Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Introduction -- PART I: PUBLIC CONCERNS - A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE -- 2. The role of cross compliance in greening EU agricultural policy -- 3. State and federal responses to increasing input intensity in the US -- 4. Canadian agricultural environmental policy: from the right to farm to farming right -- 5. Decentralized, outcome oriented management of agricultural environmental issues in New Zealand -- 6. Voluntary certification schemes and legal standards in the EU -- PART II: TRADE, COMPETITIVENESS AND PUBLIC CONCERNS - A COMMODITY APPROACH. 7. Environmental and health standards in the dairy sectors of the EU, the US and New Zealand -- 8. An EU/US perspective on nutrient management policies and growth hormone bans in the beef sector -- 9. Good agricultural and environmental conditions in the EU and their implications for international trade in cereals --10. Trade effects of environmental and animal welfare standards in the hog sectors of the EU, US and Canada -- 11. Environmental standards in the fruits and vegetables sector of Spain -- PART III: EMERGING POLICY PERSPECTIVES. 12. Evaluating WTO institutions for resolving trade disputes involving non-tariff measures: four cases involving Brazil -- 13. Meeting standards in EU agriculture: the changing policy context --14. The pollution haven hypothesis and the location of livestock production: two North American case studies --15. Cost effectiveness of sediment abatement policies in potato production: assessing policies in Canada, the Netherlands and the US --16. Environmental compliance costs in developed country agricultures: implications for trade and competitiveness.