Applying Sustainable Land Use Development Studies to Sustainable Agriculture: Are the Conditions Ripe for a Successful Movement Toward Sustainable Agriculture?

Abstract

Recognizing the detrimental consequences of industrial agriculture, a growing number of farmers, environmentalists, and agricultural researchers have begun to explore better farming methods. Sustainable agriculture, which seeks to achieve the often conflicting goals of environmental protection and farmers’ economic profitability, has the potential to transform modern agriculture. However, little federal or state legislation has been passed to specifically direct sustainable agricultural practices. Instead, legislation has mostly emphasized the need for research and “the exchange of scientific and practical information on sustainable agriculture.” Sustainable agriculture will not replace conventional practices based on research alone. Therefore, governments must implement regulations and creatively strategize how to move agriculture toward a sustainable system.

While increased interest in sustainability and the farming industry may serve as a catalyst for change in the industry’s environmentally detrimental practices, the movement must not lose sight of the potential of law and policy to promote sustainable agriculture and reinforce the importance of a sustainable plan. This note will argue that a new agricultural approach mandating specific sustainable techniques is necessary to ensure the future availability of farming land and resources. A land use planning process that is attentive to the needs of both the environment and the economic well-being of the agricultural community can be of tremendous value to the success of implementing a sustainable agricultural system.