The Farm Bill

There is no end to the political debates over the future of American agriculture.  The most recent legislation going through Congress is the Farm Bill.  Stemming from the Agricultural Adjustment Act that all MHS US History students have learned about at one point or another, the bill's main goal is to financially benefit the farmers of America.
The bill that is in the works now has many different components.   NPR summarizes the bill as,

• "price supports and/or crop insurance for commodity crops

• conservation programs that affect land, water and soil use

• agricultural exports and food aid, including humanitarian assistance to other nations

• food assistance programs for poor Americans

• direct and guaranteed loans to farmers and ranchers

• forestry programs managed by the U.S. Forest Service

• programs promoting renewable fuels such as ethanol

• crop insurance and disaster assistance"

The website Grist identifies five important aspects of the bill that should be paid attention to.

1) That SNAP, or the new food stamps program, will be receiving more money in hopes that the economy will improve.

2 & 3) More limits to the subsidies for crop insurance

4) Meatpackers will no longer be able to own livestock as they are manipulating the system.  This section of the bill will hopefully benefit small farmers.

5) Trying to restore programs that will help train young farmers so that they can be profitable.  Since in the next five years 125,000 American farmers will retire, it is crucial that young farmers are educated.

The entire article can be found at http://grist.org/news/the-five-farm-bill-amendments-you-should-keep-an-eye-on/

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p.s. Hope to see you in the garden soon! Come at your own convenience!