Agricultural Sustainability

In conventional economic terms, the withdrawal of government support for agriculture in 1984 may have resulted in a revitalised and stronger farm sector. This paper uses evidence gathered from 16 case study farms in the Tararua District to argue that such a perspective ignores the long-term social and environmental impact of the policy reforms. It questions whether New Zealand's commitment to sustainable agriculture can be met without comprehensive public policies that address the underlying social and economic causes of environmental damage.