Absolutely, Jim. The state of our soil is the starkest condemnation of naked capitalism you'll see. And round here, on perfectly good land, they grow linseed that no-one needs and which yields three-quarters of a ton per acre. They have to spray the whole crop with herbicide in September in order to kill the haulm and dessicate the crop for harvesting. The fields look like deserts for ten months of the year, but why should anyone worry about that! The same land could grow three tons per acre of wheat or barley, or much more tonnage of spuds, nearly as much if grown organically, amazing stuff for bread or beer or chips. The latest money-spinner is maize, which is the worst possible crop for soil erosion if grown on slopes. It's all slopes in north Cornwall, but who cares! Then there's elephant grass, once planted yielding an annual crop with no effort at all. The ultimate monoculture. It's all over Cornwall like a rash. So what's elephant grass, human food, animal feed? Why no - it's grown, on land perfect for growing food, for biofuel!   

And before Teribus chimes in, yes, it's EU subsidies and the CAP. Can't deny that. One of the biggest inanities of the EU. Strange, though, how the people who take most advantage of it are the most anti-EU of the lot. As the yanks say, go figure.