Flights of Fancy and Fields of Dreams: Developing Agricultural Policy in the United States

• In Event: U.S. Public Policy

Abstract

Since the 1930s, Congress has considered subsidies for agriculture when it debates the “Farm Bill.” The scope of the multi-year, omnibus law has grown and now incorporates diverse issues such as commodity price supports, nutrition and food insecurity programs, conservation, and the development of bioenergy. The competition for program resources has intensified and become subject to more partisan wrangling. The uncertainty produced by a lack of cohesive and long-term policy jeopardizes the well-being of a critical sector of the United States’ economy.

This paper examines the evolution of the “Farm Bill” and provides a detailed examination of Agricultural Act of 2014 (delivered two years late), the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (delivered nearly on time), and the ongoing debate about current legislation. The research considers the competing interactions of members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee and the House Agriculture Committee with stakeholders, including insurance companies, farmers, and advocates for food security programs. Beyond the legislative debate, the paper reviews the attitudes of presidential administrations toward specific policies as yet another obstacle. The paper concludes with a discussion about the benefits of enacting a longer-term strategic plan for agricultural supports in the United States and the involvement of stakeholders similar to the newly-formed European Board on Agriculture and Food (EBAF).

Author

• Sara Grove, Duquesne University