Policy Issues

Abstract

It is the task of this chapter to examine some of the public policy issues which will shape the future of California agriculture. A general characteristic of the state’s agriculture has been its propensity for technical innovation. Another common thread, increasingly visible in today’s fabric of production and marketing, is the industrialization of traditional processes which used to be smaller in scale and performed by many more entrepreneurs. Agriculture is now also highly integrated with other sectors of the economy-an evolution which has accelerated since World War II and which will continue to have profound impact.