I don't think there's a population agenda. I think that there are a LOT of people to be fed, and how better to feed them than with substandard, cheap "food" with a huge profit margin?
Historically wars, famine or plagues have taken care of excess population. Since we are now on the 3rd or 4th generation of a well, yet poorly fed populace, the plague thing oughta be kicking in really soon. It already is, all we need to do is look around. Not a "plague" as in an infectious disease, just a generalized decline in health over generations. There are a lot of fertility problems now, too...