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You are here: Home / Sustainability in Agriculture / Environmental Laws and Policy 
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Sustainability in Agriculture

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Regulations, incentives and policies affecting sustainable agriculture are rooted in environmental legislation and laws on the international, Federal, state and local level.

Environmental Laws Affecting State Agriculture
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation.
Directory of laws, by state, compiled in cooperation with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
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National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center
Environmental Protection Agency.
The Ag Center is the "first stop" for information on environmental requirements that affect the agricultural community. Online documents include publications about pollution prevention and environmental compliance aids originating with EPA and other sources. The Center's toll-free number: 1-888-663-2155.
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EPA's "Agriculture Regulatory Matrix" and Major Statutes
Environmental Protection Agency.
Site provides texts of major statutes as well as the document, Major Existing EPA Laws and Programs that Could Affect Agricultural Producers (EPA, June 2007).
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Reading Rooms: Sustainable Agriculture
National Center for Agricultural Law Research and Information.
Site includes Congressional reports, agency listings, Center reports and references to statutes, case law and other government information pertinent to sustainable, conservation and organic agriculture. Related Reading Rooms: Conservation Programs, National Organic Program, Pesticides and Agriculture and Urbanization.
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Briefing Room: Conservation Policy
USDA. Economic Research Service.
Reports and data on the efficiency, effectiveness and equity of policies and programs directed toward improving the environmental performance of the agricultural sector. Browse all ERS Conservation and Environmental policy publications, 1992-present.
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Federal Laws Protecting Environmental Quality
USDA. Economic Research Service.
This section of the ERS. Environmental Interactions with Agricultural Production Briefing Room describes policies from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and USDA.
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Farm Bill Issues: ERS Research and Analysis
USDA. Economic Research Service.
ERS analysts examine the economic effects of current farm legislation on producers, consumers, taxpayers and rural communities, and evaluate potential effects of alternative policies and programs. Includes details of commodity, conservation and energy programs as well as comparisons with previous Farm Bills.
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Conservation-Compatible Practices and Programs: Who Participates?
USDA. Economic Research Service.
This report examines the business, operator and household characteristics of farms that have adopted certain conservation-compatible practices, with and without financial assistance from government conservation programs.
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Henry A. Wallace Center at Winrock International
Winrock International.
The Wallace Center’s publication list includes classic policy analyses, environment assessments and symposium proceedings.
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Agriculture and Climate Change: The Policy Context
World Resources Institute (WRI).
Analyzes the impact of climate change on U.S. agriculture, discusses sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the agricultural sector and explains the possible roles for agriculture in proposed climate change legislation.
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Competing Visions of U.S. Agriculture: Can We Have Our Cake and Eat It Too in Reforming Federal Farm Policy?
University of Minnesota Department of Applied Economics. University of Minnesota Libraries. AgEconSearch.
Economics professor Thomas Dobbs describes two alternative visions for U.S. agriculture – "the global competitiveness vision" and the “sustainable agriculture vision” – together with farm policy reform proposals associated with each vision. Economics Commentator (South Dakota State University, 2007) no. 483.
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Last Modified: Sep 30, 2008  
Sustainability in Agriculture
  Definitions and History of Sustainable Agriculture
  Environmental Laws and Policy
  Economic and Social Issues
  Food Security and Food Quality
See Also
  NAL Environmental Laws Web Resources
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