Oh goodie. Everybody’s favourite big-state cheerleader does an article about the mother of all big-state boondoggles: that is to say, the BBC talks about the Common Agricultural Policy.

Buried in among all the other things that could just be replaced by four words that would best set forth an optimum future for the CAP (Get rid of it!) is a little paragraph from (who else?) the French:

Speaking before the deal was reached, French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier said he would “not allow the milk quotas to be scrapped without accompanying measures, precautions being taken”.

“Some would like to lift all restrictions on milk production. We know perfectly well that if we produce a lot more, the prices drop, and everyone loses.”

Really? Who is this everyone? Is it the average EU citizen, who will end up paying less for milk? Is it the average EU government, which would spend less on a subsidy? Is it the productive dairy farmer, who would be able to ramp up production more effectively to meet demand?

Or is it the unproductive dairy farmer, who only continues to exist because the productive ones are being hamstrung? Is it the governments of the countries with unproductive dairy farmers, who are in thrall to the unions of said farmers?

Personally, I can’t see why the milk quota exists at all. But then I’m just a shameless capitalist about some things…