I’ve been reading news about the “undercover U.S. Farm Bill” being in the works the past few monthes. The most recent news is that the 2011 Farm Bill got thrown out– since no agreements were reached.
The bill was going to cut $23 billion dollars over the next 10 years with a $15 billion net cut in commodity programs, a little over $6 billion net cut in conservation programs, and a $4 billion slice from the largest of all farm bill programs, the SNAP or food stamp program. This would then free $2 billion to help fund farm bill programs that lacked secured budget baseline after the current farm bill expires in 2012 and to fund new programs.
The Farm Bill impacts who can farm, how they farm, the types of food that can be grown, and the price of certain foods at the grocery store. Farm policy is a big part of the reason fast food is cheap and healthy food is difficult to find, and the Farm Bill is a matter of concern for everyone, not just farmers.
One top issue for the next Farm Bill is whether government support programs are being used responsibly and effectively. Another issue is the USDA’s current emphasis on an approach to rural development that’s broader than just making payments to big corn and soy farms.
Some questions the Farm Bill can address include:
-Could there be more incentives for farmers to grow fruits and vegetables, and not just commodity crops?
-Could accepting food stamps at farmers’ markets help to combat obesity?
-Should sodas be banned from the food stamp program, similar to the program’s existing bans on tobacco and alcohol?
-Could a “whole-farm revenue” concept for crop insurance replace the present system that encourages production of a single crop, and instead encourage more diverse crops?
-Could an expansion of the green payments program incentivize sustainable farming rather than overproduction?
The recent concerns about the 2011 farm bill is that it was done essentially “in secrecy and ahead of schedule. Currently the final bill that was not approved has not been released to the public.
What is going to happen to the future of food? Get up to date information about the 2012 farm bill from the sites listed below.
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