ABSTRACT
More than 440 million acres in the US (19.5 per cent of land) is dedicated to growing crops, and another 587 million acres (26 per cent) is in pasture and range, largely used for domestic livestock production (Lubowski et al, 2006). Agricultural activities on these lands produce a plentiful, diverse and relatively inexpensive supply of food, feed and fibre for people in the US and abroad. However, agricultural production practices may degrade the environment. Soil erosion, nutrient and pesticide run-off, and irrigation can pollute water resources. The extent and degree of the environmental problems associated with agriculture vary widely across the country. Concern over these problems has given rise to local, state and federal conservation and environmental policies and programmes to address them. However, agricultural pollution is not looked upon in the same way as pollution from sewage treatment plants, factories and other point sources. This is reflected in the approaches used to address agricultural pollution.
