Changes in intellectual property rights systems have lead to the privatization of genetic resources and subsequently to the proliferation of new agricultural biotechnology products. Since these innovations have the potential to increase agricultural production while limiting environmental...

As background for addressing agricultural policy and sustainable development issues, we address in this paper some general issues we believe it important to consider in developing a broad and consistent conceptual framework for the analysis of sustainability. The objective of this paper is to...

Initially, we explore the attitudes and perceptions of farmers and low farm profitability as potential constraints to rural financial intermediation and investment in agriculture. As part of this discussion we consider what is factual about the "access to credit problem." Second, we summarize...

At the end of 2000, the European Commission published its Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Official Journal of the European Communities (2000/60/EC). This new legislation provides for achieving the sustainable management of water resources through its 26 articles that focus primarily on...

A number of factors including budget pressures, emphasis on environmentally sensitive agriculture, emphasis on finding agricultural export markets, and anti-agricultural program sentiment have fueled a climate for change in United States agricultural policy. Whether significant changes will...