The governments of the world have united in the belief the best agricultural policy is to provide lots and lots of barfitudinous foodstuffs as cheap as possible to the consumer¹ with the minimum amount of labor.  The UK, in particular, has no hope of feeding the numbers of bodies inhabiting the kingdom so the various governments tolerate farmers as kind of messy, but necessary, holders of land soon to a relief road, airport extension, or housing development².  In support of this policy the idea is to prevent, by any means to hand, farmers being able to make a decent living farming.  This is primarily done through a system of subsidies ensuring the maximum amount of ecological damage for the minimum amount of money.

¹  at least as long as the daily requirements of the three basic foodgroups (fat, starch, and sugar) are met.

²  Except for the Fen country, which will soon be under water.