Ráðunautafundur - 15.02.2001, Page 27

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Intensification not only produced surpluses of grassland products but also encouraged a
trend towards increased specialisation with reductions in mixed farming and a progressive
concentration of grassland on the wetter areas of the west and north. In short the subsidies not
only encouraged uncoupling of supply and demand but also of agricultural practice and envi-
ronmental well-being. This resulted in the accumulation of surplus products at the expense of
an increase in water and atmospheric pollution and the loss of bio-diversity at both a local and
national scale.
Since the 1980’s, and specifically since joining the European Union (EU), food security
has ceased to be and issue. Profitability of grassland systems has been encouraged through the
adoption of precision agriculture leading to reduced inputs. But the emphasis is changing
again and the political drivers of agricultural policy now relate strongly to public health, food
safety and environmental protection. Increasingly, the elusive notions of sustainable devel-
opment and sustainabie agriculture are creeping into EU policy and this will have significant
implications for domestic agricultural strategies (Cobb et al. 1999a).
SUSTAINABILITY
There are no universally
accepted definitions of
sustainable agriculture but
most interpretations in-
corporate tlrree cqually
important components:
environmental quality and
ecological soundness,
plant and animal produc-
tivity and socio-economic
viability. The UK Minis-
tn-- of Agriculture Fisher-
ies and Food (MAFF) has defined it’s understanding of sustainable agriculture (Table 1) and
two recent documents (MAFF 2000, MAFF 1999) clearly indicate the key issues facing Brit-
ish agriculture and highlight the role of agriculture in helping to achieve sustainable devel-
opment.
In the UK, sustainable development has been defmed by the prime minister in a consul-
tation document (DETR 1999) as being ’all about a new and integrated way of thinking about
choices right across Government, and throughout society, so that we can all share in the high-
est quality of life now, without passing on a poorer world to our children’. He goes on to say
'Perhaps more important than formal defmitions, however, are the key objectives which un-
derlie sustainable development. Our vision of sustainable development is based on four broad
objectives;
Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone;
effective protection of the environment;
prudent use of natural resources;
the maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment’.
It is clear that agriculture plays a major role in sustainable development and thus the
products of agriculture have to be viewed in a much more holistic way. Kirchmann and
Thorvaldsson (2000) devised a checklist of quality components that should be integrated into
Table 1. Sustainable agriculture (MAFF 2000).
• Ensuring the continuing availability to the consumer of adequate supplies
of wholesome, varied and reasonably-priced food produced in accordance
with generally accepted environmental and social standards:
• Maintaining a competitive and flexible industry which contributes to an
economically viable rural society;
• Ensuring effective protection of the environment and prudent use of natural
resources;
• Conserving and enhancing the landscape, wildlife, cultural and archaeo-
logical value of agricultural land;
• Respecting high levels of animal welfare.