ABSTRACT
Agriculture remains one of the most controversial areas of international trade. Levels of protection remain high, particularly in the European Union, Japan, Norway, and Korea and agricultural industries have powerful political bases in many states. This chapter examines why agriculture figures so prominently in contemporary trade politics and provides an analysis of the most recent efforts to liberalize the sector. It begins by considering three perspectives on agricultural production and trade, then moves to consider both the Uruguay and Doha Rounds of WTO negotiations.
