Agriculture and the Environment : Searching for Greener Pastures

Although US agriculture is the envy of the world, there is a growing gap between what is and what could be produced. The gap is due in part to a growing morass of environmental regulations, which limit US food production without necessarily improving environmental quality. In this compilation, leading experts examine a range of questions posed by these constraints and offer ideas for reform. Authors explore whether we are really running out of prime farmland; how best to preserve environmentally sensitive land, and for how long; whether controls on agricultural land use can prevent urban sprawl; whether chemicals that contribute to agricultural productivity are harmful to the environment; the connections between genetically modified crops and human health; how taxes affect land use; what role water markets play in balancing agricultural productivity and wildlife habitat; and the effects of the Endangered Species Act on land use.