Part 3 – 70 | Unit 3.3
environmental issues in Modern agriculture
National Research Council. 1993. Soil and Water
Quality: An Agenda for Agriculture. Washington
DC: National Academy Press.
Provides the most scientifically thorough
discussion of the soil and water conservation
challenges facing agriculture in the U.S.
Although written by scientists, its target
audience is policymakers. Clear and well-
organized.Pesticide Action Network of North America. 2009.
Agroecology and Sustainable Development: Find-
ings from the UN-led International Assessment of
Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for
Development. San Francisco, CA.
http://www.agassessment-watch.org/docs/PANNA_agroecol-
ogy_Brief_20090505.pdf
Pimentel, David 2005. Environmental and economic
impacts of the application of pesticides primarily in
the U.S. Environment, Development and Sustain-
ability. 7, 229-252.
Patrick, Wesley S. 2005. Evaluation and Mapping of
Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coast Terminal Dams: A
Tool to Assist Recovery and Rebuilding of Diad-
romous Fish Populations. Department of Biology,
East Carolina University. Proceedings of the 14th
Biennial Coastal Zone Conference, New Orleans,
Louisiana, July 17 to 21, 2005. http://www.csc.noaa.gov/
cz/CZ05_Proceedings/pdf%20files/Patrick.pdf
Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Pro-
duction. 2009. Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial
Farm Animal Production in America. A Project
of The Pew Charitable Trusts and Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health. http://www.ncifap.
org/_images/PCIFAPFin.pdf
Pollan, Michael. 2002. Power Steer. New York
Times Magazine, March 31.
Describes the modern beef production system,
and its human health and environmental
impacts.Pretty, Jules N. 1995. Regenerating Agriculture.
London: Earthscan.
Would serve well as a textbook for a sustainable
agriculture class with a global perspective.
Pretty does a good job integrating technical,
social, and political changes that need to be
put in place to make a transition to more
environmentally friendly agriculture.Reeves, Margaret, Kristin Schafer, Kate Hallward,
and Anne Katten. 1999. Fields of Poison: California
Farmworkers and Pesticides. San Francisco: Califor-
nians for Pesticide Reform.
The most complete discussion of California
farmworker poisonings. Critiques the weak
reporting and even weaker enforcement of
farmworker protection laws.Reisner, Mark. 1993. Cadillac Desert: The American
West and its Disappearing Water. New York, NY:
Penguin Group.
Robbins, John. 1987. Diet for A New America.
Walpole NW: Stillpoint.
Discusses the human and environmental health
impacts of modern agriculture and diet.Röling, N.G., and M.A.E. Wagemakers, eds. 1998.
Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture: Participatory
Learning and Adaptive Management in Times of
Environmental Uncertainty. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Essays explore in detail the social changes
necessary to make the technical changes possible
for sustainable agriculture. The emphasis and
case studies are focused on Europe and the
developing world, but the principles are relevant
to all.Sawyer, John, Mark Hanna, and Dana Petersen.- Energy Conservation in Corn Nitrogen
Fertilization – Farm Energy. Iowa State University –
University Extension. store.extension.iastate.edu/Prod-
uct/Energy-Conservation-in-Corn-Nitrogen-Fertilization-
Farm-Energy
Schahczenski, Jeff, and Holly Hill. 2009. Agricul-
ture, Climate Change and Carbon Sequestration.
ATTRA–National Sustainable Agriculture Informa-
tion Service. IP 338. attra.ncat.org/publication.html
Provides an overview of the relationship
between agriculture, climate change and carbon
sequestration. Investigates possible options
for farmers and ranchers to have a positive
impact on the changing climate and presents
opportunities for becoming involved in the
emerging carbon market.
Schlosser, Eric. 2001. Fast Food Nation: The Dark
Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin.
Contains great chapters on food safety, meat
packing, and the implications of a fast food diet.References & Resources