The Daily Show: Ears Edition – TDS Time Machine | Farmers

Release Date: October 17, 2025
Host: Jon Stewart & The Daily Show News Team
Special Guest: Gene Baur (Farm Sanctuary)

Overview

This episode dives deep into the multifaceted world of farming, addressing historical and current issues faced by American and global farmers. The team spotlights everything from U.S. farm policy and systemic racism in agriculture, to the power of corporate agribusiness and the ongoing farmers’ protest in India. The episode blends classic investigative satire, interviews, and “If You Don’t Know, Now You Know” segments, with Jon Stewart and correspondents unearthing the humor and heartbreak underlying global food production.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Farmer Protests & U.S. Agricultural Policy

[02:10–09:30]

• Family Farms vs. Corporate Interests (02:10): The episode opens with coverage of farmers marching on Washington to repeal the 1996 'Freedom to Farm' law, highlighting slogans like “Wait a minute, what about the farmer?”
• Trade Wars and Aid: Stewart skewers the Trump administration’s $12 billion aid package to farmers impacted by the China trade war, quipping, “In this case, the president IS the hurricane.”
  • Quote [Jon Stewart, 05:00]:
    “The president is the hurricane. He made this happen. Like imagine if a hurricane went through your house. ‘Oh, here’s $20 for the mess.’ That’s what basically happened here.”
• Stimulus and Equity: The $1.9 trillion Biden relief bill’s $4 billion in loan forgiveness for Black farmers sparks right-wing outrage, leading Stewart to lampoon claims of “reverse racism” and note a judge pausing the program amid lawsuits from white farmers.

2. The History of Black Farmers in America

[09:31–21:15]

• If You Don’t Know, Now You Know: Black Farmers
  • Origins and Peak: Post-slavery, Black Americans saw farming as a path to freedom, at one point owning up to 16 million acres and representing 15% of all U.S. farmers.
  • Loss of Land: Systemic racism, discriminatory USDA policies, and cycle of debt led to a 90% loss in Black-owned farmland over the last century.
  • Discrimination Examples: Loans to Black male farmers were 25% less than for white men, with USDA loan processing taking 387 days for Blacks, but under 30 days for whites.
    • Quote [Speaker/Narrator, 15:15]:
      “We’d fill out the papers and then they would just take the paperwork and just throw it in the trash.”
  • Futile Solutions: Historic lawsuits (Pigford v. Glickman, 1999) ended with most Black farmers receiving nothing due to “red tape and setbacks.”
  • Satirical Song [Jon Stewart, 19:30]:
    “Old Black Donald had a farm, couldn’t get a loan, now the only farm he’s got is on his mobile phone, ‘cause a racism here and a racism there, here a racist, there a racist, everywhere a racist, racist...”

3. Corporate Agribusiness & Patent Law

[21:16–29:10]

• Asif Manvi investigates Monsanto and Biotech Firms
  • Farmers vs. Seed Patents: Monsanto sues farmers (500+ annually) for alleged patent infringement, sometimes simply when seeds blow onto their land.
    • Quote [Parody lawyer, 24:10]: “It’s not like they [seeds] grow on trees...All Monsanto asks is that greedy farmers pay a yearly licensing fee for new seeds rather than reuse seeds from a previous harvest, the way they've done since farming began.”
  • Corporate Control: Monsanto’s legal dominance results in a 93% market share in biotech seeds, a feat satirically credited to “heroic patent attorneys.”
  • Absurd Legal Loopholes: Discussion includes the impossibility of patenting air, poking fun at the extremes of intellectual property.

4. Interview: Gene Baur, Farm Sanctuary

[29:11–38:30]

• Animal Welfare & Veganism:
  • Baur explains Farm Sanctuary’s mission: rescuing abused animals and advocating for mindful eating.
  • Stewart asks about reconciling the pleasures of meat (corned beef!) and the ethical/environmental case for plant-based diets.
    • Quote [Jon Stewart, 31:25]:
      “It’s harder to eat meat when you know the animal’s name. I have found.”
  • Plant-based Trends:
    • Plant-based and meatless alternatives are improving, with vegan fast food and dairy options now common.
    • Impact: Shifting to whole foods plant-based diets could cut U.S. healthcare costs by 70% and drastically reduce water use and climate impact.
  • Pragmatism Over Perfection:
    • The book and Farm Sanctuary promote incremental change: “Just try meatless Mondays, or Tofu Tuesdays for God’s sake!”

5. Farming and Lifestyle

[38:31–41:40]

• Farming & Sexuality:
  • Farmers reportedly have the most sex of any profession—joked to be “all that plowing, planting seeds, [and] watering vagina trees.”
  • Journalists, at the bottom, are ribbed for having no time for sex due to constant breaking news.

6. Innovation: Hydroponics and Veteran Employment

[41:41–45:00]

• Dylan Ratigan’s New Life:
  • Former MSNBC anchor now employs U.S. veterans using high-tech hydroponic farming, which uses 90% less water and grows three times as much food.
  • His old media colleagues and a body language expert join to probe whether he's truly more fulfilled “walking up the hill” on the farm.

7. The Panel Satire and Audience Agency

[45:01–47:00]

• Lampooning cable news panels, Stewart and the team joke that televised debate is now more about making viewers feel “right” than facts, while Ratigan expresses contentment with meaningful farm work.

8. Quirky International: Belgian Farmer Accidentally Redraws Border

[47:01–48:35]

• A farmer in Belgium accidentally moves a border stone, shifting the border 7 feet and “making Belgium bigger and France smaller.” Stewart riffs on the arbitrary nature of borders.

9. GLOBAL: Indian Farmers’ Protests

[48:36–59:30]

• If You Don’t Know, Now You Know: India
  • Background: The Modi government’s new laws favoring big agribusiness have prompted the largest protests in Indian history—250 million participating in a strike.
  • Rihanna & Greta Thunberg support: Their solidarity tweets provoke a furious Indian government backlash and burning of effigies.
  • India’s Farm System: Most of India’s 600 million farmers work less than three acres and rely on government-guaranteed minimum prices.
  • Law Changes: New laws allow private (corporate) buyers, leading farmers to fear market predation and loss of livelihood.
  • Protests Escalate: Tractor blockades, community kitchens, makeshift markets, police crackdowns, and Modi’s resistance to repealing laws.
    • Quote [Narrator, 57:30]:
      “Nobody on earth is more patient than a farmer. Farmers are the same people who will wait five months to grow an eggplant. I’m not even patient enough to find it in the emoji.”
  • Impact: Stewart underlines these protests’ significance: with 600 million people involved, it dwarfs any Western Twitter trend—showing the deep connection between farming and society.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Stewart on Disaster Aid [05:00]: “The president is the hurricane. He made this happen. Like imagine if a hurricane went through your house. ‘Oh, here’s $20 for the mess.’ That’s what basically happened here.”
• Parody Song [19:30]: “Old Black Donald had a farm, couldn’t get a loan now the only farm he’s got is on his mobile phone, ‘cause a racism here and a racism there...”
• Gene Baur on Animals [34:20]: “They’re not different than cats and dogs in terms of their desire to be friends with us.”
• Indian Protest Satire [57:30]: "Farmers are the same people who will wait five months to grow an eggplant. I’m not even patient enough to find it in the emoji."

Key Timestamps for Segments

• Opening: U.S. Farmer Protests & Aid – 02:10–09:30
• If You Don’t Know, Now You Know (Black Farmers) – 09:31–21:15
• Monsanto & Biotech Patent Satire – 21:16–29:10
• Interview: Gene Baur, Farm Sanctuary – 29:11–38:30
• Farmers & Sex Life Segment – 38:31–41:40
• Hydroponics & Dylan Ratigan – 41:41–45:00
• Cable News Panel Satire – 45:01–47:00
• Belgian Border Shift Story – 47:01–48:35
• If You Don’t Know, Now You Know (Indian Farmer Protest) – 48:36–59:30

Tone & Style

The episode features biting satire, playful banter, and sharp social commentary, characteristic of The Daily Show. Stewart seamlessly combines historical context, current affairs, and laugh-out-loud sketches to illustrate the profound challenges and far-reaching importance of farmers, both in the U.S. and abroad.

For Further Listening

Check out more Daily Show: Ears Edition episodes for a unique blend of comedy and news, and watch full episodes or stream anytime via Comedy Central and Paramount+.