Are there too many farmers?

As if poisoning our rivers wasn't enough, farmers are now asking whether we have too many native birds:

Agricultural experts are pointing to an unusual problem lying just over the horizon for New Zealand - too many native birds.

They acknowledge that it sounds like a pleasant problem to have.

But they also warn of a downside if a rampant bird population comes to depend on agricultural crops for food because its natural habitat is too small.

But why is the natural habitat of native birds too small? Because greedy farmers cut it all down. And now they're using that past destruction to problematise and oppose attempts to remedy it.

Perhaps the real environmental problem we face here is not too many native birds, but too many farmers.