This book provides the reader with a perspective on past trends and the current financial situation in agriculture. It points out the controversies in farm credit and tax policies, and describes a framework that can be used in analyzing the costs and benefits of different policy prescriptions.

Farm credit and tax policies have become increasingly important areas of concern for policymakers and agriculturists. Rising levels of debt use among the nation's commercial producers, rising interest rates, and an increased dependence on international commodity markets have contributed to greater income volatility at the farm level, making financi