In a world in which population and resources, business and environmental concerns are se precariously balanced, the dearth of ethical reflection on agriculture and feed distribution is as remarkable as it is perilous. In this book, one of the foremost experts en agricultural ethics lays the foundation for a responsible philosophical discussion of food systems and agricultural policies. Aimed at stimulating deeper inquiry into the moral cultural dimensions of agriculture the book illustrates the relevance of philosophical ethics to practical matters and equips readers with a with a basic capacity to interpret and use the fundamental vocabulary of philosophical ethics. The three main sections of Agricultural Ethics -- research, teaching, and public policy -- each begin with two pedagogical essays that introduce terminology and a basic approach. The chapters that follow these essays broach more complex and enduring philosophical issues concerning biotechnology, land stewardship and agricultural production and the sustainable farming techniques. Topics include food labels, animal welfare, human rights, constitutional values and the American food system, and rural education. For students, researchers, and producers in all agricultural sectors as well as a general public caught in the conflicting aims and interests of agricultural policy, this book provides a much-needed way of thinking ethically about the pressing practical issues of food production and distribution.