Environment, Trade and Sustainable Agriculture: Policy Issues

The growing environmental, health and ethical concerns associated with chemical-intensive and genetically modified food and agriculture have enhanced the importance of sustainable agriculture. This paper examines the growth in sustainable agriculture and changes in consumer attitudes and government policies towards sustainable production worldwide. Data on several indicators reflect that Australia is lagging behind many OECD countries in developing sustainable agriculture. This paper argues that Australia should aggressively promote itself as 'eco-nation' with strong emphasis on sustainable technologies. This paper also proposes several policies relevant for Australia in developing production and trade in this growth sector.