2008 Farm Bill: Additional Resources

There are additional resources available for researching the emerging new farm legislation. If you are interested in learning more, review these sites and determine which ones will be most helpful to you.

House Committee on Agriculture Farm Bill Website

A good source of information.

Congressional Research Service Reports for Congress

CRS Report for Congress: Conservation and the 2007 Farm Bill. (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34060.pdf"): "This report introduces some of the issues that are influencing the development of a conservation title. It then review the contents of H.R. 2419 and S. 2302." Jeffrey A. Zinn. Updated December 6, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: Comparison of the House and Senate 2007 Farm Bills. (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34228.pdf"): "This report compares the major provisions in the House-passed and the Senate-reported versions of the 2007 farm bill with each other and with current law." Renée Johnson, Geoffrey S. Becker, Ralph M. Chite, Tadlock Cowan, Ross W. Gorte, Charles E. Hanrahan, Remy Jurenas, Jim Monke, Jean M. Rawson, Randy Schnepf, Jasper Womach, Jeffrey A. Zinn, and Joe Richardson. Updated December 5, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: Rural Development and the 2007 Farm Bill. (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34126.pdf"): "Congress has expressed its concern wiht rural communities most directly throught periodic omnibus farm bill legislation, most recently in the 200 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (P.L 107-171, the 2002 farm bill) and in the House-passed and Senate-reported versions of the pending 2007 farm bill (H.R. 2419 and S.Amdt. 3500, respectively)." Tadlock Cowan. Updated November 28, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: Possible Expiration of the 2002 Farm Bill. (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34154.pdf): "The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171, the 2002 farm bill) authorizes an array of farm commodity support, conservation, and nutrition programs, many of which expire this year." Jasper Womach. Updated November 16, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: Farm Bill Budget and Costs: 2002 vs. 2007 (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RS22694.pdf): "This report answers ... questions in terms of the actual expenditures on current major farm bill programs, and projections of the Congressional Budget Office (DBO) for spending under current law and in the House-passed and Senate-reported 2007 farm bills." Updated November 7, 2007.
Congressional Research Service Report for Congress: What is the "Farm Bill"? (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RS22131.pdf): "Federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies are governed by a variety of separate laws. Although many of these policies can be and sometimes are modified through freestanding authorizing legislation, or as part of other laws, the omnibus, multi-year farm bill provides an opportunity for policymakers to address comprehensively most of the programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)." Renée Johnson. Updated November 6, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: Biofuels in the 2007 Energy and Farm Bills: A Side-by-Side Comparison (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34239.pdf): "This report provides a side-by-side comparison of biofuels-related provisions of current law with comparable provisions in the House and Senate energy and farm bills." Brent D. Yacobucci and Randy Schnepf. November 6, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: Crop Insurance and Disaster Assistance: 2007 Farm Bill Issues (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34207.pdf): "Separately, the Senate Finance Committee has approved legislation (S. 2242) which, among its many provisions, would authorize a $5.1 billion trust fund to cover the cost of making agricultural disaster payments available on an ongoing basis over the next five years. The measure is expected to be offered as an amendment to the farm bill on the Senate floor. The Administration is opposed to a permanent disaster payment program, and contends that its proposed supplemental crop insurance coverage for the deductible portion of a policy would help preclude the need for supplemental disaster payments." Ralph M. Chite. Updated November 5, 2007.
Congressional Research Service Report for Congress: Agricultural Exports and the 2007 Farm Bill (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34227.pdf): "This report assesses 2007 farm bill trade title provisions for U.S. agricultural export programs." Charles E. Hanrahan. October 31, 2007.
Congressional Research Service Report for Congress: Farm Bill Proposals and Legislative Action in the 110th Congress (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL33934.pdf): Farm Bill Proposals and Legislative Action in the 110th Congress. Renée Johnson, Geoffrey S. Becker, Ralph M. Chite, Tadlock Cowan, Ross W. Gorte, Charles E. Hanrahan, Remy Jurenas, Jim Monke, Jean M. Rawson, Randy Schnepf, Jasper Womach, Jeffrey A. Zinn, and Joe Richardson. Updated October 30, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: Funding Levels for Conservation Programs in the 2007 Farm Bill. (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL34178.pdf): "This report consists of two tables, preceded by a brief narrative. The first table summarizes the annual funding provisions, by program, in (1) current law, (2) H.R. 2419 as passed, and (3) the Bush Administration's farm bill proposals. The second table compares FY2007 authorized and actual funding levels fro programs authorized in the 2002 farm bill with FY2008 and FY2012 funding levels that would be authorized in the 2007 House-passed farm bill. Table 1 includes new conservation programs that would be authorized for the first time in H.R. 2419 or in the Bush administration proposal. Table 2 is limited to conservation programs in which funding was authorized in teh 2002 farm bill and would be reauthorized in a 2007 farm bill. Both tables will be updated after the Senate Agriculture Committee completes action on its version of the next farm bill." Jeffrey Zinn. October 15, 2007.
CRS Report for Congress: The House-Passed 2007 Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) at a Glance: July 31, 2007. Renée Johnson, Coordinator, Geoffrey S. Becker, Ralph M. Chite, Tadlock Cowan, Ross W. Gorte, charles E. Hanrahan, Remy Jurenas, Jim Monke, Jean M. Rawson, Randy Schnepf, Jasper Womach, and Jeffrey A. Zinn, Resources, Science, and Industry Division, and Joe Richardson, Domestic Social Policy Division.; This report describes the major provisions in the House-passed 2007 farm bill (H.R. 2419, H.Rept. 110-256) and compares them with the current law.
Congressional Research Service (fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/78546.pdf): A complete summary of the all the major issues involved in the new farm bill can be obtained from the Congressional Research Service, the research wing of the Library of Congress.
Congressional Research Service Report for Congress (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL33520.pdf): Specialty Crops: 2007 Farm Bill Issues. January 17, 2007(updated).
Congressional Research Service Report for Congress (http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL33037.pdf): Previewing a 2007 Farm Bill. January 3, 2007(updated).

2007 Farm Bill (http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html)

House Committee on Agriculture. "On July 27, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill that makes historic investments in fruit and vegetable production, conservation, nutrition and renewable energy while maintaining a strong safety net for America's farmers. The bill passed by a vote of 231-191. You can read the House Agriculture Committee news release about House passage here."

Freeing the Farm: A Farm Bill for All Americans (http://www.freetrade.org/node/609)

The CATO Institute. "Because the first-best solution of completely ending farm programs as of September 30, 2007—with no compensation or transition payments—is politically infeasible, we advocate that the government buy out the damaging and expensive support for farmers by paying them a fixed amount of money, which they would be free to spend as they wish."

Financing the 2007 Farm Bill (http://www.farmfoundation.org/projects/documents/Jagger_FBForum_FinalSupp_BW.pdf)

The Farm Foundation. May 17, 2006.

2007 Farm Bill Forum (http://www.farmfoundation.org/projects/2007FarmBillForumHomePage.htm)

A Farm Foundation Project.

Farm Policy Newsletter (farmpolicy.typepad.com/farmpolicy/)

This is a nonpartisan daily summary of news and information about the farm bill.

Agricultural Policy Analysis Center (apacweb.ag.utk.edu/)

This is a research and information site maintained by Dr. Daryli Ray and his associates at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Ray provides research analysis and regular publications on major farm bill issues.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs (www.thechicagocouncil.org/taskforce_details.php?taskforce_id=1)

This organization commissioned a major analysis of farm legislation which resulted in a report on modernizing food and farm policies. The taskforce that created these proposals included former Secretaries of Agriculture and members of Congress plus notable other individuals with wide experience.

American Farmland Trust (www.farmland.org/programs/campaign/default.asp)

This organization provides newsletters, reports, and analysis about farm bill proposals with a particular emphasis on conservation and farmland preservation.

For More Information

For additional information about the 2008 Farm Bill from the University of Kentucky Agricultural Economics Department, please contact one of our Farm Bill Contacts.

2008 Farm Bill: Additional Resources

House Committee on Agriculture Farm Bill Website

Congressional Research Service Reports for Congress

For More Information

Farm Bill Links