AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT AND THE STATE - THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRO-ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY-MAKING IN THE NETHERLANDS

Agro-environmental policy formation is described as an interaction bet ween the agricultural policy community and the environmental policy ne twork. The agricultural policy community is defending its monopoly in the agricultural sector and its corporatist structure. The environment al policy network develops strategies to gain more influence in this s emi-closed domain of agriculture. Agro-environmental policy formation can be seen as a subtle interweaving of environmental and agricultural biases. On the basis of a case study of the 'region-oriented approach ' in a Dutch region, an illustration is provided of agro-environmental policy formation in practice. This study shows that the insulated and integrated character of the agricultural policy community is disappea ring, in favour of processes of self-regulation at the regional level. Secondly the Ministries of the Environment and Agriculture are develo ping a common frame of reference. One of the results of this process i s alienation from and conflicts with their respective constituencies.