Farm Bill Policy

What is the farm bill?

The “farm bill” is the nickname for the piece of federal legislation passed every five years by Congress that addresses agricultural and food policy. The farm bill governs an array of agricultural programs—commodity support, nutrition assistance, conservation, and agricultural research. The farm bill is an opportunity for the research community to work with legislators to propose policy changes that would improve and advance agriculture research.

How is the farm bill organized?

There are twelve “titles” in the farm bill, each like its own separate bill. The two that matter most for agricultural science are Title 7 and Title 2.

• Title 7 covers “Research, Extension, and Related Matters.” The Research title includes mandatory and discretionary funds which support agriculture research, cooperative extension, and state level agricultural education. 
• Title 2 covers “Conservation.” The Conservation title deals with land retirement and easement programs and programs that incentivize farmers to implement conservation practices. The Title also outlines conservation requirements for participation in crop insurance programs.
   

Research in the farm bill

The farm bill includes funding and policy guidance for USDA research programs like the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the intramural Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the non-competitive formula funds dedicated to land-grant universities. The farm bill is also the vehicle for new research programs. For example, the 2014 farm bill created the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), which was given $200 million in funding to the Foundation to foster collaborations between the public and private sectors through matched grants.

• Read this CSA News article for a farm bill overview and why this piece of legislation matters to food, agriculture, and natural resources researchers.