8 of the worst celebrity opponents of agriculture

It’s no secret that Hollywood has a problem with agriculture. Whether it’s pushing fake meat, demonizing livestock, or spreading nonsense about soil management and GMOs, plenty of celebrities love to run their mouths about farming — without ever setting foot on a real farm. While some focus on attacking meat and dairy, others go after modern agriculture as a whole, blaming “big ag” for climate change, soil destruction, and food system collapse. (With their bellies full, of course.)

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest offenders — the celebrities who do the most damage to public perception of agriculture

1. Neil Young

The Washed-Up Rockstar Who Hates Modern Farming

Neil Young has been bashing agriculture for decades. He’s ranted against GMOs, demonized large-scale farming, and even released an entire album (The Monsanto Years) dedicated to spreading anti-GMO propaganda. Young seems to believe that small, “back-to-the-land” organic farming is the only way forward, ignoring the fact that modern agricultural methods are what feed the world. Farmers are 1 percent of the population and need all the modern advances they can get.

He’s also a major figure in Farm Aid, an organization that claims to support farmers but has been infiltrated by organic-only, anti-GMO, and anti-modern-agriculture activists. Instead of truly helping American farmers, Farm Aid spreads outdated ideas that would cripple food production and drive up costs for consumers.

2. Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp & Dave Matthews

Farm Aid’s Anti-GMO, Anti-Science Bandwagon

Speaking of Farm Aid, let’s talk about some of its other leaders — Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews. While they claim to support farmers, they’ve consistently pushed an agenda that favors small-scale organic farming while demonizing conventional agriculture, GMOs, and modern farming practices that keep them fed.

Matthews, in particular, is a hardcore environmentalist who has jumped on the “regenerative farming” trend in a way that completely ignores the science behind soil health and productivity. These guys may be great at writing songs, but when it comes to understanding how global food systems work, they’re about as out of touch as it gets.

3. Leonardo DiCaprio

The Climate Alarmist Who Thinks Cows Are the Problem

Leonardo DiCaprio is Hollywood’s go-to climate activist, but his version of environmentalism is wildly disconnected from reality. He’s funded and promoted documentaries like Cowspiracy that push the false narrative that agriculture — specifically cattle — is the leading cause of climate change.

What he won’t tell you is that his private jet habit emits more carbon in a year than most farms do. He’s also a major investor in fake meat companies, profiting off the same fear-mongering he spreads about traditional agriculture. Instead of acknowledging that farmers are already making huge strides in sustainability, he’d rather blame them for climate change while living a lifestyle that’s anything but eco-friendly.

4. Joaquin Phoenix

The Unhinged Animal Rights Extremist

Joaquin Phoenix takes animal rights activism to the extreme, using his Oscars speech to spread anti-dairy propaganda and comparing animal agriculture to human oppression. He’s a longtime supporter of PETA, a group that opposes all forms of animal farming and spreads blatant lies about livestock production.

Phoenix doesn’t just target meat and dairy — his brand of activism is anti-farming at its core. He supports radical policies that would put hardworking farmers out of business, all while pretending that lab-grown meat and plant-based diets can magically replace centuries of agricultural progress.

5. Natalie Portman

The Misinformation Machine on GMOs and ‘Factory Farming’

Natalie Portman isn’t just a vegan — she’s a full-blown activist against conventional ag. She narrated Eating Animals, a documentary filled with misleading claims about livestock, “factory farming,” and GMOs. She’s used her platform to promote organic-only food production, completely ignoring the fact that organic farming yields less, requires more land, and is simply not a scalable solution for feeding the world.

Like many in Hollywood, Portman romanticizes a version of farming that doesn’t exist (and isn’t sustainable for food security even if it was around) while demonizing the very people working to produce safe, plentiful food for billions.

6. Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Fake Meat Hypocrite

Arnold Schwarzenegger spent his bodybuilding career eating a high-protein, meat-heavy diet, yet now he’s all-in on the anti-meat movement. He’s partnered with Game Changers producer James Cameron (who conveniently has a financial stake in plant-based protein) to push the narrative that eating meat is unhealthy and bad for the environment.

But here’s the kicker — Schwarzenegger admits to still eating meat! It’s the classic Hollywood playbook: “Do as I say, not as I do.” Like DiCaprio, he expects regular people to cut meat while he enjoys steak dinners whenever he pleases.

7. Ellen DeGeneres

The Talk Show Host Who Wants You to Stop Eating Animal Products

Ellen DeGeneres spent years promoting a vegan lifestyle, encouraging her massive audience to cut out meat and dairy. While she eventually walked back her strict veganism, the damage was already done — she helped mainstream the idea that animal agriculture is cruel and unnecessary.

She’s also dabbled in anti-GMO rhetoric and has supported organic-only agriculture, ignoring the fact that GMOs have helped improve food security and reduce pesticide use. Like so many celebrities, DeGeneres pushed a feel-good narrative that had no basis in science or reality.

8. Mark Ruffalo

The Soil Health Alarmist Who Thinks Modern Ag is Poisoning the Planet

Mark Ruffalo has built his entire activist brand around environmentalism, and while some of his causes have merit, his stance on farming is deeply flawed. He’s spread anti-GMO rhetoric, demonized modern pesticides, and pushed the narrative that conventional agriculture is destroying soil health.

The truth? Farmers have been leading the charge on soil conservation for decades, using precision agriculture, no-till farming, and cover crops to improve sustainability. But Ruffalo — like so many celebrities — would rather paint farmers as villains than acknowledge the incredible work being done to protect our natural resources.

Why This Matters

Celebrities have massive platforms, and when they spread misinformation about farming, it influences public opinion and policy. From bans on GMOs to restrictions on livestock farming, their activism has real consequences for farmers and consumers alike.

The truth is that modern agriculture is more efficient, sustainable, and necessary than ever. Farmers are using cutting-edge science to improve soil health, reduce emissions, and produce more food with fewer resources. Meanwhile, Hollywood elites who know nothing about agriculture continue to push an agenda that would make food more expensive and less accessible — and have a complex and well-funded network to do it.

Thankfully, not all public figures are anti-agriculture. People such as  Mike Rowe, Kevin Costner, and even some country music artists understand the importance of farming.

Hollywood celebrities love to virtue signal about sustainability and food systems, but their solutions are nothing more than fantasy. Farmers don’t need lectures from people who have never worked the land. What they need is support, fair policies, and an end to the misinformation that continues to damage public trust in agriculture.

So next time a celebrity tells you how bad farming is, ask yourself: Do they actually know what they’re talking about? Or are they just another clueless Hollywood elitist pushing an agenda?

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.

This article was originally published in December 2016 and was updated in February 2025.