Agriculture and the Environment

In this study, an overview is presented of agricultural policies on manure and minerals, relating to the Nitrate Directive to remedy excessive surface- and groundwater contamination from intensive agricultural practices. Six countries belonging to the European Union were studied: the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The policies and their legal incorporation were related to agricultural and environmental conditions in each country. In addition, an inventory was made of agricultural mineral poli cies in the United States and Canada. Conditions for livestock farming in North America differ considerably from those in Europe, but their solutions shed a different light on European policies. Research has shown that there are still very considerable mineral surpluses in many countries and regions. In both the Netherlands and in the Flemish part of Belgium, existing problems due to very high levels of manure production are structural rather than local and cannot easily be solved by transport of manure to other regions. To a lesser extent. Germany, Denmark and relatively small parts of France (Brittany) and the United Kingdom, still exceed the norms for an equilibrium fertilization. In Denmark, existing problems can probably be solved within the existing legislative framework. The Netherlands, Flanders. several German Lander (Nordrhein-Westfalen and Schleswig-Holstein) and Brittany.

List of contents

1. Introduction.- Objective of the project.- Project approach.- Sources of information.- Methodology.- The structure of this book.- 2. The European Context.- The International North Sea Conferences (INSC).- The Paris Conventions (PARCOM) amd Oslo Commissions (OSCOM and OSPAR).- The Nitrate Directive of the European Union.- Legal Status of declarations.- 3. The Netherlands.- Country condition.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions of soils, surface-, ground- and drinking water.- Need and purpose of existing policy and regulation (international and national).- Policy formulation and legal incorporation (international and national).- Regulatory controls.- Monitoring and control, record keeping and verification.- Financial measures and incentives.- Effect of measures.- Role of different actors.- Future developments.- 4. Belgium.- Country condition.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions of soils, surface-, ground- and drinking water.- Need and purpose of existing policy and regulation (international and national).- Policy formulation and legal incorporation (international and national).- Regulatory controls.- Monitoring and control, record keeping and verification.- Financial measures and incentives.- Effect of measures.- Role of different actors.- Future developments.- 5. Denmark.- Country condition.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions of soils, surface-, ground- and drinking water.- Need and purpose of existing policy and regulation (international and national).- Policy formulation and legal incorporation (international and national).- Regulatory controls.- Monitoring and control, record keeping and verification.- Financial measures and incentives.- Effect of measures.-Role of different actors.- Future developments.- 6. France.- Country condition.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions of soils, surface-, ground- and drinking water.- Need and purpose of existing policy and regulation (international and national).- Policy formulation and legal incorporation (international and national).- Regulatory controls.- Monitoring, control, record keeping and verification.- Financial measures and incentives.- Effect of measures.- Role of different actors.- Future developments.- 7. Germany.- Country condition.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions of soils, surface-, ground- and drinking water.- Need and purpose of existing policy and regulation (international and national).- Policy formulation and legal incorporation (international and national).- Regulatory controls.- Monitoring and control, record keeping and verification.- Financial measures and incentives.- Effect of measures.- Role of different actors.- Future developments.- 8. United Kingdom.- Country condition.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions of soils, surface-, ground- and drinking water.- Need and purpose of existing policy and regulation (international and national).- Policy formulation and legal incorporation (international and national).- Regulatory controls.- Monitoring and control, record keeping and verification.- Financial measures and incentives.- Effect of measures.- Role of different actors.- Future developments.- 9. United States.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions of soils, surface-, ground- and drinking water.- Policy formulation and legal incorporation (international and national).- Regulatory controls.- State regulations for manurecontrols.- 10. Canada.- Environmental pressures and sources.- Ambient environmental conditions.- Policy formulation and legal incorporation.- Regulatory controls.- Provincial regulations for manure controls.- 11. International Comparisons.- Comparison of environmental pressures.- Comparison of policies.- Conclusions from international comparison.- 12. Conclusions and Recommendations.- The Netherlands.- Belgium.- Denmark.- France.- Germany.- United Kingdom.- United States.- Canada.- Conclusions and recommendations.- About the Authors.

Summary

In this study, an overview is presented of agricultural policies on manure and minerals, relating to the Nitrate Directive to remedy excessive surface- and groundwater contamination from intensive agricultural practices.

Product details

• Authors: F de Walle, F B de Walle, F. De Walle, F. B. De Walle, Foppe B. Dewalle, J Sevenster, J. Sevenster, F. B. de Walle
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.07.2009
• EAN: 9780792347941
• ISBN: 978-0-7923-4794-1
• No. of pages: 211
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 234 mm x 14 mm
• Weight: 503 g
• Illustrations: XII, 211 p.
• Series: Soil & Environment; Soil & Environment
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Ecology