Madeleine Fairbairn
@landstuff.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at UCSC. Author of: "Fields of Gold: Financing the Global Land Rush" (2020, Cornell University Press). Sociology of agriculture, land justice, agri-food tech, financialization.
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Democratizing finance by turning everyone into a venture capitalist.
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Democratizing finance by turning everyone into a venture capitalist.
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Goebbels Ends Careers of Five 'Aryan' Actors Who Made Witticisms About the Nazi Regime (Published 1939)
www.nytimes.com
September 18, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Israel Waging "Fastest Starvation Campaign" in Modern History in Gaza: U.N. Special Rapporteur on Food
Israel Waging “Fastest Starvation Campaign” in Modern History in Gaza: U.N. Special Rapporteur on Food
“The world needs to impose wide-scale sanctions against the state of Israel to force it to end the starvation and genocide of civilians.” More than 100 humanitarian organizations are demanding action...
www.democracynow.org
July 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Israel Waging "Fastest Starvation Campaign" in Modern History in Gaza: U.N. Special Rapporteur on Food
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
The Orwellian myth at the heart of industrial agriculture?
That environmental destruction is actually conservation.
This must-read essay traces how productivism – the obsession with yield – fuels ecocide & colonialism, while failing to 'feed the world'.
📖 spectrejournal.com/the-enduring...
That environmental destruction is actually conservation.
This must-read essay traces how productivism – the obsession with yield – fuels ecocide & colonialism, while failing to 'feed the world'.
📖 spectrejournal.com/the-enduring...
The Enduring Fantasy of “Feeding the World” – Spectre Journal
Members of the Agroecology Research-Action Collective argue against the productivist logic underlying the "feed-the-world" approaches to feed security.
spectrejournal.com
July 18, 2025 at 12:44 PM
The Orwellian myth at the heart of industrial agriculture?
That environmental destruction is actually conservation.
This must-read essay traces how productivism – the obsession with yield – fuels ecocide & colonialism, while failing to 'feed the world'.
📖 spectrejournal.com/the-enduring...
That environmental destruction is actually conservation.
This must-read essay traces how productivism – the obsession with yield – fuels ecocide & colonialism, while failing to 'feed the world'.
📖 spectrejournal.com/the-enduring...
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
The majority of DOGE's "work" is to use LLMs to search federal grants for the keywords "LGBTQ," "BIPOC," and similar, and then to cancel those grants.
They are targeting minorities in the most literal, automated way. The outcomes of this are all over their own website:
They are targeting minorities in the most literal, automated way. The outcomes of this are all over their own website:
June 16, 2025 at 6:39 PM
The majority of DOGE's "work" is to use LLMs to search federal grants for the keywords "LGBTQ," "BIPOC," and similar, and then to cancel those grants.
They are targeting minorities in the most literal, automated way. The outcomes of this are all over their own website:
They are targeting minorities in the most literal, automated way. The outcomes of this are all over their own website:
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
🚨 There’s a lot of horrific news out of Washington right now—but you might have missed this: Senate Republicans just introduced a plan to sell off 120 million acres of our public lands.
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
June 16, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🚨 There’s a lot of horrific news out of Washington right now—but you might have missed this: Senate Republicans just introduced a plan to sell off 120 million acres of our public lands.
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
With Trump's "big tragic bill," "backed by American industry," reaching its penultimate stage, I want to share a "big democratic alternative" I worked on with Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, which would be powered by America's people.
June 4, 2025 at 9:19 PM
With Trump's "big tragic bill," "backed by American industry," reaching its penultimate stage, I want to share a "big democratic alternative" I worked on with Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, which would be powered by America's people.
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Take action today to protect US farm workers. Tell your Congressmembers to say NO to weakened H-2A wage provisions that would undercut American farm workers' wages and protections. ufw.org/aewr #WeFeedYou
June 4, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Take action today to protect US farm workers. Tell your Congressmembers to say NO to weakened H-2A wage provisions that would undercut American farm workers' wages and protections. ufw.org/aewr #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Only a quarter of Illinois farmland is owned by the people who farm it. That’s shaping what’s grown and how it’s grown, including the use of conservation programs/practices. Great in-depth read from @chicagotribune.com www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/01/i...
Who owns most of the farmland in Illinois? Not farmers.
Less than 25% of Illinois farmland is owned by the farmer who works the land, with the rest leased by individuals, family trusts and, increasingly, investors looking to turn a profit.
www.chicagotribune.com
June 4, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Only a quarter of Illinois farmland is owned by the people who farm it. That’s shaping what’s grown and how it’s grown, including the use of conservation programs/practices. Great in-depth read from @chicagotribune.com www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/01/i...
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
this is a letter to the editor from a high school track runner who came in second to a trans girl in a race. her state house rep in maine started talking about it. so she wrote this: www.pressherald.com/2025/05/14/r...
May 16, 2025 at 3:25 AM
this is a letter to the editor from a high school track runner who came in second to a trans girl in a race. her state house rep in maine started talking about it. so she wrote this: www.pressherald.com/2025/05/14/r...
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Even labor exploitation, structural racism, and environmental/climate destruction subsidize AI companies, they're still not close to being profitable.
April 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Even labor exploitation, structural racism, and environmental/climate destruction subsidize AI companies, they're still not close to being profitable.
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
unfollowing everyone on linkedin except this guy
April 23, 2025 at 6:35 AM
unfollowing everyone on linkedin except this guy
Know how the secretary of education was referring to AI as "A1"? I've just discovered the generational inverse of this: my 9-year-old is reading a book about Al Capone. Turns out he's been reading it as: "A.I. Caponey." It took me ages to figure out what he was talking about.
April 21, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Know how the secretary of education was referring to AI as "A1"? I've just discovered the generational inverse of this: my 9-year-old is reading a book about Al Capone. Turns out he's been reading it as: "A.I. Caponey." It took me ages to figure out what he was talking about.
This really mild petition asking Newsom and the UC system to stand up for academic freedom and freedom of speech has reached 2,000 signatures from UC faculty, but it should have much more. UC Faculty, there is still time to sign!!!
April 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
This really mild petition asking Newsom and the UC system to stand up for academic freedom and freedom of speech has reached 2,000 signatures from UC faculty, but it should have much more. UC Faculty, there is still time to sign!!!
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
The US #LandSqueeze in a graph. As farm sizes climb, the number of farms continues to fall.
When farmland is concentrated into fewer and fewer hands, #food becomes commoditized and uniform. Rural communities are hollowed out.
Diverse foods rely on diverse farms.
When farmland is concentrated into fewer and fewer hands, #food becomes commoditized and uniform. Rural communities are hollowed out.
Diverse foods rely on diverse farms.
The number of farms declined again while the average size of a farm continues to tick up.
Chart by USDA's Economic Research Service.
Chart by USDA's Economic Research Service.
April 10, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The US #LandSqueeze in a graph. As farm sizes climb, the number of farms continues to fall.
When farmland is concentrated into fewer and fewer hands, #food becomes commoditized and uniform. Rural communities are hollowed out.
Diverse foods rely on diverse farms.
When farmland is concentrated into fewer and fewer hands, #food becomes commoditized and uniform. Rural communities are hollowed out.
Diverse foods rely on diverse farms.
I cannot wait to read this article. It explores the role of the law in enabling the financialization of farmland in recent years. This is such an important topic and I have no doubt the analysis will be absolutely brilliant, like everything else @jessicashoemaker.bsky.social writes.
As markets churn and world orders reset, @jamesftierney.bsky.social and I have a new piece forthcoming in Yale Law Journal that couldn't be more timely. "Trading Acres" traces the risks of farmland financialization and analyzes the role of law in this ongoing rural land grab. 🧵
April 9, 2025 at 5:20 PM
I cannot wait to read this article. It explores the role of the law in enabling the financialization of farmland in recent years. This is such an important topic and I have no doubt the analysis will be absolutely brilliant, like everything else @jessicashoemaker.bsky.social writes.
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
I have tariffed
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
April 3, 2025 at 7:45 PM
I have tariffed
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Strom Thurmond's record is 24 hours and 18 minutes which was done against the Civil Rights Act of 1957 & in defense of segregation. Cory Booker, a Black senator from Jersey, breaking his record to speak out against a white supremacist President would be poetic justice.
Cory Booker crosses 23-hour mark in marathon Senate floor speech protesting Trump agenda | CNN Politics
Sen. Cory Booker is holding the Senate floor into Tuesday afternoon, as the New Jersey Democrat continues his marathon speech protesting actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration.
www.cnn.com
April 1, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Strom Thurmond's record is 24 hours and 18 minutes which was done against the Civil Rights Act of 1957 & in defense of segregation. Cory Booker, a Black senator from Jersey, breaking his record to speak out against a white supremacist President would be poetic justice.
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
IATP joins calls for the release of Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez from ICE detention. Farmworker organizations on the ground believe that ICE targeted Lelo for his leadership in standing up for farmworkers and immigrants in his community. @foodchainworkers.bsky.social foodchainworkers.org/2025/03/we-d...
We Demand the Release of Farmworker Leader Alfredo "Lelo" Juarez from ICE Detention - Food Chain Workers Alliance
FCWA is calling for ally organizations to join use in demanding Lelo's release by signing on to our open letter.
foodchainworkers.org
April 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
IATP joins calls for the release of Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez from ICE detention. Farmworker organizations on the ground believe that ICE targeted Lelo for his leadership in standing up for farmworkers and immigrants in his community. @foodchainworkers.bsky.social foodchainworkers.org/2025/03/we-d...
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Got serious on the Macro + Cheese podcast about how finance degrades democracy, creates oligarchy + state deformations, and why the solution to our crises is economic democracy. All themes in The Master’s Tools for @versobooks.bsky.social Check it out!
realprogressives.org/mnc-podcast-...
realprogressives.org/mnc-podcast-...
Episode 320 - Breaking Out The Master's Tools with Michael McCarthy
Professor Michael McCarthy on the decline of labor power, the rise of neoliberalism, and the ramifications of financialization on democracy and inequality.
realprogressives.org
March 22, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Got serious on the Macro + Cheese podcast about how finance degrades democracy, creates oligarchy + state deformations, and why the solution to our crises is economic democracy. All themes in The Master’s Tools for @versobooks.bsky.social Check it out!
realprogressives.org/mnc-podcast-...
realprogressives.org/mnc-podcast-...
My book and a ton of articles were stolen (plagiarized is maybe the better word?) by Meta.
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
www.theatlantic.com
March 21, 2025 at 4:46 PM
My book and a ton of articles were stolen (plagiarized is maybe the better word?) by Meta.
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Quoting @ianmosby.bsky.social: "I don't care if my work is pirated for non-commercial uses.
I do care when it's pirated by ruthless tech oligarchs"
54 works by me have been used by Meta to train its AI
I do care when it's pirated by ruthless tech oligarchs"
54 works by me have been used by Meta to train its AI
March 21, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Quoting @ianmosby.bsky.social: "I don't care if my work is pirated for non-commercial uses.
I do care when it's pirated by ruthless tech oligarchs"
54 works by me have been used by Meta to train its AI
I do care when it's pirated by ruthless tech oligarchs"
54 works by me have been used by Meta to train its AI
Reposted by Madeleine Fairbairn
Pleased to share this new collaboration with colleagues who research questions of access and inequality in digital agriculture across diverse geographies in Nature Food. What would inclusive and just ag innovation look like? @naturefood.bsky.social @landstuff.bsky.social @janeezirigwe.bsky.social
Digital agriculture will perpetuate injustice unless led from the grassroots
Nature Food - Situating digital agriculture within recent histories of uneven agrarian development reveals its potential to perpetuate injustice. To avoid this outcome, we argue for innovation...
www.nature.com
March 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Pleased to share this new collaboration with colleagues who research questions of access and inequality in digital agriculture across diverse geographies in Nature Food. What would inclusive and just ag innovation look like? @naturefood.bsky.social @landstuff.bsky.social @janeezirigwe.bsky.social