AGRICULTURAL POLICY AND REMOTE RURAL AREAS

This paper examines the interface between agricultural policy and other planning policies affecting development and change in rural areas with specific reference to one remote rural area of Britain. Differences between conventional agricultural policy approaches and planning approaches to rural problems are examined in the context of the policy instruments that have affected the rural economy of Orkney. It is suggested that the policies are not entirely congruent and that the economic and social costs of pursuing sectional and contradictory policies may be considerable.