Category: Farm Bill 2007

Documents are sorted by date: newest first.

Title A-Z Z-A	Author A-Z Z-A	Date 1-9 9-1
Vilsack's Big Shoes	Jim Harkness/IATP	February 6, 2009
201k Document summary Barack Obama’s new Secretary of Agriculture, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, will have some big shoes to fill when he enters the office. The last Iowan to serve as head of the USDA, Henry Wallace, was by far the greatest Secretary of Agriculture in our nation’s history.
Farmer in Chief	Michael Pollan	October 12, 2008
81k Document summary Dear Mr. President-Elect, It may surprise you to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food. Food policy is not something American presidents have had to give much thought to, at least since the Nixon administration — the last time high food prices presented a serious political peril. Since then, federal policies to promote maximum production of the commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat and rice) from which most of our supermarket foods are derived have succeeded impressively in keeping prices low and food more or less off the national political agenda. But with a suddenness that has taken us all by surprise, the era of cheap and abundant food appears to be drawing to a close. What this means is that you, like so many other leaders through history, will find yourself confronting the fact — so easy to overlook these past few years — that the health of a nation’s food system is a critical issue of national security. Food is about to demand your attention.
10 Myths From the Mainstream Media on U.S. Farm Policy	IATP	June 12, 2008
129k Document summary The mainstream media often misunderstands how farm policy works in the real world.
10 Myths From the Mainstream Media About Farm Policy	Ben Lilliston	June 1, 2008
129k Document summary Created for the 2008 National Conference for Media Reform. Ten common farm policy misconceptions.
Child Labor Monitoring and Verification Program for Agricultural Imports	Child Labor Consultative Group	May 26, 2008
12k Document summary The Managers report explained the purpose of Sec. 3205 of the farm bill as s the development of “a voluntary, third-party certification effort is designed to reduce the likelihood that products produced with forced labor or child labor are imported into the United States as directed in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2005."
FAMILY FARMERS LAMBAST WASTED OPPORTUNITY OF FARM BILL	National Family Farm Coalition	May 23, 2008
125k Document summary The National Family Farm Coalition today criticized Congress and the recently enacted Farm Bill for failing to address the growing global food crisis occurring abroad and here at home.
Summary of the 2008 Farm Bill’s Energy Title and Other New Clean Energy Development Provisions	Environmental Law and Policy Center	May 22, 2008
118k Document summary With the Senate's veto override of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the new Farm Bill is now law. It builds upon the first-ever Energy Title of the 2002 Farm Bill, providing new programs and a stronger federal commitment to farm-based energy.
Farm Bill a Missed Opportunity	R. Dennis Olson/IATP	May 13, 2008
114k Document summary The 2008 Farm Bill is a missed opportunity to address the problems caused by market deregulation.
Farmer Agreement Offers Alternative to NAFTA's Failures	R. Dennis Olson/IATP	February 4, 2008
237k Document summary NAFTA's threat to sugar farmers in Mexico and the U.S. is so dire that it has provided the impetus for an historic agreement between farmers in the two countries.
Ethanol and Land Use Changes	David Morris	February 1, 2008
448k Document summary Dr. Morris challenges the findings of two reports published February 7 in Science that examined the greenhouse gas impact of land use changes caused by the growing demand for biofuels.
Letter on Bioenergy Crop Amendment	Over 90 organizations	December 6, 2007
58k Document summary A letter to Senators supporting the Wyden-Harkin Amendment to the Farm Bill, which would establish sustainability criteria for the growing of cellulosic bioenergy crops.
A Fair Farm Bill for Taxpayers	Heather Schoonover	November 13, 2007
208k Document summary This paper examines how a smarter investment in taxpayer dollars could bring greater societal benefits in a new Farm Bill.
Biomass Energy Crop Transition Assistance Ammendment Comparison	Julie Sibbing and Martha Noble	November 10, 2007
12k Document summary A side-by-side comparison factsheet provided by SAC and NWF of which key provisions are currently missing from the BCTAP, and how the proposed amendment would help fix the existing shortcomings of the bill
Nature Providing a Reality Check	Dr. Dennis Keeney and Mark Muller/IATP	November 7, 2007
35k Document summary The prestigious National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released two disturbing studies last month. Taken together, they issue a stark warning about the direction of Midwest agriculture and provide a guidepost for important policy changes that must be made in the 2007 Farm Bill currently being debated in Congress.
Secretary of Agriculture 2007 -- 1865	Cattle Network	November 7, 2007
262k Document summary Short bios and photos of all the heads of the USDA.
Statement of Administration Policy on Senate Farm Bill	White House	November 6, 2007
62k Document summary An analysis of the Senate Farm Bill from the Bush Administration.
Reforming Food Aid	Sophia Murphy/IATP	November 5, 2007
35k Document summary Next week, the full Senate will vote on the Farm Bill. It must include the small, do-able and wholly necessary pilot program for local purchasing by hungry countries to help put U.S. food aid back on the right track so that more of the assistance America provides actually gets to those who need it the most.
Letter to Senate Agriculture Committee on Grain Reserves	22 farm and food organizations	October 23, 2007
12k Document summary A letter to the Senate Agriculture committee on the importance of establishing grain reserves to manage volatile farm commodity prices.
Farm Groups Ask Minnesota Senators for Fair Competition in the Farm Bill	Coalition of MN Farm Groups	October 15, 2007
65k Document summary A coalition of Minnesota farm groups ask Minnesota Senators to include provisions for fair competition in the 2007 Farm Bill.
Letter to Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar on Competition in the Farm Bill	Coalition of MN Farm Groups	October 15, 2007
60k Document summary A letter to Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar (the same letter was sent to Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman) on including competition issues in the 2007 Farm Bill.
Farm Bill Update 10-08-07	National Family Farm Coalition	October 8, 2007
134k Document summary Summary of news and information regarding the 2007 Farm Bill from the National Family Farm Coalition.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON BIOFUEL IMPORTS	Friends of the Earth	October 1, 2007
28k Document summary A look at Palm oil and Brazilian sugar and soy bean oil as imports for biofuel production.
BIOFUEL IMPORTS IN THE ENERGY BILL: WHEN “ADVANCED” ISN’T REALLY ADVANCED	Friends of the Earth	October 1, 2007
35k Document summary Concerns raised by NGOs over the current version of the Senate energy bill, S. 1419, which sets a total biofuels mandate requiring that at least 36 billion gallons of biofuels be placed on the market by 2022, including 21 billion gallons from so-called “advanced biofuels.”
Address the Need for Subsidies	Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy	September 27, 2007
94k Document summary Numerous proposals have emerged to reform commodity policy, most of which seek to decrease or eliminate farm subsidies. Unfortunately, the majority of these proposals are based on an incorrect understanding of how commodity programs work.
Stability Not Volatility	Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy	September 27, 2007
100k Document summary Simply tweaking subsidies will do nothing to address agriculture’s inherent tendency to overproduce. Nor will it address the issue of volatile prices.
A Competition Title for Farmers	IATP	September 13, 2007
90k Document summary IATP's perspective on why a Competition Title should be included in the 2007 Farm Bill.
U.S. WTO Commitments and the Farm Bill	IATP	September 13, 2007
91k Document summary IATP's analysis of how World Trade Organization commitments affect the writing of the 2007 Farm Bill.
Revenue-based Countercyclicals: A Poor Substitute	IATP	September 13, 2007
91k Document summary IATP's analysis on why proposed revenue-based countercyclical payments are a poor substitute for a fair marketplace that pays farmers a fair price.
Rural Summit Flyer	IATP	September 12, 2007
1067k Document summary Downloadable flyer for the Rural Youth Summit in Ames Iowa. October 25-26, 2007.
Loosening the Limits and Tightening the Noose	Center for Rural Affairs	September 4, 2007
139k Document summary This report finds the House-passed farm bill will provide large farms with more subsidies, allowing them to grow much larger by acquiring land at the expense of smaller operators.
Letter to Senate Agriculture Committee on Addressing Market Competition	170 groups	September 4, 2007
108k Document summary Over 170 undersigned organizations strongly urge the Senate Agriculture Committee to include livestock and poultry market improvement provisions in the Senate version of the Farm Bill. The Senate has the opportunity to facilitate fair and transparent livestock and poultry markets and balance the economic relationships among producers and meat processors.
Global Food Corporation Beneficiaries of Current Farm Bill	Dennis Olson	August 12, 2007
53k Document summary Dennis Olson of IATP takes on critics who say farm bill is designed to give rich farmers public funds.
Draft of Sen Harkin's Farm Bill for 2007	Tom Harkin	August 1, 2007
274k Document summary Leaked copy of Senate Ag Chairman farm bill for 2007.
Renewable Fuels	Lynn Groomes	August 1, 2007
334k Document summary NEADA Equipment Dealers interview with Jim Kleinschmit of IATP.
Shifting From a Price Safety Net to a Revenue Safety Net	Bradley D. Lubben , Troy J. Dumler and G. Art Barnaby, Jr.	August 1, 2007
52k Document summary A review of revenue insurance proposals being considered in the 2007 Farm Bill.
A Fair Farm Bill for Conservation	IATP	July 31, 2007
415k Document summary As part of IATP's Farm Bill series, this paper analyzes the history of conservation programs in the Farm Bill and makes recommendations for improving them.
CRS Report: The House-Passed 2007 Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) at a Glance	Congressional Research Service	July 31, 2007
516k Document summary Summary of the House passed 2007 farm bill from the Congression Research Service.
A Fair Farm Bill and Immigration	IATP	July 25, 2007
322k Document summary The latest in IATP's Farm Bill series looks at how the Farm Bill combined with a free trade agenda has contributed to devastating economic conditions in rural Mexico, increasing pressure for immigrants to come to the U.S.
Ag Opposition to Kind Amendment	Coalition of US Commodity Associations	July 24, 2007
13k Document summary US ag commodity association's letter opposing the Kind amendment to the House 2007 Farm Bill, which failed.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate of H.R. 2419	Congressional Budget Office	July 24, 2007
39k Document summary Revised cost estimate for the House version of the 2007 farm bill.
Farm Bill Budget and Costs: 2002 vs 2007	Ralph Chite/Congressional Research Service	July 17, 2007
68k Document summary Since many provisions of the current omnibus farm bill (P.L. 107-171, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002) expire this year, the 110th Congress soon will be making final decisions about the content of a new farm bill. Unlike the 2002 farm bill, which was crafted at a time of large budget surpluses, the 2007 farm bill debate is being driven in part by relatively large budget deficits and growing demands for fiscal constraint. Questions frequently asked about farm bill spending are: What is the estimated cost of the soon-to-expire 2002 farm bill? How much more or less has actually been spent on the 2002 farm bill than what was estimated at the time of enactment? How much will Congress be allowed to spend on the next farm bill? This report answers these questions in terms of the actual and estimated expenditures on major farm bill programs for the last six years, and projections of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for the next several years, which, together with the FY2008 budget resolution, determine the fiscal parameters of the 2007 farm bill.
Letter to House Agriculture Leaders on Reforming Commodity Programs	Over 30 Groups including IATP	July 13, 2007
52k Document summary A letter to the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee calling for reforms in the Farm Bill commodity programs that would bring a fair price and manage production.
Foodlinks America	Barbara Vauthier	June 22, 2007
41k Document summary Excellent report looking at food stamp issues as part of the 2007 Farm Bill.
Measuring Equity in Farm Support Levels	Congressional Research Service/Jasper Womach and Randy Schnepf	June 22, 2007
123k Document summary Federal farm law mandates support for, among others, 18 “covered commodities.” Support for these agricultural commodities, as specified in the 2002 farm bill includes direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, and marketing loans. Large disparities in the relative levels of benefit among these commodities have led to questions of equity.
Letter Opposing Farm Bill Provision Usurping State Food, Farm and Animal Welfare Laws	40 organizations including IATP	June 19, 2007
77k Document summary The forty undersigned consumer, environmental, farmer, and animal welfare groups are writing to express our strong opposition to Section 123, Title I, of the Chairman’s Mark, under the jurisdiction of the Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee, in the 2007 Farm Bill. Section 123 is a sweeping provision that would summarily wipe out important food safety, farmer, and animal welfare protections in place in states and municipalities across the nation.
Sustainable Development of the Agricultural Bio-Economy	N. Jordan, G. Boody,W. Broussard, J. D. Glover, D. Keeney, B. H. McCown, G. McIsaac, M. Muller, H. Murray, J. Neal, C. Pansing, R. E. Turner, K. Warner, D. Wyse	June 15, 2007
224k Document summary A U.S. farm policy shift to joint production of commodities and ecological services will advance sustainable agriculture.
Letter to Collin Peterson on Farm Bill Section 123	Association of Food and Drug Officials	June 11, 2007
227k Document summary This letter is to the House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson opposing Section 123 of the Farm Bill, which would limit states from taking action on food safety issues.
Une Farm Bill plus juste pour le monde	Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy	May 25, 2007
176k Document summary La Farm Bille 2007 des États-Unis, comment elle peut effectuer le monde, y compris le commerce, l'Organisation Mondiale de Commerce, l'aide alimentaire, la concentration du marché et la santé publique.
Conservation Letter to House Committee on Agriculture	IATP and 6 other organizations	May 21, 2007
104k Document summary A letter to the House Agriculture Committee urging that conservation programs be adequately funded, including the Conservation Security Program.
Letter to Rep. Boswell in Support of Competition Bill	IATP and over 60 organizations	May 21, 2007
33k Document summary Letter to Representative Leonard Boswell in support of his bill, the Competitive and Fair Agricultural Markets Act of 2007 (H.R. 2135).
An Analysis of the Effects of an Expansion in Biofuel Demand on U.S. Agriculture	Economic Research Service	May 16, 2007
884k Document summary The main purpose of the report is to assess the effects on agriculture of alternative levels of biofuels production from corn and soybean oil. In addition, the potential for expansion of cellulosic ethanol production is reviewed.
A Fair Farm Bill for Public Health	IATP	May 15, 2007
469k Document summary The latest in a series of papers on the 2007 U.S. Farm Bill looks at how farm programs could better support public health.
Serie Farm Bill n. 1: Le coton figure en bonne place dans les débats relatifs à la loi	Idea centrs	May 9, 2007
48k Document summary French version of fram bill publication, first of a series from a Geneva-based organization.
A Fair Farm Bill for Competitive Markets	IATP	May 3, 2007
512k Document summary The fifth in a series of papers on the 2007 Farm Bill focuses on how to restore competition to U.S. agricultural markets and address the market power of agribusiness.
The Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act		May 3, 2007
141k Document summary The United States boasts some of the most productive agriculture in the world. Much of this success is due to the diversity of crops, soil types and production found around the country that generates an unparalleled variety of food, fiber, and increasingly, fuel products. However, most farmers and ranchers don’t benefit from current farm policies. Many are turned away from conservation programs, and each year there are fewer farmers and less farmland. Moreover, in a land of plenty, far too many people go hungry and many communities don’t have adequate access to fresh, healthy, local and affordable food.
The Farm, Nutrition and Community Investment Act		May 3, 2007
61k Document summary The bill proposes a new program focused on fostering farm profitability for all producers. The program would be administered through each state’s department of agriculture, with USDA playing the critical role of ensuring program accountability. State departments of agriculture would distribute grant funds within each state to eligible entities for allowable uses consistent with the priorities and needs identified through state-level strategic plans. Program funds could not be used to directly subsidize the price of an agricultural commodity.
Farm Bill Sereis n.1: Cotton Features Prominently in US Farm Bill Deliberations	Idea centre	May 1, 2007
44k Document summary First in a sereis of farm bill papers from a Geneva-based organzation.
Letter to Collin Peterson on Competition Title	coalition of groups	April 25, 2007
16k Document summary A coalition of organizations write the Chair of the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson, asking that he include a Competition Title in the 2007 Farm Bill.
Testimony of Loni Kemp from the MN Project on USDA Conservation Programs	Loni Kemp	April 24, 2007
74k Document summary "Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss the conservation title of the farm bill. I represent the Minnesota Project, now in our 28th year of working to ensure strong local economies, vibrant communities and a healthy environment. We support policies for profitable farms that protect the environment, clean energy, and local foods. We are members of the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, an alliance of grassroots farm, rural, and conservation organizations advocating for federal policies to support the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture and rural communities. I am also on the board of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, a national network helping grassroots concerns and priorities be heard in Washington, D.C., and serve as Chair of its Stewardship Incentives Committee...."
Overview of the 2007 USDA Farm Bill Proposals for Conservation	Otto Doering, Purdue University	April 24, 2007
173k Document summary The major pressures on USDA’s conservation program have been twofold. First, conservation groups, urban citizens, and others believe that a higher proportion of the budget might better be spent on conservation (working lands or CRP type reserves) than on commodity programs. Second, farmers have complained not only about a lack of resources for particular conservation programs (both matching funds and technical assistance) but also about the complexity of the current programs. The Administration’s proposal attempts to address both of these concerns.
Report: Conservation Security Program Drives Resource Management	Land Stewardship Project, the Minnesota Project, et al	April 24, 2007
768k Document summary Created in the 2002 Farm Bill, the Conservation Security Program (CSP) is the country’s first green payments program. Designed to promote natural resource conservation on working agricultural lands, CSP financially rewards farmers and ranchers for their excellence in land stewardship. CSP goes further than any other federal program in promoting agricultural conservation. Rather than address a single natural resource concern at a time, Congress intended this program to foster whole-farm comprehensive conservation planning, implementation, and maintenance. The program provides three tiers of financial incentives to agricultural producers for actively managing soil, water, air, wildlife, and energy resources on their operations. The CSP is the first federal farm conservation program to require participants to achieve USDA’s standards for natural resource non-degradation and sustainability, while also providing incentives to exceed those high standards. CSP offers a new and exciting vision for agricultural conservation in the United States.
A Fair Farm Bill for the World's Hungry	IATP	April 19, 2007
1648k Document summary An examination of how U.S. farm policy impacts global hunger, and recommendations for reform.
Kay Doby - Poultry Grower - Testimony on the Market Structure of the Livestock Industry	Kay Doby/Contract for Agriculture Contract Reform	April 17, 2007
185k Document summary farmers are rapidly losing their independence. The traditional relationship of independent producers selling their products to independent processors is quickly changing toward an environment in which contractual arrangements between farmers and vertical integrators and processors are commonplace.
C. Robert Taylor - Testimony - Market Structure of the Livestock Industry	C. Robert Taylor, Auburn University	April 17, 2007
3288k Document summary Testimony before the House Committee on Agriculture on the affects of market concentration in the livestock industry.
Tom Buis - Testimony - on Market Structure of the Livestock Industry	Tom Buis - National Farmers Union	April 17, 2007
960k Document summary Testimony of the National Farmers Union's Tom Buis before the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry.
Freeing the Farm: A Farm Bill for All Americans	Sallie James, Daniel Griswold	April 16, 2007
275k Document summary Agricultural policy in the United States is interventionist, expensive, inequitable, and damaging to American interests abroad.Over the last 20 years, the opportunity cost to American consumers and taxpayers of supporting agricultural producers has totalled over $1.7 trillion.The harm to agricultural producers abroad, including many developing countries, does not help U.S. foreign policy. American intransigence over reducing farm subsidies is a significant impediment to a successful conclusion to the Doha round of world trade talks. It is time for the government to get out of the business of managing agricultural markets and supporting the incomes of farmers, many of whom are relatively well-to-do.
Revenue-based Countercyclical Payments: U.S. Policy Disaster Relief?	Steve Suppan/IATP	April 11, 2007
116k Document summary This analysis looks at the USDA's proposal for revenue-based countercyclical payments, whether it fits under WTO rules, and if it is good for farmers.
Sustainable Biomass Land Reserves for a Sustainable Future	Dennis Olson/IATP	April 11, 2007
98k Document summary As the United States responds to significant energy and climate challenges, swift progress is needed to move us away from a fossil fuel economy toward a carbohydrate economy based on sustainable renewable energy. However, in our haste to achieve greater energy independence, we should not simply focus on increased production. We must also focus on implementing conservation measures that reduce our insatiable demand for energy, and we must insure that the methods of renewable energy production are truly sustainable. Such a two-pronged approach will provide the best chance of achieving a healthier planet for future generations.
A Fair Farm Bill for Renewable Energy		April 10, 2007
484k Document summary The growth in farm-based renewable energy production presents some important challenges. How quickly can we transition from the first generation of grain and oilseed biofuels to more sustainable biomass? How will food prices be affected by so much land dedicated to biofuel production? How can we ensure that farmers and rural communities reap the benefits of wind energy production, biofuels, bio-based plastics and other emerging industries in the bioeconomy? And what impact will the U.S.’s focus on biofuel production have on global markets? This report examines these issues and proposes policy solutions that support a sustainable biofuels system in the 2007 Farm Bill.
Farm Subsidies: Myth and Reality	John Frydenlund	April 3, 2007
125k Document summary The issue brief explains that U.S. agricultural policy consists of an archaic system of subsidies, price and supply controls, and import restrictions, much of which has changed little in the past 70 years. The image of the poor, struggling family farmer has been used to maintain the status quo in agriculture policy. The reality is that only a handful of wealthy farmers benefit from a continuation of the subsidy system. The current farm program structure helps the richest farmers get richer, but doesn’t help small farmers stay on the land. It is also costly to taxpayers and raises prices to consumers. By concentrating wealth in the hands of the few, it undermines the economy of rural America. Finally, it interferes with international commerce (which impacts the entire U.S. economy) in addition to further impoverishing farmers in developing countries.
Sustainable and Renewable Energy from Family Farms	Michael A. Bowman	April 1, 2007
1551k Document summary Catholic Rural Life, Spring 2007 A look at renewable energy from family farms wtih Jim Kleinschmit, of IATP.
Adoption Subsidies and Environmental Impacts of Alternative Energy Crops	Bruce Babcock, Phillip Gassman and Manoj Jha	March 30, 2007
213k Document summary We provide estimates of the costs associated with inducing substantial conversion of land from production of traditional crops to switchgrass. Higher traditional crop prices due to increased demand for corn from the ethanol industry has increased the relative advantage that row crops have over switchgrass. Results indicate that farmers will convert to switchgrass production only with significant conversion subsidies. To examine potential environmental consequences of conversion, we investigate three stylized landscape usage scenarios, one with an entire conversion of a watershed to switchgrass production, a second with the entire watershed planted to continuous corn under a 50% removal rate of the biomass, and a third scenario that places switchgrass on the most erodible land in the watershed and places continuous corn on the least erodible. For each of these illustrative scenarios, the watershed-scale Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model (Arnold et al., 1998; Arnold and Forher, 2005) is used to evaluate the effect of these landscape uses on sediment and nutrient loadings in the Maquoketa Watershed in eastern Iowa.
Farm Bill Proposals and Legislative Action in the 110th Congress	Renee Johnson	March 22, 2007
131k Document summary The 2007 farm bill debate differs from the 2002 debate in some important ways. First, the 2007 farm bill faces potentially significant budgetary and spending constraints as well as constraints due to U.S. trade commitments and obligations under continued multilateral negotiations. Second, the Bush Administration has submitted its own detailed proposal for the 2007 farm bill, which seeks certain changes to existing programs and provisions. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns has repeatedly stated that the Administration’s goals for a new farm bill are for it to be “equitable, predictable and beyond challenge.” In past farm bills, the Administration has not issued specific recommendations. Third, many other groups, including both traditional and non-agricultural interests, have also submitted recommendations for the 2007 farm bill. Each of these groups is seeking to exert influence on the scope of U.S. farm policy and might also seek certain modifications to current law. In addition, some non-traditional coalitions have emerged in pursuit of specific farm bill policies or programs that would be of mutual interest. This report provides a summary of some of the proposals and recommendations offered to Congress for changes in the farm bill. These proposals could expand the scope of the farm bill, which would allow other constituencies to benefit from farm programs beyond the traditional base.
Letter to Congress on Bioenergy in the Farm Bill	IATP and 11 other organizations	March 17, 2007
23k Document summary A letter to Congress, urging the support of sustainably produced bioenergy as a key component of a comprehensive strategy to reduce America’s dangerous dependence on oil and to help solve global warming.
Reps. Kind and Gerlach, Senator Menendez		March 15, 2007
120k Document summary Washington, D.C. – Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA), and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today unveiled the first major bill in Congress dealing with the reauthorization of the 2007 Farm Bill, The Healthy Farms, Foods, and Fuels Act of 2007. This bipartisan bill, which enjoys support from 64 representatives in 23 states, would double conservation spending to provide cleaner air, water and wildlife habitat, help stabilize global warming, and provide consumers with greater access to healthy foods over the life of the next farm bill.
A Fair Farm Bill for America	IATP	March 6, 2007
526k Document summary An overview of the 2007 Farm Bill, including agricultural legislation history and how the Farm Bill effects energy, health, conservation, environment, market concentration, labor and immigration, and hunger.
A Fair Farm Bill for the World	IATP	March 6, 2007
411k Document summary An overview of how the 2007 U.S. Farm Bill may effect the world, including trade, the World Trade Organization, food aid, market concentration and public health.
How Does the USDA Farm Bill Proposal Measure Up?	Emily Alpert	March 1, 2007
79k Document summary On January 31, US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced a proposed revision of the current Farm Bill, which could result in a decrease of the most trade-distorting forms of domestic support. Overall, the proposal would spend an estimated US$10 billion less over the next 10 years than projected spending for the 2002 Farm Bill, which is set to expire in September 2007. Much of the anticipated savings are from expected high prices for many commodities in future years. However, the Johanns proposal actually would spend US$5 billion more from 2008 – 2012 than simply extending the existing provisions in the 2002 Farm Bill. Most of the proposed changes tend to move Farm Bill programmes towards more marketoriented supports and away from the most trade-distorting (Amber Box) forms of subsidies.
Wingspread Conference on Childhood Obesity, Healthy Eating and Agricultural Policy	Conference Summary	March 1, 2007
43k Document summary This document represents one of the early stages of a national discussion on the impact of federal agricultural and food policies on public health, nutrition and obesity. It also looks at how agricultural policy can contribute to healthier eating.
Competing Visions of U.S. Agriculture: Can We have our Cake and Eat It Too in Reforming Federal Farm Policy?	Thomas L. Dobbs	February 28, 2007
51k Document summary This SDSU Economics Commentator article by Thomas Dobbs, is the first of a pair that addresses 2007 farm bill proposals and how the U.S. might transition to policies that emphasize agriculture's 'multifunctionality'.
Considering the Contribution of U.S. Food and Agricultural Policy to the Obesity Epidemic: Overview and Opportunities	Mark Muller, Heather Schoonover and David Wallinga/IATP	February 23, 2007
269k Document summary This paper lays out some of the ways agricultural policies help shape which, and in what relative quantities, foods are produced and consumed in the United States. It also identifies some important contributing factors to negative trends in overweight and obesity.
The Farm Bill and Public Health: An Overview	IATP	February 23, 2007
110k Document summary This paper provides background on the Farm Bill, as well as a summary of key issues and interest group priorities that will influence Farm Bill debates. Public health professionals can best support a healthier food system by not only championing the nutrition programs, but also collaborating with other organizations to shift the overall direction of farm policy toward a healthier and more sustainable food and farming system.
U.S. Farmers Link With Farmers Around the World	Building Sustainable Futures	February 20, 2007
36k Document summary Sixty farm, faith, consumer, environmental, development and rural advocacy organizations today declared the current U.S. agricultural trade model—epitomized by the existing farm bill and the North American Free Trade Agreement—a failure for farmers, farm workers and rural communities both in the United States and around the world.
Growing Conservation in the Farm Bill		February 19, 2007
2083k Document summary With a Farm Bill reauthorization being forged by Congress, our leaders can: • successfully and economically ensure food and fi ber production, • effectively create new alternative energy sources, • dramatically improve the health of our lands and waters, and the fi sh and wildlife they support, and • continually build a positive agricultural trade balance.
Food and Water Watch Guide: Farm Bill 101		February 1, 2007
365k Document summary Whether you buy food at a grocery store, a farmers market or a cafeteria, the next Farm Bill will affect what you eat. Throughout 2007, Congress will debate policies that determine what food is grown in the United States, how it is grown, who grows it, and who can afford to eat it.
Get a GRIP: Should Area Revenue Coverage Be Offered through the Farm Bill or as a Crop Insurance Program?	Nicholas Paulson and Bruce A. Babcock	January 27, 2007
98k Document summary The successful expansion of the U.S. crop insurance program has not eliminated ad hoc disaster assistance. An alternative currently being explored by members of Congress and others in preparation of the 2007 farm bill is to simply remove the “ad hoc” part of disaster assistance programs by creating a standing program that would automatically funnel aid to hard-hit regions and crops. One form such a program could take can be found in the area yield and area revenue insurance programs currently offered by the U.S. crop insurance program.
Letter to Congress on a Competition Title in the 2007 Farm Bill	Over 200 U.S. organizations	January 18, 2007
60k Document summary A letter to Members of Congress asking that they include a Competition Title in the next Farm Bill that addresses the growing power of agribusiness in the marketplace.
Seeking Balance in Farm and Food Policy	Farm and Food Project	January 15, 2007
110k Document summary Proposals for the 2007 Farm Bill from a diverse group of organizations – family farm, sustainable agriculture, conservation and environment, rural and community development, anti-hunger, nutrition, public health, faith, and others.
The Conservation Security Program: Rewards and Challenges for New England Farmers	Britt Lundgren, Jody Biergiel, Meaghan Donovan, Christine Lee, Kathleen Merrigan	January 15, 2007
2826k Document summary A look at the Conservation Security Program in the context of the 2007 Farm Bill.
Hidden Treasures: The Conservation Security Program and Wildlife	Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Wildlife Federation, and Izaak Walton League of America	January 15, 2007
651k Document summary Examines the impact of the Conservation Security Program on wildlife in the context of the 2007 farm bill.
Putting Food into Farming: How to Fix the Farm Bill	Susan Sechler and Joe Guinan	January 11, 2007
269k Document summary The 2002 farm bill has succeeded in keeping a few wealthy U.S. farmers happy. The campaign contributions of those cheery farmers, the commodity PACs and corporations keep key lawmakers happy. That success aside, in every other way U.S. farm policies are wasteful, unfair, and destructive of other national aims.
Previewing a 2007 Farm Bill		January 3, 2007
459k Document summary The Congressional Research Service's report on the 2007 Farm Bill.
Fairness in the Fields: A Vision for the 2007 Farm Bill	Oxfam America	January 1, 2007
1734k Document summary Introduction to issues connected to the 2007 Farm Bill.
Fueling a New Farm Economy	John Caldwell	January 1, 2007
1014k Document summary Center for American Progress report on creating incentives for biofuels in agriculture and trade policy.
Food Without Thought - Fact Sheet	Heather Schoonover and Mark Muller/IATP	November 20, 2006
85k Document summary This is a fact sheet version of the longer report on how farm policy impacts obesity.
Modernizing America's Food and Farm Policy: Vision for a New Direction	Catherine Bertini, August Schumacher, Jr. and Robert L. Thompson	October 16, 2006
3348k Document summary A plan for the 2007 US Farm Bill from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
Getting More Conservation Out of Farm Policy	Mark Muller/IATP	October 10, 2006
103k Document summary The next year promises a spirited debate about U.S. agricultural policy. Although the World Trade Organization talks have temporarily collapsed, compliance with WTO rules will influence the development of the next farm bill, and the actions of our congressional representatives will likewise have a profound influence on the context of future trade negotiations. Couple this with the significant budget reductions placed on agricultural programs and the increased involvement in the farm bill from non-agricultural interest groups, and most policy experts will admit they have no idea how farm policy will evolve in the next year.
Economic Impacts On The Farm Community Of Cooperative Ownership Of Ethanol Production	National Corn Growers Association	September 13, 2006
86k Document summary Local ethanol plant ownership generates significantly more economic activity for the communities in which the plants are located than plants owned by absentee investors, according to a study released today by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).
Food from Family Farms Act	National Family Farm Coalition	August 29, 2006
96k Document summary Working draft of NFFC's position on the 2007 Farm Bill.
Energy and Agriculture	USDA	August 8, 2006
131k Document summary An analysis prepared by USDA economists of the department's renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. This is the fourth in a series of subject identified in the 2005 Farm Bill Forum listening tour.