The farm bill is a large-scale reauthorization of diverse Federal agriculture and food programs. On June 18, 2008, Congress passed a new farm bill by overriding President Bush's veto. The resources below address the process of crafting that bill and provide a means of learning more about this significant piece of legislation that affects every American.
Farm Bill
| Spotlights |
2008 Farm Bill Side-by-Side
USDA. Economic Research Service.
Compares provisions in the 2008 Farm Bill with those in the 2002 version of the legislation, allowing users to track changes easily. Arranges provisions by section, but also includes alphabetical listings and a search option. Links to related resources.
United States Farm Bills
National Agricultural Law Center.
Full text for all farm bills and agriculture acts from 1933 to the present. Also provides links to research articles, analysis papers, glossaries, commentaries and other related resources for the farms bills of 1996, 2002 and 2008.
U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
United States Senate.
Covers the committee's work regarding the farm bill, including hearings, press releases, and issues under consideration. Provides the audio feed and print transcripts of those hearings, as well as the text of witness statements.
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture
United States House of Representatives.
Documents the work of the Committee and its subcommittees as they seek to revise and refine the farm bill.
USDA 2007 Farm Bill Proposals
United States Department of Agriculture.
Supplies the full text of USDA's proposals for the farm bill, along with related press releases, analysis papers, comment summaries, transcripts, and photos.
CRS Report for Congress: Previewing a 2007 Farm Bill (PDF | 458.7 Kb)
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Reviews the agricultural programs and policies currently in place and the factors and issues that might shape their scope and direction in the new farm bill. Examines programs across the board, from agricultural trade and foreign food aid to domestic food assistance, rural development, forestry, conservation, and the environment.
Coverage of the 2008 Farm Bill from the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives
Google.
Identifies Web pages related to the 2008 farm bill from the following Web sites, yielding position papers, commentary, reports and transcripts from those involved in the legislative process:
NASDA 2007 Farm Bill Recommendations
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
Outlines issues and identifies recommended actions the Association contends should be addressed in the next farm bill. Provides an executive summary and the full text of their proposals. Also includes highlights and recommendations from the report sorted by House and Senate subcommittees, along with links to related resources.
2007 Farm Bill Issues and Analysis
Purdue University. Purdue Extension.
Summarizes and analyzes the major issues impacted by the new farm bill, such as commodities, conservation, dairy and energy. Provides general background information about farm policies and addresses alternative proposals. Also includes links to related sites.
2007 Farm Bill Forums
USDA. Foreign Agricultural Service.
Provides transcripts of the 52 Farm Bill Forums held between July and November 2005 in which Secretary Johanns and the leadership of USDA traveled the country to hear the opinions of producers and other stakeholders about future farm policy.