Mercosur: What France and Italy want to get for EU farmers
The European ministers of France and Italy have adopted a joint declaration on the Mercosur agreement. They are calling for more protection against market distortions for EU farmers.
The American President Causes Unrest and Disguises Himself as a Humanitarian
One thing must be said about Donald Trump: he knows how to use populism. This allows him to calm his supporters time and time again. Or even gain new ones, even overseas. Now he has Africa in his sights. Specifically, South Africa, the home country of his paladin Elon Musk. The background is that unrest is growing in South Africa. Tens of thousands of farmers - many of them descendants of European settlers - are seriously considering starting anew in America. The trigger is an offer from the American president that is causing a stir in the agricultural world: expedited US citizenship for South African farmers who feel discriminated against and expropriated. The farmers are like welcome refugees. Trump is openly opposing the government in Pretoria. Once again, he is sparking a diplomatic crisis with far-reaching consequences.
"Security Instead of Expropriation" - Trump's Offer Strikes a Nerve
In a time of growing uncertainty, many South African farmers feel abandoned. A new law allows the state to expropriate land under certain conditions without compensation. The government argues that it is about long overdue corrections of historical inequalities. It strongly rejects Trump's accusations. The expropriation law, officially, mainly concerns fallow land or land that does not serve the public interest. President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks of "necessary social justice." "Expropriation may only take place if the expropriating authority has unsuccessfully tried to reach an agreement with the owner," it further states from the South African presidency. However, many white farmers, who are often deeply rooted in their land for generations, see it as a massive threat to their property and their existence. Donald Trump, who repeatedly portrays himself as farmer-friendly, reacted sharply. He accused South Africa of "racist discrimination" against white landowners and announced an immigration program that promises affected farmers "refuge and security" in the United States. According to the South African Chamber of Commerce, over 67,000 people have already applied in the USA - a number that at least makes the extent of the uncertainty clear.
Between Mistrust and Hope: The Mood Among Farmers
The majority of those willing to emigrate are members of the Afrikaner ethnic group, descendants mainly of Dutch, but also French and German immigrants who have shaped South Africa's agricultural sector for centuries. With their colonization, the Europeans displaced African ethnic groups, to put it cautiously. The white population accounts for 7%, but they occupy 72% of agricultural land. Today, a different wind blows through the land at the Cape. Many farmers report increasing violence in rural areas, legal uncertainty, and a political rhetoric that they perceive as hostile. The South African Constitutional Court rejected a request to classify the song "Kill the Boer" as hate speech. The mood is also tense due to economic difficulties. It's no wonder farmers are considering emigration. Some hope for better prospects in the USA. Others want to stay but increasingly feel caught in a dilemma. The pain of leaving their homeland is great. But for some, the fear of losing everything seems even greater.
Trump's Foreign Policy Stage - and Citrus Farmers Caught in the Crossfire
However, Trump's initiative is not only motivated by humanitarian reasons; it fits into the geopolitical calculus of his "America First" policy. The so-called BRICS countries, to which South Africa belongs, are a thorn in Trump's side with their trade agreements. The president is also using the opportunity to introduce another leverage against South Africa: tariffs on South African agricultural products. Citrus fruits would be particularly affected - a flagship export of the country. If Trump were to maintain tariffs on oranges, lemons, or grapefruits, the economic consequences for South African citrus farmers would be significant. South Africa is the world's second-largest producer. And the US market is one of the most important buyers. The loss of this market opportunity could threaten livelihoods and further exacerbate migration trends. It is a high-stakes game: politics meets agriculture, with thousands of family farms in the middle. The news agency Reuters speaks of 35,000 jobs that could be lost in agriculture.
Trump Continues to Flounder Over White Farmers
It remains to be seen how many white farmers will actually go to the USA. Back in February, when Trump made his move, the South African government felt compelled to issue an official statement: "It is ironic that the implementation decree of a group in South Africa, which still belongs to the economically privileged, allows refugee status in the USA, while endangered people from other parts of the world are deported to the USA and denied asylum despite a real emergency." Nick Serfontain, a farmer and advisor to the South African president on land reform issues, says, "I really don't believe that an established farmer will give up and go to the United States." In the meantime, Trump continues to express his support for white farmers. On April 12, he wrote in a post on his platform Truth Social that he would not participate in the G20 summit in Johannesburg in the fall of 2025 because "they are taking the land of white farmers and then killing them."