My work as an advocate for poor and working class families is a labor of love but also one of necessity. Those of us out in the trenches, from the Coachella Valley and Santa Bárbara to the San Juaquin Valley, can share untold stories of the harassment, physical abuse, and many other forms of oppression from farmers and those who support their interests.
Even before Donald Trump, intimidation strategies had been the standard toward anyone doing farmworker advocacy. I always wondered why shedding light on the needs and concerns of those who harvest their crops would be a threat to a multibillion-dollar industry. The ag and dairy industry’s public face of a bright and caring smile has been an effective tool, and many of us bought it. Yet their newfound pride under a Trump presidency has unmasked them, their zeal, and their actions toward us. Perhaps they simply can’t get over the fact they lost to Cesar Chavez, a poor farm worker whose birthday the United States celebrates on March 31.
Rep. Devin Nunes’s weak congressional record is hardly what got him the attention of a newly elected president, but his relationship with Big Ag did. The industries and associations such as the Farm Bureau invested millions to ensure they had a seat at the White House table. Take note that one of only two places in California visited by Trump during his campaign was Tulare and its ag and dairy leaders.