AGROFORESTRY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE UNITED-STATES-OF-AMERICA

Agriculture in the United States makes intensive use of large portions of the nation's arable landscape. This landscape is dominated by larg e fields of annual crops with few perennial buffering communities with in them. Agroforestry systems such as riparian buffers, alleycropping, windbreaks, tree/pasture systems, and forest farming provide bufferin g opportunities within these landscapes. Riparian buffers and alleycro pping systems provide two unique opportunities toward sustainable prod uction by reducing nonpoint source pollution while increasing ecologic al diversity. The major impediment to agroforestry in the United State s is a lack of identity. Agroforestry as a practice is not officially recognized by federal and most state agencies and thus does not qualif y for cost-share support or funding for research and establishment of demonstrations. A recent white paper, prepared by representatives from government agencies, academic institutions, and nongovernment organiz ations, identified eight major actions that could provide the support for making agroforestry an acceptable alternative to nonsustainable ag riculture.