The National Agricultural Law Center
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International Agricultural Law
and Organizations


Overview

As international agricultural trade increases, international law becomes more important to agriculture and food production. For the purposes of this overview, "agriculture" includes all activities related to farming, including food production and distribution. As a result, there is considerable overlap between the areas of international agricultural law and international agricultural trade. This overview focuses on international law and organizations involved with agriculture. Read the full overview

Note: Recently added resources are posted at the top of the applicable sections.

Laws of International Organizations

United Nations (UN)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
World Health Organization (WHO)
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) of the UN
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The World Bank
World Trade Organization (WTO)
European Union (EU)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC)
Organization of American States (OAS)
African Union (AU or OAU)
The Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Case Law

Agricultural Dispute Case Index for International Law and Organizations

Publications

National Agricultural Law Center Research Publications:
Summary of the WTO Interim Report in EC-Biotech (Peck, 2006)
Managing Carbon in a World Economy: The Role of American Agriculture (Garry, 2005)
Do European Union Non-Tariff Barriers Create Economic Nuisances in the United States?
(Redick & Adrian, 2005)
Revising Seed Purity Laws to Account for the Adventitious Presence of Genetically
Modified Varieties: A First Step Towards Coexistence (Endres, 2005)
European Union Food Law Update (Coutrelis, 2005)
World Trade Organization and the Commodity Title of the Next Farm Bill (O'Brien, 2006)
Jack and the Beanstalk: Property Rights in Genetically Modified Plants (Busch, 2004)
Biodiversity and the Law: The Culture of Agriculture and the Nature of Nature
Conservation (Harbison, 2004)
Biodiversity and the Law of Nature Conservation in Great Britain (Harbison, 2004)
J.E.M. Ag Supply v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International: Its Meaning and Significance
(Roberts, 2002)
Legal Liability Issues in Agricultural Biotechnology (Kershen, 2002)


United National and Food and Agriculture Publications:
A Human Rights Framework for World Food and Nutrition Security (UN General Assembly, 2008)
Legislative Studies (FAO)
Perspectives and Guidelines on Food Legislation, With a New Model Food Law
(Vapnek, Spreij, 2005)
Multilateral Trade Negotiations and Food Aid (2005)
The Right to Adequate Food in Emergencies (Cotula, Vidar, 2002)
Extracts From International and Regional Instruments and Declarations, and Other
Authoritative Texts Addressing the Right to Food (1999)
Legal Papers Online (FAO Legal Office)
International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides (2002)


IFAD Documents and Publications


World Bank Agriculture & Rural Development Publications
World Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development
Food Safety and Agricultural Health Management in CIS Countries: Completing the Transition (2007)
Enhancing Agricultural Innovation: How to Go Beyond the Strengthening of Research
Systems (2007)
Reforming Agricultural Trade for Developing Countries: Volume 1, Key Issues for a
Pro-Development Outcome of the Doha Round (McCala, Nash, 2007)
Reforming Agricultural Trade for Developing Countries: Volume 2, Quantifying the Impact of
Multilateral Trade Reform (McCala, Nash, 2007)
Health-Enhancing Foods (Kotilainen, et al., 2006)
Social and Environmental Sustainability of Ag and Rural Development Investments: M&E Toolkit
(Punkari, et al., 2007)


Association of Southeast Asian Nations: Publications


Forestry Publications:
Legal and Institutional Aspects of Urban and Peri-urban Forestry and Greening (Knuth, 2005)
Forest Assessment And Monitoring, An International Journal of Forestry and Forest Industries
(Perlis, 2002/2003)


Fisheries Publications:
Legislating for Property Rights in Fisheries (Stewart, 2004)
Administrative Sanctions in Fisheries Law (Cacaud, et al. 2003)
Fisheries Enforcement: Related Legal and Institutional Issues: National, Subregional or
Regional Perspectives (Franckx, 2001)


Water Publications:
Modern Water Rights - Theory and Practice (Hodgson, 2006)
Groundwater in International Law: Compilation of Treaties and Other Legal Instruments
(Burchi, Mechlem, 2005)
Land and Water: The Rights Interface (Hodgson, 2004)
Preparing National Regulations for Water Resources Management: Principles and Practice
(Burchi, D'Andra, 2003)
Water Rights Administration. Experience, Issues and Guidelines (Velasco, 2001)


Environment Publications:
Trade and the Environment (World Trade Organization)

Congressional Research Service Reports

CRS Subject(s):
International Agriculture
Biotechnology
Food Security/Aid

United States Reference Resources

USDA Resources
Foreign Agricultural Service
National Agricultural Library


Other Congressional Resources
International Law Reports (Agriculture and Food) (Government Accountability Office - GAO)
International Law Reports (International Affairs) -- Agriculture (GAO)
International Law Reports (International Affairs) -- Food (GAO)


Other Federal Resources
U.S. Agency for International Development


Additional Resources
European Union Legal Materials: An Infrequent User's Guide (Alford)
United Nations Environment Programme
Agriculture & Rural Development (UN Dept. of Economic & Social Affairs Division for
Sustainable Development)
ECOLEX: A Gateway to Environmental Law (International and Country Resources)
National Water Law and Standards (FAO & WHO)
Atlas of International Freshwater Agreements (OR State U.)
Governments on the WWW: Multi-Governmental Organizations
Centre for Studies in Agriculture, Law and the Environment
Food Law (U. of Reading, UK)
Foreign and International Law (Washburn U. School Law Library)
Legal Research on International Law Issues Using the Internet (U. Chicago Law School)
International Law (Legal Information Institute, Cornell U.)
Glossaries:
World Trade Organization Glossary
European Union Glossary
European Union Agricultural Glossary
NAFTA Glossary
OECD Sustainable Development's Glossary
WTO Special Topics: Agriculture and Food Safety:
The Agriculture Negotiations
The Cotton Sub-Committee
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
World Trade Organization Resources
Commission for Environmental Cooperation: Publications and Information Resources
European Union Publications







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