Public Policy for Agriculture after Commodity Programs

Sustainable Agriculture and Public Policy

Overview: Commodity Checkoff Programs

Currently, there are a number of advertising and promotion programs associated with agricultural commodities. ‘Got Milk?’ ‘Pork. The Other White Meat,’ ‘Cotton: The Fabric of Our Lives,’ ‘Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner,’ and ‘American Lamb from American Land’ are examples of messages from various commodity boards who are attempting to impact the demand for their agricultural products. These messa...

Implications of Budget Reconciliation for Commodity Programs

There appears to be a renewed emphasis in Washington on reducing the federal budget deficit. Although the US economy is improving, it appears that the only way to make real progress in reducing the deficit is to reduce government expenditures. The desire to reduce the deficit, coupled with the President’s agenda that includes several controversial and potentially costly items, has many in Washi...

The political economy of public research investment and commodity policies in agriculture: an empirical study

The paper tests a political economy theory of simultaneous government decision-making on income redistribution through commodity policies and on public research investment in agriculture. We use data from 37 countries on agricultural protection and public agricultural research expenditures (PARI). The empirical results are consistent with the political economy hypotheses. The analysis suggest t...

Agriculture Policy Is Health Policy

The Farm Bill is meant to supplement and secure farm incomes, ensure a stable food supply, and support the American farm economy. Over time, however, it has evolved into a system that creates substantial health impacts, both directly and indirectly. By generating more profit for food producers and less for family farmers; by effectively subsidizing the production of lower-cost fats, sugars, and...