U.S. Farm Policy

Farmers have been supported by a series of different approaches coinciding with four time periods , all of which overlap through decades of controversy and modifications . During the first period , l785-l890 the focus of farm ' policy was on land distribution and growth several private farms operations the second period , l830-1914 , the focus was on improving farm operation efficiency , through research and education the third , from l820-1933 , the attention was on limited market regulations , improving communication and providing economic information to help farmers compete the last period , since l924 focused on direct government

involvement , and to provide farmers income support . Throughout each period , one constant remained , farming needed public and government support to prosper (Effland .A . n .d ) This report will touch basis on the major issues of the current 2002 Farm Policy special interest group concerns and review the proposed 2007 Farm Bill Introduction An actual farm policy ' came into fruition after the Great Depression . With the collapse of financial markets , leading to collapsed businesses , including the bankruptcies of farms , and the emerging need to protect natural export markets the United States had to formalize a policy to sustain its markets . Initial objectives of the Farm Policy included insurance against disasters , stability exploitation of world markets (to provide adequate return to domestic products and obtain extensive contribution from farmers to

the augmentation of the economy , preservation of the family farm and protection of land base against erosion and urban intrusion The Federal government needed to provide security of returns and confidence in the farmer 's capability to sell their crops . Subsidizing farmers through non-recourse loans , specified loan rate given at the time a crop is planted and repaid when the crop is

ultimately sold . There is no remedy against the loan except the crop itself

The U .S . Farm Policy is reviewed and re-enacted as Acts of Congress every five years . The Secretary of Agriculture and the U .S . Department of Agriculture propose a new Farm Bill to Congress . The House of Representatives and Senate , through the Agriculture Committee , prepare their own versions of the bill . Once approved by Congress and signed by the President , the revised bill is legislative . This year , the Farm Bill is being up for re-enactment . An exceptional amount of controversy from special interest groups , politicians and farmers has surrounded the bill , which is now stalled in the Senate . More information on the current bill is found in the remaining pages of this report (search .info .com .n .d

Debate about farm income support policies have accelerated particularly over the last fifteen years . Global trade , market-driven production and environmental costs of agricultural production have dominated and influenced farm policy discussions . Farm legislation passed in l985 and l990 kept the traditional combination of price support , supply controls , and income support payments , but introduced changes that steered farmers toward greater market orientation . Farmers benefited from lower pricing , better

planting flexibility . and expansion of export opportunities for their products

The Federal Agriculture and Improvement and Reform Act of l996 (FAIR...