Farm Bill 101: A quick and easy guide to understanding the Farm Bill

"Farm Legislation"

02/05/2009

The Farm Bill is a law renewed every five years that governs our federal farm, food, and conservation policy. It is very broad legislation, affecting the availability of food stamps for low-income families; the research agenda for public agricultural research; investments in food safety; economic development in rural areas; efforts to conserve our soil, rivers, and forests; and government support to the people who grow and harvest our food.

Though titled a “Farm” Bill, it actually affects the lives of every American, whether they live in a rural community or big city.

This tutorial, written in 2007 to help understand legislative actions is still the best overall tutorial that I have seen for people who are interested in an orientation to the subject.

Farm Bill 101 (pages: 16)