Programs under the Farm Bill’s Title V, Credit authorize USDA agricultural credit and rural development programs. In addition to these programs, the “USDA serves as a lender of last resort to farmers and ranchers who are denied direct credit by commercial lenders by providing direct and guaranteed loans.”[1] The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (ConAct) first authorized credit…
Read MoreTitle IV: Nutrition
Title IV: Nutrition of Farm Bill addresses domestic food and nutrition and commodity distribution programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest food and nutrition program. SNAP offers important nutritional support for low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities on fixed incomes. In 2016, it helped more than 44 million Americans to nutritionally supplement their diets, almost 70% of…
Read MoreTitle III: Trade
Title III, Trade of the 2014 Farm Bill discusses USDA’s food aid, export market development, and export credit guarantee programs. The bill reauthorized many standing programs, including the Market Access Program, Food for Peace, the Foreign Market Development program. The Market Access Program (MAP) allows U.S. agricultural trade associations, cooperatives, state regional trade groups, and small businesses to…
Read MoreTitle II: Conservation
The programs most concerning public health and soil conservation under Title II Conservation are: the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP),and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Each of these programs are voluntary conservation programs that provide financial assistance to implement particular conservation practices; most of them also provide technical assistance. Examples of conservation issues addressed in…
Read MoreThe Farm Bill: An Introduction
Every five years, Congress rewrites the “Farm Bill,” a key piece of legislation that impacts our food, our soil and water quality, our health, and our wallets. The “Farm Bill” is a federal omnibus bill that covers a variety of food and farm-related concerns, and provides funding and support for various federal programs. Some of…
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Title X: Horticulture
Title X Horticulture includes the most programs that support specialty crops including organics and local foods. These programs incentivize specialty crops, promote fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, promote organic agriculture, and provide funding for pest identification and control. One key provision is the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBG). The purpose of the grant program “is to solely enhance…
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