ABSTRACT
Sustainability includes four dimensions: ecological, economic, technological (indigeneity) and equity. The global agricultural sector is under increasing scrutiny because of its contribution to environmental degradation. Although much of the debate of the last three decades has focused on point sources of pollution, increased emphasis is being placed on environmental regulation of non-point sources. Improved scientific analysis, instrumentation and monitoring techniques increase the potential of identifying the sources of non-point pollution problems. The end result is that the agricultural sector is increasingly vulnerable to and impacted by society’s heightened interest in reducing environmental degradation. Liability issues caused by environmental concerns and the cost of compliance with regulations add a continued and significant financial burden to nearly every firm in the food and fibre distribution system. Most environmental regulations do not enhance revenue; they typically increase cost and reduce the cash flow generating capacity of businesses (Boehlje et al. 1995).
