The “Farm Bill” is a compilation of many different Acts that have been passed by the United States Congress to enhance agricultural productivity and conservation on private lands. It has its beginnings in the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 and its most recent iteration is the 2008 Food, Conservation and Energy Act. That law, enacted in June 2008, governs the bulk of Federal agriculture and related programs, and is slated to be reauthorized in 2012.
As congressional hearings and discussions on and off Capitol Hill regarding that next (2012) Farm Bill increase, there is a growing conviction in Washington among a variety of interest groups, including members of the Congress, that the next Farm Bill could very likely be fundamentally different than its predecessors. As a resource for those following the Farm Bill debate and discussions, here are some resources available online (all in pdf file format; through the highlighted Internet links) that provide an overview of the current (2008) and past Farm Bills, as well as perspectives leading into 2012 Farm Bill discussions.
2012 Farm Bill
- Congressional Research Service's report, “Actual Farm Bill Spending and Cost Estimates” from October 7, 2010 (highlights the difficulties facing Congress as it ramps up to work on the 2012 Farm Bill, particularly as that bill relates to the tight Federal budget)
- Farm Foundation Forum's "Budget Implications for the Next Farm Bill" from a September 14, 2010 forum (provided by Farmpolicy.com Inc.)
- Congressional Research Service's report Farm Safety Net Programs: Issues for the Next Farm Bill (September 10, 2010)
2008 Farm Bill
- This 2008 Farm Bill Comprehensive Overview is provided by USDA's Economic Research Service
- 2008 Farm Bill Fact Sheets from the House Agriculture Committee, arranged by Title:
Title I - Commodity Programs
Title II - Conservation
Title III - Trade
Title IV - Nutrition
Title V - Credit
Title VI - Rural Development
Title VII - Research
Title VIII - Forestry
Title IX - Energy
Title X - Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
Title XI - Livestock
Title XII - Crop Insurance
Title XIII - Commodity Futures
Title XIV - Miscellaneous
- Here is a concise explanation of the Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment Program by the USDA Farm Service Agency
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