Federal Policies as Incentives or Disincentives to Ecologically Sustainable Agricultural Systems

Abstract

Traditionally, American farm policies have dealt with the cost of food, the supply of commodities, and incomes of farmers. Concerns about environmental impacts have been peripheral. The resource concerns that led to institutions like the Soil Conservation Service were linked closely with income and other program goals. The programs we have today were not designed to address the new resource uses and sustainability goals our society now desires. Relative resource prices have given strong signals to farmers to use more of some resources than others. Inexpensive petrochemicals in contrast to more expensive land and labor have encouraged the substitution of these less expensive inputs for the more expensive ones. There has been a strong trend of such substitution since the Second World War. A whole new outlook toward farm size, cropping systems, and relative resource use has evolved since the coming of the tractor. The mechanization of agriculture allowed modern chemicals and responsive varieties to have trem...