for shipping in freight or seed necessary for the farmer

-increased access to markets that would lead to higher profits using the railroad to transport freight

-ease of travel for the farmer and his family, increased local and regional mobility

-access to newer technological developments and tools produced farther away

-decreased prices on equipment thanks to greater access to mail order stores in larger cities, etc.

It would really depend to a certain extent on the nature of the farmer's complaint, whether this is a modern situation or one at the time of the beginning of the railroads, etc.

The main reason the farmers felt railroads were unfair is that they had control over how grain was shipped and where it was milled. The Grange was a collective of farmers in the late 19th century. The railroads tried to freeze them out by undercutting them. Just as the farmers had good crops, the price went down. Entire towns were wiped out because of this process.

Railroads being unfair to farmers was an accusation made by the Midwestern Grangers during the 1860s-1880s.  The Grangers said that railroad shipping rates were too high.  A response to that might be to say that railroad rates are cheaper for farmers than shipping by wagon as farmers did before railroads and as they could do again if railroad rates were higher than wagon rates.

That is the polite answer.  If you don't mind being callous, you can point out that the nation just fought a big war to establish the hedgemony of the industrial social system and therefore farmers can expect to be used in whatever ways best serve that new system.

I would make the primary response that more people win with the advents of railroads.  I would argue that as my railroads seeks to connect and establish more towns and cities linked with one another, there could be greater and more abundant markets established for farmers to sell their goods.  Additionally, with the railroad, transport to new markets and customers could be accomplished with a small fee paid to me.  The larger idea I would stress is that the railroad is a way to increase connectivity to markets and bring more people goods and services, causing more people to win in the economic game of capitalism.  The railroad is a vehicle to deliver victory to all people, including farmers.

I assume that you are talking about things back in the late 1800s or so when the Populists were getting all angry at the railroads for charging them too high of prices.  This was when the farmers wanted the government to limit the prices the railroads could charge.

If I were the railroad owner, I would just point out that without my railroad, the farmers couldn't exist where they are.  If they want to put their farms someplace where they need to ship their crops by train, they are going to have to pay the price of shipping.  If they want to not have to pay for shipping, they should move closer to the markets so they don't have to ship via railroad.  I would point out that I'm actually helping them out by providing them with a way to get their crops to market.