When the EEC was set up, the memory of wartime food shortages
was acute. Historically, too, there had often been famines
not necessarily produced by climatic conditions. The Common
Agricultural Policy was intended not to assist farmers but to
regulate the price of food in the cities and prevent famine.
All of that is old history now, but it does seem to me that we
have forgotten the underlying purpose of the scheme. Having
been involved with a series of subsidy cases recently, I have
formed the view that the UK authorities favour the interpretation
of the European Legislation that is least favourable to the
interest of the individual farmer. I am certain that
both the French and Italians would have the opposite view and the
UK interpretation misses the point of the subsidy regime.