Agriculture and the Environmental Imperative

The role of agriculture and its impact on Australia's relatively fragile environment is a continuing source of unresolved concern. In the past, agricultural producers and the environmental movement have adopted polarised views on how the Australian landscape should be managed. Some environmentalists have perceived primary producers as exploiters of our natural resources while some farmers have viewed environmental groups as achieving legislative changes without regard to the need to earn a living from the land. In recent times, however, considerable progress has been made. Research has provided a well-advanced understanding of environmental capability and it is no longer seen as acceptable for land managers to continue with practices that exacerbate land degradation. Most farmers desire reclamation and ultimate sustainability. This book offers a definitive and positive contribution to the significance, responsibilities and accountabilities of agriculture and highlights the underpinning role of science in environmental issues. Prepared for the Ninth Australian Agronomy Conference on ‘Growing a Greener Future’, the book provides an up-to-date account of the scientific knowledge of some major environmental problems facing farmlands. It also raises many contentious issues that need to be addressed. Agriculture and the Environmental Imperative will make a positive contribution to the convergence of attitudes of farmers, environmentalists and government in the search for sustainability.