FACT CHECK: Did John Kerry Call For Farming To Go Extinct?

Joseph Casieri | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on social media purports that U.S. climate envoy John Kerry recently called for U.S. farmers to “go extinct.”

Verdict: False

The claim is inaccurate. The quote is purported by a website that regularly publishes misleading and false information.

Fact Check:

President Biden has continued to move forward on student debt cancellations for 800,000 students, The New York Post reported. The plan, if passed, would expect to see about 614,000 loans wiped out and would also supply relief to those who have made the equivalent of 20 to 25 years worth of payments.

The Facebook post purports Kerry called for the “extinction” of U.S. farmers. The post shares an article covering the claim featuring an unflattering image of the climate envoy.

The Facebook post shares a screenshot of a headline that reads, “John Kerry: ‘It’s Time for U.S. Farmers To Go Extinct’ – The People’s Voice.” The caption reads in part, “F**K this guy,…. he needs to f***ing go extinct!

The claim is false. There is no credible news report that suggests he made this statement. The claim stems from an article from a website called People’s Voice, which has previously shared numerous false claims in the past.

The article shared a quote that is similar to comments Kerry made at the AIM for Climate Summit on May 10. Kerry claimed that farming creates 33% of the world’s total carbon emissions, further stating reducing emissions needs to be “front and center” in the fight against climate change. At no point during his speech, however, did he say farmers should go extinct.

Republican lawmakers called on President Joe Biden to disavow Kerry’s statements. They said, “his comments are a blatant slap in the face to the hardworking individuals that spend their lives sustainably producing our world’s food, fuel, and fiber,” Fox News reported. (RELATED: Did Illinois Pass A Bill Allowing Illegal Immigrants To Apply For The Police Force?)

This is not the first time misinformation has been shared online. Check Your Fact debunked a claim that 13 nations agreed to abolish farming as part of a new international agreement.

Joseph Casieri

Fact Check Reporter

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