At least the article points out some of the long-term benefits:
making sure farmers get to stay on their land and keep it in
agricultural production.
The nearest u-pick to me is a tiny operation. It's a hobby orchard
from the '50s or '60s that was let go wild. The current owners
hacked out the Himalaya blackberry brambles and weeds and got the
orchard back in shape. Last season (they don't seem to be open this
season), there was no admission charge. They simply charge by the
pound for what you pick. And it was absurdly cheap at a dollar a
pound. But they admitted it was a labor of love and that their
prices certainly weren't keeping them in the black.