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ISSUES OF AGRICULTURAL POLICY IN A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Author(s) -
Tracy Michael
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of agricultural economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.157
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1477-9552
pISSN - 0021-857X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1477-9552.1984.tb01190.x
Subject(s) - agriculture , common agricultural policy , economics , stimulus (psychology) , productivity , agricultural policy , perspective (graphical) , natural resource economics , agricultural productivity , business , agricultural economics , public economics , economic policy , european union , economic growth , psychology , ecology , artificial intelligence , computer science , psychotherapist , biology
Growth in agricultural productivity and the stimulus of price supports have led to overproduction in Western Europe: in particular, the European Community has become a smaller importer and even a major exporter of several products. But as prices in the EC are usually above world levels, this requires expensive subsidisation and leads to trade conflicts. Adjustments now forced on the CAP mean a greater cost‐price squeeze, besides imposing quotas on the dairy sector. Policy aims relating to farm incomes and to market balance have thus become very difficult to reconcile. Future policy will also have to take more account of the impact of farming on the environment and of the role of agricultural activity in rural communities. Are there policy instruments, such as direct aids, which can help to achieve such diverse goals? What are the implications of changing circumstances for farming systems, and in particular can low‐input systems offer an alternative to the ‘productivist’ farming model?