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1 1 (March 8, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govyfa0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con res ion I Re ear h Servic ~ Infor ic~ he legi lative diate ii 1914 March 8, 2019 2018 Farm Bill Primer: What Is the Farm Bill? The farm bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues. In addition to developing and enacting farm legislation, Congress is involved in overseeing its implementation. The farm bill is typically renewed about every five years. Since the 1930s, 18 farm bills have been enacted (2018, 2014, 2008, 2002, 1996, 1990, 1985, 1981, 1977, 1973, 1970, 1965, 1956, 1954, 1949, 1948, 1938, and 1933). The farm bill provides an opportunity for Congress to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues. The 2018 farm bill expires in 2023. Some farm bill programs would expire without reauthorization, such as the nutrition assistance programs and the commodity programs. Without reauthorization, certain basic farm commodities would revert to long- abandoned-and potentially costly-supply-control and price regimes under permanent law dating back to the 1940s. Many discretionary programs would not have statutory authority to receive appropriations. Other programs have permanent authority and do not need reauthorization (e.g., crop insurance) but might be included in a farm bill to make policy changes or achieve budgetary goals. Farm bills have traditionally focused on farm commodity program support for a handful of staple commodities- corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, peanuts, dairy, and sugar. Farm bills have become increasingly expansive in nature since 1973, when a nutrition title was first included. Other prominent additions since then include conservation, horticulture, and bioenergy programs. The omnibus nature of the farm bill can create broad coalitions of support among sometimes conflicting interests for policies that, individually, might have greater difficulty negotiating the legislative process. This can lead to competition for funds provided in a farm bill. In recent years, more stakeholders have become involved in the debate on farm bills, including national farm groups; commodity associations; state organizations; nutrition and public health officials; and advocacy groups representing conservation, recreation, rural development, faith-based interests, local food systems, and organic production. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334 (H.Rept. 115-1072), referred to here as the 2018 farm bill, is the most recent omnibus farm bill. It was enacted in December 2018 and succeeded the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79, 2014 farm bill). The 2018 farm bill contains 12 titles (see text box). Provisions in the 2018 farm bill modify some of the farm commodity programs, expand crop insurance, amend conservation programs, reauthorize and revise nutrition assistance, and extend authority to appropriate funds for many U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) discretionary programs through FY2023. The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 1 15-334), by Title Title 1, Commodity Programs: Provides support for major commodity crops, including wheat, corn, soybeans, peanuts, rice, dairy, and sugar, as well as disaster assistance. Title II, Conservation: Encourages environmental stewardship of farmlands and improved management through land retirement and/or working lands programs. Title III, Trade: Supports U.S. agricultural export programs and international food assistance programs. Title IV, Nutrition: Provides nutrition assistance for low- income households through programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Title V, Credit: Offers direct government loans to farmers/ranchers and guarantees on private lenders' loans. Title VI, Rural Development: Supports rural business and community development programs. Title VII, Research, Extension, and Related Matters: Supports agricultural research and extension programs. Title VIII, Forestry: Supports forestry management programs run by USDA's Forest Service. Title IX, Energy: Encourages the development of farm and community renewable energy systems through various programs, including grants and loan guarantees. Title X, Horticulture: Supports the production of specialty crops, USDA-certified organic foods, and locally produced foods and authorizes establishing a regulatory framework for the cultivation of industrial hemp. Title XI, Crop Insurance: Enhances risk management through the permanently authorized federal crop insurance program. Title XII, Miscellaneous: Covers other programs and assistance, including livestock and poultry production and support for beginning farmers and ranchers. Estimated Cost of the 20 18 Farm The farm bill authorizes programs in two spending categories: mandatory and discretionary. Programs with mandatory spending generally operate as entitlements. The farm bill pays for them using multiyear budget estimates (baseline) when the law is enacted. Programs with authorized discretionary funding are not funded in the farm bill and require additional action by congressional https://crsreports.congress.go\ 0

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