The companies such as Bayer and Monsanto, to name just 2, have spent much of the last decade pushing their posions on the Uk farming industry, yes of course it would be easy to sit and critise the farming community, posioning the land and getting massive cash hands to do it, Fox hunting and right to roam are all un reasolved issued.

But as someone who has 'work' on farms for most of my working life (about 8 years) I seen first hand the tactics used by such companies to exploit cercumstances.
I broken my thoughts in three parts below;
A: Subsidy payments
B: DEFRA/MAFF
C: The new role of the multi-national

A: SUBSIDY PAYMENT
the subsidy system (as far as know) was put place to protect european farmers from the effects of the global market place (agri-resesions etc.), but of course it's seems stupid now, to pay farmers 50% of the EU's budget when they provide so little to the overall economic prosperity.
So other than the odvious (above), why is it wrong (there are lots of reasons, this is mine).
In the early to mid. 90's for example 'farm gate prices' for low grade animal feed wheat rose as high £130 per/ton at harvest, with similar rises across the arable sector. During this period of prosperity the EU maintained the same leval of payment to farmers regardless, so their period of prosperity was magnifed and what I describe as a 'false econamy' was created.
So in 1995, with BSE gripping the UK dairy industry, the first signs of a global agri-resesion began to show, and over the next few years we saw a drematic fall in farm gate prices, with feed wheat now selling, at harvest, at less than £65per/ton. This of course wasnt such a bad a thing, they (the farmers) had been raking it in for years.
The problem comes though with the 'false econamy', farmers their supplyers and of course the multi-nats. had all growen use to the new found wealth of early '90s. So when the markets crash and you already get 50% of the budget in subsidy, you ain't having anymore (good, is of course the reaction to that and rightfully so). But I'll return this later.

DEFRA/MAFF
Ok so it's gone tits up the markets have crashed, the EU and your goverment aren't being very reseptive and DEFRA (formaly MAFF) think the best thing to do is turn all the farms into gloryfided coutry parks (land stewardship scheme). Which is great, unless, you might want to carry on comercial agriculture, feeding people. Then what? of course there's no way their going to baled you out, again, and rightfully so. DEFRA/ TONY say they've got to diversitfy but there are only so many mini-buisness parks, stables yards, friut & veg stalls and storage units that any one village can take. So who's out there giving out the advice, on real agriculture (organic/industrial or otherwise)?

C: The new role of the multi-national
Personaly at this point I think that best bet is go organic, but DEFRA and TONY dont nessicaraly think so (as above), so of course this when the hawks are at their best. They think farmings got a future, in fact, they've got lots of helpfull advive and if you by their products it's free advice. Yes they'll come once month look around tell you whats needs doing (oooo dont get this from DEFRA), spray this feild with that and that one this, every month thay come and every month they give their advice, spray this feild with that and that one this and so on. Plant these crops, they'll do well this year, we'll help you sell them.
So when these people are the only ones offering suport for farmers on the ground and of course farmers being to stupid to see through it or work round it, what hope have we got?

Conclusion;
Yes this article is slightly sympathetic towards farmers, sorry, it's more aimed at showing how the multi-nats abuse their posistion in the world. Forcing unwanted change on an industry, and belive me if your saw first hand, how many chemicals get put on feild each year, the seed dressings, and the constant threat of wide spread GM proliferation, well it makes sick, every time I see a rep. I just want to punch them.

If this industry continues along it's present path for another decade we'll all be in shit street, posioned by Bayer and their freinds. Please suport the downing of these companies for all our sakes.