You state in the book that the objective of a domestic wheat industry isn't simply to make money. It also exists for the national survival during times of crisis. Isn't there a contradiction, as farmers' interests may not always align with the national interest?¹⁾

Following WWI—and even now—many countries produce agricultural goods with government support, without which they would be unviable. Governments were so scarred by the food shortages during both world wars that they realised it's not simply a question of agricultural economics and making money; it's about food security.²⁾

For example, economically, it doesn't make sense for some European countries to produce as much food as they do, but from a food security point of view, it does.³⁾