And farmers can not see it. They can't. They've been fed industry propaganda about being more productive and "feeding the world" since Earl Butz and they believe it. I know. I've been fed the same propaganda for years and for a long time I believed it too.
Now, a more uncomfortable question. Can we really effect meaningful change on the industrial food delivery system in the developed world? From the farm, to the factory, to the center aisles of the grocery store, food products are the norm. Our population is still growing. I have read and believe in a lot of the pastoral ag and food writers of modern times, from Wendell Berry to James rebanks to Michael Pollan. Even back to Rachel Carson and Leopold's A Sand County Almanac. But can we really realize what those folks envision, or are we too committed to cheap food at this point? And if we can't, as agriculturalists, consumers, eaters, are we just virtue signaling by trying?

...probably 85% republican. When I go home to visit it's like stepping into a cult. An angry, ignorant cult.

A few people have woken up to the reality of what's happening. But it may be too late. Life here is shit. Literally. We lead the nation in factory farm waste. There are times when your eyes burn driving by some CAFOs
https://littlevillagemag.com/iowa-produces-the-most-factory-farm-waste-in-the-country-new-report-shows/

Corporate AG runs this state. But we aren't alone. Across the river in Nebraska, the governor they just elected owns one of the biggest hog enterprises in the country. https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/07/12/what-to-know-about-nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-and-his-family-business/

Like you said, they been fed this propaganda for so long, I'm not sure how we get out of it. I fear its going to get worse before it can get better.

They have been voting against their own interests for decades. It's time they feel the pain of their actions.

Kennedy is 90% bonkers but if he puts a couple wrenches in the federally funded corporate AG system (a system that Iowa farmers say they hate but won't admit they can't live without) I'm OK with that.

But the 30% ain't so wrong! Untangling grain subsidies around the safety and quality of our food supply is long overdue.
Maybe the Democrats otta start a "Low Hanging Fruit Institute" to advocate for some of this stuff like capping petroleum wells, crazy sugar price supports, or violent cops,