Historically, British farmers have supported the European Union, grateful both for subsidies and access to continental markets. Yet most of the United Kingdom’s agricultural counties voted “leave.” Despite all the talk about immigration, a large part (perhaps the largest part) of the reason was regulation — Brussels-based regulation onerous enough to offset the EU’s pluses.

Other than weather, farmers everywhere have one major enemy — pests, meaning weeds, funguses, and insects. In a clear favoring of urban greens over rural livelihoods, Brussels has gone on an anti-pesticide rampage in recent years that has put Europe’s rural life at rising risk.