How did world agriculture get into such a mess?
Agricultural policy has a very long history. From the early Middle Ages in England, the ‘Corn Laws’ regulated internal trade and restrained all exports of grain. From 1660, grain imports were restricted by tariffs until their celebrated repeal in 1846. From the mid-1840s to the Great Depression (1880-1900) there was an interlude of free trade which spread from Britain throughout Western Europe. During the late 19th century, exports of grain and meat from North America and frozen meat from Australia were highly competitive. Britain took advantage of this ‘cheap’ food and held determinedly to its policy of free trade. But France and Germany, who were unable to compete, shielded their farmers behind high tariff walls. The second great convulsion was when Europe was drawn into the economic crisis of the 1930s. Markets contracted, prices fell and farmers went bankrupt. This time, laissez-faire was abandoned even in Britain and all countries maintained their protective measures up to the Sec
