Agriculture Policy & Public Health >> US Farm Bill

The U.S. Farm Bill – renewed every five years – determines what crops the federal government will subsidize and at what level. This impacts both the price and availability of foods, and how equally they are distributed.

Recommended resources on this topic:

Reports & Other Documents

What does the 2007 U.S. Farm Bill Have to do With Public Health?

Center for a Livable Future, 2007.

Reducing Nutrition-Related Disparities in America Through Food Stamp Nutrition Education and the Reauthorization of the Farm Bill

American Public Health Association (policy statement); Nov. 8, 2007.

Toward A Healthy, Sustainable Food System

American Public Health Association (policy statement); Nov. 6, 2007.

... more

Addressing Obesity and Health Disparities Through Federal Nutrition and Agricultural Policy

American Public Health Association (policy statement); Nov. 6, 2007.

A Fair Farm Bill for Public Health

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, May 2007 (part of a series of reports).

Making healthy food more accessible for low-income people (available from homepage)

Farm and Food Policy Project, March 2007.

Considering the Contribution of U.S. Food and Agricultural Policy to the Obesity Epidemic: Overview and Opportunities

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy; Feb. 23, 2007.

Industrial livestock companies’ gains from low feed prices, 1997-2005

Global Development and Environment Institute, February 2007.

Building Sustainable Futures for Farmers Globally Campaign.

Building sustainable futures for farmers globally: A call for action. February 20, 2007.

Seeking balance in U.S. farm and food policy

Farm and Food Policy Project, January 2007.

Healthy Food, Farms, Families: Hunger 2007

Bread for the World Institute, 2007.

The Farm Bill: Food Policy in an Era of Corporate Power

Food and Water Watch, 2007.

Farm Bill Policy Recommendations to Improve the Health of School-Age Children

Center for Advanced Studies in Nutrition and Social Marketing, December 2006.

The 2007 Farm Bill: Drivers and Implications for Producers

S.M. Funk and T.J. Dumler; Oct. 16, 2006.

Rethinking U.S. Agricultural Policy: Changing Course to Secure Farmer Livelihoods Worldwide

Agricultural Policy Analysis Center; Oct. 5, 2003.

Relevant Organizations

USDA Farm Bill Page

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture

U.S. House Committee on Agriculture

... more

Additional Tools & Resources

Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill

Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, October 2008.

Apple vs. Snack Cake Battle to the Death for the Farm Bill (video)

World Hunger Year links to farm bill resources

... more

Amber Waves (USDA Journal)

Special Issue: Perspectives on Food and Farm Policy. May, 2007

Compilation of farm policy news, daily emails available

Farm Subsidies Database

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy farm bill news and actions

Library of Congress searchable database of current legislation in Congress.

Search for proposed bills and legislation amendments, see cosponsors, bill status, etc.

A “Healthy Food” Bill for Not So Healthy Americans

Commentary by R.S. Lawrence and D. Wallinga; July 18, 2007.

Center for Rural Affairs reports on Farm Bill

Food Fight: The Citizen's Guide to a Food and Farm Bill (book)

D. Imhoff. University of California Press, 2007.

King Corn (film)

Past Farm Bills

The National Agricultural Law Center

Articles by Grist’s Tom Philpott

Food Fight: A Teach-in on the 2007 Farm Bill

Webcast of a March 21, 2007, event at UC-Berkeley featuring Michael Pollan, Dan Imhoff, George Naylor, etc.

Reform the 2007 Farm Bill

Oxfam video discusses negative effects of U.S. agricultural dumping on the world’s small farmers.

Community Food Security Coalition's Farm Bill talks on YouTube

Videos of talks by food security experts from the “Cafeterias to Capitol Hill” conference in Baltimore in March 2007.

USDA Economic Research Service 2002 Farm Bill Glossary