THAT A
CHILD IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO-- A
12-YEAR-OLD IS SUPPOSED TO
HAVE FUN, EXACTLY.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE
SUPPOSED TO WORK.
John: THAT'S TERRIBLE.
ALTHOUGH, WHILE A 12-YEAR-OLD
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD BE
FAINTING IN A FIELD, I WILL SAY,
IT'S A BIT OF A STRETCH TO SAY
"A 12-YEAR-OLD IS SUPPOSED TO
HAVE FUN."
BECAUSE FUNDAMENTALLY, THEY ARE
STILL 12.
THIS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
FOR THEM.
YOU'RE A HORMONAL TICKING TIME
BOMB.
HONESTLY, THE CLOSEST THING TO
FUN THAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU AT
12 IS GOING TO THE MALL BY
YOURSELF FOR THE FIRST TIME TO
JUST KIND OF WALK AROUND, I
GUESS, SINCE YOU DON'T
REALLY HAVE ANY MONEY EXCEPT FOR
LIKE A SMOOTHIE OR SOMETHING IF
YOU WANT TO GET A SMOOTHIE OR
WHATEVER.
THE LACK OF LAWS APPLYING TO
FARMWORKERS HAS LEFT THEM FACING
TRULY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.
AGRICULTURAL WORKERS SUFFER
FATAL ON-THE-JOB INJURIES AT A
RATE FAR HIGHER THAN POLICE
OFFICERS AND MORE THAN TWICE THE
RATE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
WHICH IS WILD.
IT'S ONE THING TO LOOK UP AT A
BIG TALL BUILDING AND SHUDDER
THINKING ABOUT THE PHYSICAL RISK
IT MUST HAVE TAKEN TO PUT A PANE
OF GLASS UP THAT HIGH.
BUT IT FEELS RIDICULOUS TO FEEL
THE SAME WAY ABOUT A BEET AND
GOAT CHEESE SALAD.
FARMWORKERS FACE EXPOSURE TO
EXTREME HEAT, DANGEROUS
MACHINERY, UNSAFE AIR QUALITY,
AND IMPROMPTU PESTICIDE SHOWERS.
AND SOME FARM OWNERS CAN BE
ABUSIVE EMPLOYERS.
JUST TAKE THIS STORY FROM A FEW
YEARS AGO.
IT'S QUIET BUT CLOUDY AT
EDS SCHOENBORN ORCHARD TODAY.
A LOUDMOUTH [BLEEP] [BLEEP].
BUT NOT ON THIS DAY.
A PUNK MOTHER [BLEEP].
IT WAS HOT.
IF A COWARD [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
[BLEEP].
THE VOICE ON TAPE, TRAVIS
SCHOENBORN, THE SON OF FARM
OWNERS DAVID AND VALERIE
SCHOENBORN.
HE WAS ANGRY AT ONE OF THE
WORKERS AND LET IT BE KNOWN IN
FRONT OF OTHERS.
TELL HIM TO PACK HIS GOD
[BLEEP] [BLEEP] AND GET THE
[BLEEP] OUT OF HERE WHILE HE
STILL CAN.
HE IS NOT [BLEEP] WITH ME OR MY
MOTHER AT ALL.
John: HOLY SHIT, THAT WAS
ABOUT 95% BLEEPS.
AND TRUST LOCAL NEWS TO ALWAYS
FIND A DIPLOMATIC WAY TO
DESCRIBE THINGS.
"HE WAS ANGRY AND LET IT BE
KNOWN IN FRONT OF OTHERS".
SURE.
THAT'S NOT TECHNICALLY UNTRUE.
BUT I'D HAVE GONE WITH THE MORE
ACCURATE, "HE LOST HIS FUCKING
SHIT AT AN APPLE FARM."
A FARM, REMEMBER, THAT HIS
PARENTS OWNED, AND THEY HAD A
TRULY SPECIAL RESPONSE WHEN
CONFRONTED WITH THAT VIDEO.
THEY BLAME THE MIGRANT
WORKER ALLEGED VICTIM IN THIS
CASE, AND ACCUSE HIM OF
BEING OBSCENE.
WHAT DID HE DO TO THREATEN YOU?
HE CALLED ME A NAME IN
SPANISH, I'M NOT REPEATING IT.
THERE WAS NO OUTRIGHT
APOLOGY.
INSTEAD, THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY WEREN'T
BLACK, THEY WERE MEXICANS, SO I
DON'T KNOW WHY HE CALLED THEM
THE N-WORD.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A
CHANCE TO BE-- TO BE CLEAR AND
RESPOND.
YEAH.
DID YOU HEAR HIM REFERRING TO
PEOPLE AS "[BLEEP] [BLEEP]?"
WE DON'T HAVE-- WE DON'T
HAVE NO [BLEEP] WORK HERE THAT
I KNOW OF.
John: NO, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY,
HERE'S THE THING.
WELL, THERE'S CLEARLY NINE
THOUSAND THINGS THERE, BUT
HERE'S JUST ONE OF THEM.
I BET YOU HEARD HER SAY "THEY
WERE MEXICAN SO I'M NOT SURE
WHY HE CALLED THEM THE N-WORD"
AND THOUGHT, WOW, THAT'S THE
WILDEST SHIT ANYBODY IN THIS
MARRIAGE IS GOING TO SAY IN THE
NEXT FIFTEEN SECONDS, AND THEN
YOU WERE DEAD WRONG.
ALSO, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT
THE INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN HAVING
A PROBLEM WITH SAYING A
VAGUE, UNKNOWN WORD IN SPANISH
AND HAVING NO PROBLEM AT ALL
SAYING AN EXTREMELY SPECIFIC ONE
IN ENGLISH.
"I WON'T REPEAT THIS SPANISH
WORD BECAUSE IT'S OFFENSIVE, BUT
IF YOU TALK TO MY HUSBAND HE'LL
SAY THE N-WORD IN ABOUT FOUR
SECONDS.
ANYWAY, I RAISED MY SON BETTER
THAN TO USE SLURS INCORRECTLY."
NOW, IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, A
WORKER CAUGHT THAT TIRADE ON
VIDEO AND GAVE IT TO MIGRANT
LEGAL AID.
AND THE SON LATER PLED GUILTY
TO, OF ALL THINGS, "DISTURBING
THE PEACE".
BUT EVEN THAT PATHETIC LEVEL OF
ACCOUNTABILITY IS EXTREMELY
RARE.
AND LOOK, CLEARLY, NOT ALL
FARMERS ARE ABUSIVE EMPLOYERS.
BUT TO THE EXTENT ANY WANT TO
BE, THERE CAN BE SHOCKINGLY
LITTLE TO STOP THEM.
BECAUSE EVEN WHEN LABOR LAWS DO
APPLY TO AGRICULTURAL WORKERS,
THERE'S ALMOST NO WAY TO ENFORCE
THEM.
TAKE CALIFORNIA, THE MOST
PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL
STATE IN THE NATION.
THE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR
MONITORING WORKPLACE SAFETY
THERE IS SO UNDERSTAFFED THAT IT
CURRENTLY HAS ROUGHLY ONE FIELD
INSPECTOR AVAILABLE FOR EVERY
90,000 WORKERS, WITH ONLY A
HANDFUL OF THOSE INSPECTORS
SPEAKING ANY LANGUAGE OTHER THAN
ENGLISH.
AND EVEN WHEN THERE ARE
CONSEQUENCES, THEY CAN BE
LAUGHABLE.
AFTER TWO FARMWORKERS IN IDAHO
DROWNED IN PITS OF COW MANURE AT
DAIRY OPERATIONS, OSHA IMPOSED
FINES OF JUST $5,000 FOR EACH OF
THE MENS' DEATHS.
WHICH IS NOTHING.
IF AN EMPLOYEE DROWNS IN THE
UNIVERSALLY-AGREED-UPON "WORST
THING TO DROWN IN," THAT SHOULD
COST THEIR EMPLOYER A LOT MORE
THAN A FIFTH OF A HYUNDAI
SONATA.
AND THAT'S NOT EVEN GETTING INTO
THE FACT THAT SOME FARMS LIMIT
THEIR LIABILITY BY USING
SO-CALLED "FARM LABOR
CONTRACTORS", WHO HIRE WORKERS
AND THEN CONTRACT THEM
OUT, AND WHO'VE BEEN FOUND TO BE
THE WORST VIOLATORS OF
EMPLOYMENT LAW IN AGRICULTURE.
SOME OF THEM HAVE CONFISCATED
WORKERS PASSPORTS, CHARGED THEM
IF THEY WANTED TO QUIT THEIR
JOBS, OR THREATENED THEM WITH
DEPORTATION.
SO AT EVERY TURN, THIS IS AN
ENVIRONMENT WHERE VULNERABLE
WORKERS CAN UNDERSTANDABLY FEEL
RELUCTANT TO COME FORWARD.
TAKE SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND
ASSAULT, WHICH FARM WORKERS SAY
IS A BIG PROBLEM-- AND YET,
JUST WATCH HOW THIS HEAD OF A
FARMOWNERS' TRADE GROUP RESPONDS
WHEN ASKED ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW DOLORES HUERTA, YOU
KNOW WHO SHE IS.
YES.
CAN I READ YOU SOMETHING SHE
SAID?
OH, PLEASE.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR HER COMMENT.
OKAY.
SHE SAYS THAT THIS SEXUAL
HARASSMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT IS AN EPIDEMIC IN THE
FIELDS.
DOLORES HUERTA, BRING ME
THOSE CASES.
DOLORES HUERTA, GO HAVE
YOUR UFW GO PICKET THE GROWER IF
ALL THESE CASES HAVE BEEN GOING
ON.
IF OUR GROWERS KNOW THERE IS A
PROBLEM, WE ARE GOING TO DEAL
WITH IT.
WHY DIDN'T YOU GO TO THE GROWER?
AND TELL ME THAT, "BECAUSE,
WELL, WE WERE FEARFUL FOR
THEIR JOBS AND THEIR LIVES."
NO, THAT'S A POOR EXCUSE.
John: YEAH, IS IT, THOUGH?
IS IT?
BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO SAY, I CAN
BELIEVE PEOPLE AREN'T BRINGING
HARASSMENT CASES TO GROWERS, IF
THEY'RE ACTING ANYTHING LIKE HE
JUST DID.
AFTER ALL, MERELY HEARING THE
NAME "DOLORES HUERTA" SENT HIM
INTO A VISIBLE RAGE, SO I HAVE
TO IMAGINE OFF-CAMERA HE'S EVEN
MORE OF A TEDDY BEAR.
AND AT THIS POINT, YOU MIGHT BE
THINKING, "PERHAPS ONE WAY TO
HELP WORKERS WOULD BE TO REMOVE
THEIR FEAR OF DEPORTATION, AND
CREATE A SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN
COME INTO THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY."
WELL, WE ACTUALLY DID THAT.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY WE DID
IT LEFT MASSIVE GAPS FOR BAD
ACTORS TO OPERATE IN.
BACK IN 1986, WE CREATED WHAT'S
KNOWN AS THE H2-A VISA PROGRAM.
IT ALLOWS MIGRANT WORKERS TO
LEGALLY ENTER THE COUNTRY
TEMPORARILY FOR AGRICULTURAL
WORK.
FOR YEARS, EMPLOYERS SHIED AWAY
FROM USING IT, BECAUSE IT WAS
CHEAPER AND EASIER TO SIMPLY
HIRE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS.
BUT AS IT'S BECOME HARDER TO
FIND THEM, THE USE OF H-2A HAS
BEEN RAMPED UP CONSIDERABLY.
IN FACT, THE NUMBER OF H-2A
POSITIONS HAS INCREASED MORE
THAN SEVENFOLD IN THE PAST 17
YEARS.
BASICALLY, THE PROGRAM'S BEEN
AROUND SINCE THE '80S, WAS ON
THE BACKBURNER UNTIL A FEW YEARS
AGO, AND NOW IT'S EXTREMELY
POPULAR.
THINK OF IT AS THE KIERAN CULKIN
OF THE AGRICULTURAL WORLD.
AND, IN PRINCIPLE, H-2A DOES
SOUND GOOD.
MORE FARMWORKERS GET TEMPORARY
LEGAL STATUS, WHICH, YOU'D
ASSUME, WOULD MAKE THEM FEEL
SAFER.
BUT SADLY, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE
CASE.
FOR ONE THING, LIKE MANY WORK
VISAS, THESE ARE TIED TO YOUR
EMPLOYER.
SO IF YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, YOU
ALSO LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO BE
IN THE COUNTRY, CAUSING A
MASSIVE POWER IMBALANCE.
AND GIVEN THAT IMBALANCE, IT'S
NO SURPRISE MANY EMPLOYERS FEEL
COMFORTABLE SKIRTING THE
PROTECTIONS WORKERS ARE SUPPOSED
TO RECEIVE.
FOR INSTANCE, UNDER THE LAW,
EMPLOYERS MUST PROVIDE HOUSING
FOR THEIR H-2A WORKERS.
BUT IN PRACTICE, THE CONDITIONS
CAN BE FAR BELOW WHAT THE
PROGRAM REQUIRES, AS THIS MAN
QUICKLY FOUND OUT.
THE HOUSE WHERE WE LIVED,
WHERE MANUEL BROUGHT US TO, WAS
VERY OLD.
IT HAD SPIDERS, COCKROACHES, AND
THE BATHROOMS DIDN'T WORK.
THE HOUSE WAS GROSS.
IT WAS VERY DIRTY.
YOU COULD CLEARLY TELL THAT THE
HOUSE WAS ABANDONED FOR A LONG
TIME AND MANUEL BROUGHT US
THERE.
THE HOUSE DIDN'T HAVE HEAT, AND
THE TEMPERATURE HIT SIX DEGREES
CELSIUS.
AND FOUR OF MY COWORKERS AND I
HAD TO SLEEP OUTSIDE.
WE FELT LIKE WE WERE ON THE
BORDER OF DEATH.
John: THAT IS HORRIFIC.
NO ONE WOULD SEE THAT AND SAY,
"THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR PEOPLE
TO LIVE."
THEY'D MAYBE SAY, "THAT'S A NICE
SPOT FOR GHOSTS TO THROW UP,"
BUT THAT'S IT.
AND THAT'S NOT A ONE-OFF.
A DOL INVESTIGATION A FEW YEARS
BACK FOUND ONE LABOR CONTRACTOR
HOUSED H-2A WORKERS IN AN OLD
COUNTY JAIL THAT HAD RECENTLY
SERVED AS THE COMMUNITY'S
HALLOWEEN HAUNTED HOUSE.
THIS IS THE KITCHEN, WHICH, YOU
CAN SEE, STILL HAD FAKE BLOOD ON
THE REFRIGERATORS AND THE FLOOR.
AND WORKERS SHOULDN'T BE FORCED
TO SLEEP AROUND A BUNCH OF
SPOOKY DECORATIONS.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO WORK AT SPIRIT
HALLOWEEN DON'T SLEEP IN THE
STORE.
EXCEPT, OF COURSE, FOR DENNIS,
BUT HE'S MADE IT VERY CLEAR
THAT THAT'S A SEX THING.
BUT POOR LIVING ACCOMMODATIONS
ARE JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
IN 2021, THE DOJ LAUNCHED A
MASSIVE INDICTMENT INVOLVING THE
TREATMENT OF H-2A WORKERS ON
GEORGIA FARMS.
AND THE DETAILS ARE APPALLING.
"MODERN-DAY SLAVERY."
IN THE FIELDS OF SOUTHERN
GEORGIA, YEARS WORTH OF DAMNING,
HORRIFIC ALLEGATIONS.
VICTIMS ALLEGEDLY FORCED TO LIVE
IN CRAMPED, DIRTY TRAILERS WITH
RAW SEWAGE LEAKING INTO THE
TRAILERS, THREATENED THEM WITH
DEPORTATION, AND DETAINED THEM
IN A WORK CAMP SURROUNDED BY AN
ELECTRIC FENCE.
AND IN 2018, 30, INDIVIDUALS
ALLEGEDLY SOLD TO ANOTHER MAN IN
INDIANA FOR $21,481 DOLLARS.
John: WOW.
YOU KNOW, AT TIMES, SOME PEOPLE
CAN BE QUICK TO PLAY THE "THIS
IS SLAVERY" CARD, WHETHER YOU'RE
A TEENAGER ASKED TO MOW THE
LAWN, OR AN OFFICE WORKER WHO
HAS TO COME IN ON SUNDAY.
BUT AS FRUSTRATING AS THOSE
SITUATIONS CAN BE, NEITHER
INVOLVES BEING SOLD IN BULK TO A
MAN IN INDIANA.
BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUAL FUCKING
SLAVERY.
THIS CASE IS ONGOING, BUT THE
INDICTMENT ASSERTS THIS WAS A
MASSIVE OPERATION, WHICH SOUGHT
VISAS FOR OVER 71,000 FOREIGN
WORKERS TO HARVEST ONIONS AND
OTHER CROPS.
AND THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THAT AT
LEAST TWO DIED AS A RESULT OF
THE WORKPLACE CONDITIONS THERE.
AND WHILE I'M GLAD ACTION WAS
EVENTUALLY TAKEN, I WILL SAY:
FOR A LIST OF CHARGES THIS
SINISTER, THE NAME THEY CHOSE...
COULD HAVE USED SOME WORK.
A NEW 54-PAGE INDICTMENT
BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE, CHARGING 24 INDIVIDUALS
AS PART OF WHAT IT CALLS
"OPERATION: BLOOMING ONION".
John: OKAY.
OKAY.
JUST POUR ONE OUT FOR THE SOCIAL
MEDIA PERSON AT OUTBACK
STEAKHOUSE WHO SAW "BLOOMING
ONION" TRENDING ON TWITTER AND
THOUGHT THEIR JOB GOT
EASIER FOR TWO SECONDS BEFORE
REALIZING IT ACTUALLY JUST GOT A
LOT HARDER.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'VE TOLD YOU
ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM CHILD
LABOR TO WORKERS DROWNING IN
MANURE, TO THE SALE OF HUMAN
BEINGS, SO YOU'RE HOPEFULLY
WONDERING HOW DO WE FIX THIS?
WELL, FARM WORKERS HAVE BEEN
ORGANIZING TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THESE ISSUES FOR YEARS.
TAKE WHAT HAPPENED IN IMMOKALEE,
FLORIDA.
AS RECENTLY AS A DECADE AGO, THE
TOMATO FIELDS THERE WERE BEING
CALLED "GROUND ZERO FOR
MODERN-DAY SLAVERY".
BUT A GROUP CALLED THE COALITION
OF IMMOKALEE WORKERS LAUNCHED A
CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS
PRESSURING NOT JUST
FARMERS, BUT THE BIG NAME
BUSINESSES THAT RELIED ON THEIR
PRODUCE.
IN 2005, TACO BELL BECAME THE
FIRST BIG BUYER TO SIGN ON TO
THE CIW'S FAIR FOOD PROGRAM.
BUYERS AGREE TO PAY AN EXTRA
PENNY PER POUND FOR TOMATO,
MONEY THAT GOES TO WORKERS, AND
BUYERS ONLY DO BUSINESS WITH
PARTICIPATING FLORIDA FARMERS.
MORE THAN A DOZEN RESTAURANT
CHAINS AND RETAILERS HAVE SIGNED
ON, INCLUDING McDONALDS,
CHIPOTLE, TRADER JOES, AND
LAST YEAR WALMART, WHICH SELLS
20% OF AMERICA'S TOMATOES.
John: WOW, THOSE ARE SOME
MASSIVE BRANDS THAT YOU CAN NOW,
SURPRISINGLY, FEEL KIND OF OKAY
ABOUT IN THIS ONE VERY NARROW
WAY.
IS WALMART A GOOD COMPANY
OVERALL?
IT'S NOT UP TO ME TO SAY, BUT
LET'S SAY: NO.
IT'S TERRIBLE.
BUT IS IT A GOOD COMPANY
REGARDING THE TOMATOES IT SELLS
FROM FLORIDA SPECIFICALLY?
SURE.
ON THAT ONE ISSUE, THEY HAVE MY
FULL, FLORIDA-TOMATO-SPECIFIC
SUPPORT.
WHICH IS FRANKLY MORE THAN I CAN
SAY FOR WENDYS, KROGER AND
PUBLIX, WHO-- AMAZINGLY-- HAVE
YET TO SIGN ON.
SO FUCK THEM.
EXACTLY!
UNDER THE FAIR FOOD PROGRAM,
SIGNATORIES AGREED TO PURCHASE
ONLY FROM GROWERS WHO
IMPLEMENTED A HUMAN
RIGHTS-BASED CODE OF CONDUCT ON
THEIR FARMS.
IT ALSO COVERS A 24/7 COMPLAINT
LINE FOR WORKERS, AND, PERHAPS
MOST IMPORTANTLY, AN INDEPENDENT
REGULATORY BODY THAT CONDUCTS
AUDITS IN WHICH THEY INTERVIEW
AT LEAST HALF THE WORKFORCE.
AND IT'S BEEN A SUCCESS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF TOMATO
HARVESTERS IN FLORIDA HAVE
JOINED THE PROGRAM, RAISING
WAGES FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
WORKERS.
AND THE PROGRAM'S NOW EXPANDING
INTO OTHER CROPS AND OTHER
STATES.
BUT IT CLEARLY SHOULDN'T JUST BE
ON FARMWORKERS TO FIGHT FOR A
DECENT LIFE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE AT LEAST PROTECTED BY
THE SAME LABOR LAWS THE REST OF
US ENJOY.
AND MAKE SURE THOSE LAWS ARE
ENFORCED.
AND I'D ARGUE WE ALSO NEED TO
RETOOL THE H-2A PROGRAM AND
ENSURE ITS PARTICIPANTS-- AND
IDEALLY ALL FARMWORKERS-- HAVE
A POTENTIAL PATH TO CITIZENSHIP.
BECAUSE AFTER WORKING SO HARD TO
FEED THIS COUNTRY, FRANKLY, THEY
DESERVE ONE.
AFTER ALL, YOU MADE ME A CITIZEN
AND I HAVEN'T FED YOU ONCE.
I KNOW YOU THINK I HAVE, BUT
THAT'S JAMIE OLIVER, AND WE'RE
DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
[LAUGHTER]
LOOK, FARM WORKERS PROVIDE THIS
COUNTRY WITH OUR MOST BASIC
NECESSITY, AND IN RETURN WE ACT
LIKE THEY EITHER DON'T MATTER OR
DON'T EXIST.
THE MESSAGE WE'VE SENT TO THEM
HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN: "YOU
DON'T COUNT."
AND UNTIL WE FIX OUR BROKEN
SYSTEM, THE VERY LEAST WE CAN DO
IS FIX OUR "FARMING SIMULATOR"
GAMES SO EVERYONE'S FORCED TO
HAVE A MUCH MORE ACCURATE SENSE
OF WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO GROW
THEIR FOOD ARE ACTUALLY UP
AGAINST.
♪ ♪
WELCOME TO THE NEW FARMING
SIMULATOR 2023.
ALL YOUR FAVORITE FEATURES ARE
BACK.
BEAUTIFUL VISTAS, TOUGH WORKING
TRACTORS, AND OF COURSE, ANIMAL
HUSBANDRY.
BUT THIS YEAR, WE ARE ALSO
EXPANDING TO INCLUDE THE PARTS
OF FARMING MOST PEOPLE DON'T
LIKE TO THINK ABOUT.
HIRED FARM WORKERS.
WE ARE BRINGING CUTTING-EDGE
GRAPHICS AND GAME PLAY INTO THE
MOST IGNORED ASPECT OF
AGRICULTURE.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN
HIRING UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS WITH
NO PROTECTIONS AGAINST ABUSE OR
THE LEGAL VERSION OF THAT.
YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE THEIR CLOTHES,
THEIR HAIR, AND EVEN CHOOSE FROM
A SURPRISING RANGE OF AGES FROM
OLDER TO YOUNGER, TOO DEAR GOD
HOW ON EARTH IS THIS LEGAL?
WE ALSO HAVE A BRAND-NEW
ASSORTMENT OF MAPS.
FROM MIDWESTERN FIELDS, TO VAST
ASPARAGUS TANKS, TO LITERALLY
THE MIDDLE OF A RAGING WILDFIRE.
AND IF YOUR WORKERS NEED A PEP
TALK, YOU CAN HELP THEM OUT WITH
OUR NEW MOTIVATIONAL MINIGAME.
YOU [BLEEP] [BLEEP]!
IF YOU SAY ONE MORE [BLEEP]
AGAINST MY SISTER!
MY DAD OR MY [BLEEP]!
NOW GET BACK TO WORK!
YOUR ODDS OF GETTING CAUGHT
ARE PRACTICALLY ZERO!
OH, SHIT.
YOU CAN USE OUR NEW HOUSING TOOL
TO DESIGN NEW COMPLIANT HOUSING
FOR YOUR RECORDS.
THE LESS YOU SPEND, THE MORE YOU
SAVE!
AND ALL OF THIS IS TO PUT FOOD
ON THE TABLE OF PEOPLE WHO WILL
NEVER ONCE THINK ABOUT HOW IT
GOT THERE.
JUST REMEMBER, THE REAL SECRET
TO MASTERING FARMING IS BEING
THE MASTER OF OTHER PEOPLE.
WAIT, NOT THAT.
I GUESS KIND OF THAT.
FARMING SIMULATOR 2023.
RAY DID NOT FOR ANYONE.
John: THAT'S OUR SHOW!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
GOOD NIGHT!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
♪ ♪