Not the farmer, who in England historically was generally relatively well off as the result of cheap and plentiful labour, but the labouring man and woman:

[See WE DEAR LABOURING MEN]

There's some that say the baker's best
But we must needs say no.
If it wasn't for the poor labouring man
What could the baker do?
With no one for to buy his bread
He'd have no flour coming in,
For there's never a trade in all this land
Like we poor labouring men.

And some that say the miller's best
But we must needs say no.
If it wasn't for the poor labouring man
What could the miller do?
With no one for to buy his flour
And no new grain coming in,
For there's never a trade in all this land
Like we poor labouring men.

And there's some that say the farmer's best
But we must needs say no.
If it wasn't for the poor labouring man
What could the farmer do?
With no one for to plough the land
Nor to fetch the harvest in,
For there's never a trade in all this land
Like we poor labouring men.

And there's some that say the landlord's best,
But we must needs say no.
If it wasn't for the poor labouring man
What could the landlord do?
With no one there to work the land
He'd have no rents coming in,
For there's never a trade in all this land
Like we poor labouring men.

So come all you noble working folk
And fill a flowing glass,
And drink a toast to each labouring man,
Likewise each working lass;
And when these times are past and gone,
Our time will come again,
There'll be peace and plenty in the land
For we poor labouring men.