Many farm policymakers generally consider the federal crop insurance program as the principal tool to help farmers cope with the variable impact of weather on crop yields. The program makes available subsidized policies that farmers may purchase each year to protect against yield and/or revenue declines during a particular growing season. Policies are available for about 130 commodities, covering crops supported by traditional farm programs (e.g., corn, wheat, and soybeans) as well as many fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery crops, pastureland, and other commodities. Farmers pay a portion of the premium, unlike farm programs, which are free. Premium subsidies for federal crop insurance have been instrumental in expanding program participation to levels acceptable to policymakers. This book examines current premium subsidies, proposals to limit them, and potential options for Congress. Furthermore, this book examines trends in federal crop insurance costs and farm sector income and wealth from 2003 through 2012; and the potential savings to the government and impacts on farmers, if any, of reducing federal premium subsidies for revenue policies.

Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are the laws, rules, standards, and procedures that governments employ to protect humans, animals, and plants from diseases, pests, toxins, and other contaminants. Examples include meat and poultry processing standards to reduce pathogens, residue limits for pesticides in foods, and regulation of agricultural biotechnology. Technical barriers to trade (TBT) cover technical regulations, product standards, environmental regulations, and voluntary procedures relating to human health and animal welfare. Examples include trademarks and patents, labeling and packaging requirements, certification and inspection procedures, product specifications, and marketing of biotechnology. SPS and TBT measures both comprise a group of widely divergent standards and standards-based measures that countries use to regulate markets, protect their consumers, and preserve natural resources. This book describes formal challenges involving SPS/TBT that the United States has brought against some U.S. trading partners, which have resulted in trade disputes that have been, or continue to be, reviewed by the World Trade Organization (WTO). It also discusses the United States and European Union hormone and use of pathogen reduction treatment disputes; and the country-of-origin labeling for foods and the WTO trade dispute on meat labeling.

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In this book, the author analyzes to what extent EU and US agricultural policies are driven by comparable overall concepts and whether there is evidence that the two major agricultural trading blocks are moving towards more similarities and a more sustainable form of agriculture. Based on the perception of desirable policy models, expressed by major think tanks and advisory groups, criteria for comparison are elaborated. After an analysis of corresponding regulations already in force, conclusions on identifiable common trends and remaining 'question marks' are drawn. The analysis is structured by applying an evaluation grid based on four major policy areas concerning economic, social, ecologic and institutional objectives. In light of future challenges, proposals for reform are developed. The outcome is an assortment of recommendations addressing a choice of the most important problems in the field of agricultural policy. Although none of the proposals will lead to the perfect solution, they altogether stand for considerable melioration and a forward-looking approach. Decision-makers, opinion leaders and scientists may find new and interesting insights presented in this publication.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the United States is expected to be the fourth largest producer and exporter of peanuts in the world in 2015. In addition to its prominent role in international markets, U.S. peanut production and marketing is an important activity in several states located in the southeastern and southwestern United States. The U.S. sugar program is singular among major agricultural commodity programs in that it combines a floor price guarantee with a supply management structure that encompasses both domestic production for human use and sugar imports. The sugar program provides a price guarantee to the processors of sugarcane and sugar beets, and by extension, to the producers of both crops. This book provides a review of the background, policies and provisions on federal programs for both peanuts and sugar.

The federal crop insurance program began in 1938 when Congress authorized the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. The current program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency (RMA), provides producers with risk management tools to address crop yield and/or revenue losses for about 130 crops. The federal farm safety net also includes the farm commodity support programs, which provide price and income support for a much narrower list of "covered and loan commodities" such as corn, wheat, rice, and peanuts. This book provides a primer on the federal crop insurance program and highlights changes to the program by the 2014 farm bill. It also the examines the government's cost of the crop insurance program; and the extent to which RMA's premium rates, as implemented, cover expected losses.

The farm bill is an omnibus, multi-year piece of authorizing legislation that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. Titles in the most recent farm bill encompassed farm commodity price and income supports, farm credit, trade, agricultural conservation, research, rural development, bioenergy, foreign food aid, and domestic nutrition assistance. Although agricultural policies sometimes are created and changed by freestanding legislation or as part of other major laws, the farm bill provides a predictable opportunity for policy makers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues. The farm bill is renewed about every five years. This book begins with a brief overview of the estimated budgetary impact of the 2014 farm bill, followed by a summary comparison of the major provisions of each title.

This book focuses on those policies contained in the 2014 farm bill that support agriculture-based renewable energy, especially biofuels. The introductory sections of this book briefly describe how USDA bioenergy policies evolved and how they fit into the larger context of U.S. biofuels policy. Then, each of the bioenergy provisions of the 2014 farm bill are defined in terms of their function, goals, administration, funding, and implementation status. The book describes agriculture-based biofuels and the evolution of the U.S. biofuels sector with a focus on the role that federal policy has played in shaping its development. It highlights emerging issues that are critical to the biofuels sector and of relevance to Congress. Furthermore, this book provides a description of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program's main componentsannual and establishment payments, matching payments, and project areasas outlined in USDA's final rule, along with a discussion of program funding and implementation issues.

On 31 January 2007, the Secretary of Agriculture publicly released a set of recommendations for a 2007 farm bill. The proposal is comprehensive and follows largely the outline of the current 2002 farm bill, which expires this year. It includes proposals regarding commodity support, conservation, trade, nutrition and domestic food assistance, farm credit, rural development, agricultural research, forestry, energy, and such miscellaneous items as crop insurance, organic programs, and Section 32 purchases of fruits and vegetables. The Administration delivered its report to Congress, not as a bill, but as a possible focus for debate and a foundation for developing legislation. The author has received many questions about the content of and potential issues related to the Administration proposal. Given the early stage of the debate, this book poses some questions that may contribute to a better understanding of the proposal. The book contains a brief description of current policy on each topic, a short explanation of the Administration's proposals, and then questions of a policy, program, and/or budgetary nature.