Towards Agricultural Policy 3.0 - an agenda for agricultural research

This article reviews the development from market-based support measures ('Agricultural Policy 1.0') towards direct and decoupled payments ('Agricultural Policy 2.0') which are increasingly justified by environmentally friendly practices ('Agricultural Policy 2.1') to which payments are bound. It describes frequent problems connected with today's agri-environmental programmes, particularly non-compliance and a too indirect link between practices paid for and environmental effects. Other programmes have started to pay farmers more directly for environmental outputs on their fields, such as the number of valuable plants on their grassland. Transaction costs for the administration and control of these programmes have been shown to remain at an acceptable level, so that such output-related policies may be effective and promising options. It is suggested to direct the work of agricultural researchers, including economists, into looking for a stronger link between environmental outputs and public support, something that could be termed Agricultural Policy 3.0. This could lend some more visibility, relevance and attractiveness to our discipline.