isn't lower quality food employed in different ways? E.g. recycled as animal food.

In primary production most things you don't consume yourself have either to earn income or cost you money to dispose of, and suddenly zero waste is a big win. Pig slurry has massive costs associated either with remediation of water or cartage. If you can make methane, drive a generator or heat or cool something or run pumps, and then have (in disease terms) sterile and nutrient rich water to use.. it's better.

Ploughing in your unsellable fruit is said to be heartbreaking. Suicide in farmers is high.

Growing less and getting a better price for it might be better than growing more but losing half the produce to skin taint or bruising. Less inputs, more value per acre worked.