Ten Farm Bill proposals as of October 6, 2011 are examined for similarities and differences. As a group, the proposals are a significant and important evolutionary improvement in the design of a risk management farm safety net, a step that began with the introduction of the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) farm program. A potential exception is whether the program should be designed for farm-specific risks or for the systemic risks of a larger geographic area. A farm-specific program will raise serious concerns about its impact on the distribution and structure of farm production as well as its impact on the environment.
Date published:
Monday, October 24, 2011
