The documentary No Farmers, No Food: Will You Eat The Bugs?, which was released to relatively little fanfare in 2023, offers a sobering look at the escalating food crisis around the world, highlighting the devastating impact that government policies and environmental agendas are having on small farmers, the agricultural sector, and ultimately, food security. From the farmlands of the Netherlands to the rice fields of Sri Lanka, the film examines the global forces at play, suggesting that behind the veneer of sustainability and climate initiatives lies a political agenda that threatens farmers’ livelihoods, while exacerbating food shortages and skyrocketing costs for consumers.
The film was written and directed by Roman Balmakov and was released on Epoch TV, the streaming platform of the conservative Epoch Times media outlet. I had a chance to watch and review No Farmers, No Food, and I wanted to share a few major insights that it put forth.
A global crisis unfolding
As the documentary unfolds, it paints a grim picture: people around the world are struggling to put food on their tables as commodity prices soar and purchasing power diminishes. It attributes much of this to Agenda 21 and Agenda 2030 — sustainability frameworks launched by the United Nations, with 17 goals aimed at reducing environmental impact. However, the documentary suggests that these goals, while well-intentioned, are leading to policies that are detrimental to food production and are triggering a cascade of crises.
The Netherlands is one of the focal points of the documentary, with the film detailing how this small European nation, a global agricultural powerhouse, is being pushed to the brink by stringent environmental regulations. Dutch farmers, particularly small family-owned operations, are being squeezed out as the government moves to cut nitrogen emissions by 50 percent. According to the film, these nitrogen reduction targets are based on exaggerated reports, and the crisis is manufactured to justify seizing land from farmers to make way for housing developments.
This, the documentary claims, is part of a larger plan to control the land, and therefore the people who depend on it.
The Dutch struggle: Farming under siege
The Netherlands is Europe’s top meat exporter, yet its farmers are facing unprecedented challenges. The documentary argues that these challenges are artificially created by a government intent on reducing the number of farms by half, ostensibly to meet sustainability targets. The real reason, according to the documentary, is a housing crisis driven by a growing population of immigrants. Land is needed for development, and farms are being sacrificed to meet this demand.
The documentary also suggests that the nitrogen crisis is overblown, with experts cited saying that the nitrogen reports driving these policies are misleading. The result? Increased farm costs by up to 70 percent, and an industry that once thrived is now collapsing under the weight of regulations. The film contends that it’s a “scam” designed to wrest control of the land away from the farmers and into the hands of the government, echoing a broader global agenda that aims to consolidate food production under corporate or governmental control.
California and Colorado: The fight for control
The story in the U.S. isn’t much different, with the documentary focusing on California and Colorado as prime examples of how farmers are being forced out of business. In California, environmental policies have made it increasingly difficult to farm. By 2030, the state plans to have 30 percent of its land under government control. Farmers in the documentary voice their concerns: “We either own property, or we are the property.”
A key issue raised is the misuse of environmental legislation, such as the Endangered Species Act, to shut down farming operations and development projects. The destruction of dams, purportedly to protect the Coho salmon, is cited as an example of how environmentalism is being used as a political tool rather than a practical solution. Farmers and ranchers are losing access to their own water, and as the documentary emphasizes, this has less to do with protecting fish and more to do with controlling land and resources.
Sri Lanka: A case study in catastrophe
The collapse of Sri Lanka’s farming industry serves as a stark warning of what can happen when environmental agendas are pursued without considering their practical implications. In an effort to transition to 100 percent organic farming, the government of Sri Lanka banned the use of pesticides and fertilizers, triggering a massive economic and agricultural crisis. The documentary describes how this policy, championed by NGOs and environmental groups, led to a drastic reduction in crop yields — by as much as 80 percent in some cases — leaving the country reliant on imports and causing widespread hunger and economic ruin.
Sri Lanka, once a nation with a food surplus, now struggles with food shortages, skyrocketing fuel prices, and an economy on the brink of collapse. The documentary connects this crisis to the broader sustainability agenda pushed by the United Nations and the World Economic Forum, warning that similar policies could lead to similar outcomes in other countries.
Global food security at stake
At its core, No Farmers, No Food is about the battle for control over the global food supply. The documentary argues that environmental policies, while outwardly focused on sustainability, are actually about consolidating power — whether that’s by taking land from farmers in the Netherlands, limiting farming in the U.S., or crippling agriculture in Sri Lanka. The film raises the alarm that if small farmers continue to be pushed out in favor of corporate mega-farms and government-controlled land, food shortages will only worsen, leading to higher prices and increased hunger.
The film also touches on the idea that the future of food may involve pushing insect-based diets as a solution to global food shortages, a prospect that it suggests is part of a larger plan to strip people of their autonomy over food choices.
Conclusion: A call to action
The documentary concludes by stressing the importance of supporting farmers and understanding the global political forces that are contributing to the current food crisis.
Farmers are the backbone of food production, and without them, there is no food. The film’s title, No Farmers, No Food, serves as both a warning and a rallying cry. As the world grapples with rising food prices and dwindling resources, the documentary calls for greater awareness of the policies that are driving these crises and urges viewers to stand with farmers to protect the future of food production.
Michelle Miller, the Farm Babe, is a farmer, public speaker, and writer who has worked for years with row crops, beef cattle, and sheep. She believes education is key in bridging the gap between farmers and consumers.
