User blog comment:Western Gen/Speculations for Season 12/@comment-10990964-20140120195427/@comment-166.205.68.37-20140122031730

I don't think it's farmers like we think of now, but like with high-tech machines that reduce the actual farmer's work to 90%. But someone still has to take care if the machines in case they break down and to supply the plants and ship them off. The farmers also wanted to leave the Earth and the UNSC and become independent. Lot like those people in Texas who want to secede from us.