Farming and the countryside

There is currently great concern throughout the world about the environmental problems associated with modern agricultural practices, particularly soil erosion, the side effects of pollution through excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers, and conservation of wildlife habitats, amenity landscapes and public recreational areas. Until recently, however, there has been little analysis of these unpriced side-effects, or (in economists' terms) 'externalities' and the related concept of public goods. This book is one of the first to bring together economic analyses of these external costs and benefits of agriculture and land use. It is written by authors from the UK, USA and continental Europe and will be of great interest to agricultural and environmental economists and scientists.