This has consequences even if the [whatever] is containable and never leaves the food-factory. Cheaper food isn't a good thing for people at the production end of the food business, because demand is inelastic. It's great for consumers, though, and most people are consumers.

Now, if you happen to be in a large nation currently run by neocons, check out how much of their support comes from rural areas and imagine how those voters will react to a technical development that makes them as cutting edge as an 8-track.