WORLD AGRICULTURE IN DISARRAY REVISITED

In World Agriculture in Disarray I argued that the result of government intervention in agriculture would be to increase the costs of farm policies to taxpayers and consumers and to restrict agricultural trade. A review of the current situation in world agriculture confirms these projections. The policies of the major countries in relation to agriculture have clearly not succeeded in their aims and at the same time have created many problems, particularly in the sphere of agricultural trade. The solution to the crisis in the farm sector must take account of the inherent characteristics of agriculture itself.