The US Farm Bill is a collection of laws that addresses a number of agricultural issues (Smith 67). The Congress debates the bill every five to seven years. Once approved, the bill is forwarded for appropriations. During the appropriation stage, the amount of funds that should be allocated to every law is established. The US Farm Bill has been in existence for over 80 years. As such, the first bill was enacted in the year 1933. Nadine Lehrer, who has been studying the bill, asserts, “The bill was developed in the wake of 1930’s farm crisis to bring farm incomes up to the par with the required minimum incomes” (Lehrer 5).
Currently, over 15 related bills have been enacted. Every time the bill is passed, the US Congress makes alterations or deferrals to the requirements of permanent law. Mary Conner maintains, “The Congress can approve, alter, or abolish the provisions of previous provisional agricultural acts” (Conner 87). Through this, new policies with respect to agricultural acts can be set forth. Despite its alleged advantages, the 2014 Farm Bill will affect a number of small-scale farmers and some food industries.
From the year 1973, Farm Bills have compromised of names of agricultural programs, trade, rural improvement, and farm management measures (Conner 90). Unluckily, several original plans that were created to enhance abundant and quality foods for citizens and reasonable returns for farmers have been suppressed or substituted with plans tailored at benefiting business groups’ welfare over the farmers’ welfare. Despite the heated criticism, a number of individuals believe that the bill will revolutionize farming in the US. The editor of Washington Post states, “The bill’s drafters call for support because it eradicates the direct payment subsidy and leads a number of incremental improvements” (In Congress’s Farm Bill 1).
Based on the above analysis, it is apparent that Farm Bills are very contentious and can affect global trade, ecological conservation programs, food security, and the farmers’ welfare. To address these issues, the Farm Bill should be sustainable. As such, the bill should be able to benefit the farmers and enhance food security in America.
Over the last few months, several debates about Farm Bill have been experienced in the USA. Its supporters have applauded the 2014 Farm Bill (In Congress’s Farm Bill 1). The supporters comprise of crop insurance industries and a number of US senators. The group believes that progress in agricultural projects has been made in the last few years. The crop insurance industries have thanked Congress for passing the bill. The group believes that the bill will enhance their loyalty to crop insurance. As such, the group chairperson believes ten years to come; the industry will be grateful for the benefits brought by the 2014 Farm Bill.
According to the drafters of the bill, the Farm Bill is anticipated to lessen agricultural deficits by $16.6 billion in the next ten years (In Congress’s Farm Bill 1). About $5.3 billion of these savings will materialize by the year 2018. The bill supporters believe that the bill improves the livelihoods of those living in rural America because they majorly depend on farming as their main source of livelihood. The system will be replaced with a program that will enable farmers to be compensated only when their crops fail. Equally, they believe that the bill will enhance the country’s food security. In general, supporters believe that, in the end, the bill will lower the food stamp agenda and augment expenditure on farmers’ markets.
The bill supporters are wrong because the bill will ultimately affect the livelihoods of poor farmers in America. In the program, farmers will only be compensated when their crops fail or when market prices are not conducive. With this, some of the poor farmers who have not been engaged in farming and earning support from the government will be disadvantaged. The program will eventually affect a number of poor farmers, depending on direct lending programs.
Despite the fact that a number of farmers received lending without engaging any agricultural activities, it should be noted that the money they received encouraged them to conserve the environment. Given that the 2014 Farm Bill has abolished direct lending to these farmers, they will drop their initiatives aimed at conserving the environment. Through this, the ecosystem will be compromised.
Equally, the bill supporters were wrong in passing the bill because it will hurt the seafood industry, meat industry, and poultry industry. It is worrying to note that the bill is comprised of the controversial seafood inspection program that has been intensely criticized by those affected. The programs make seafood from America uncompetitive compared to those of the neighboring countries. In addition, the bill will affect the meat and the poultry industries.
The bill necessitates meat and poultry companies to indicate their countries of origin of their products. Although some industries have supported the move, it should be noted that the program would be unfavorable for small and upcoming countries. As such, the program will be too costly for some industry players. In addition, the rules will affect trade relations within the USA and its neighboring countries. Based on these arguments, it is apparent that the 2014 Farm Bill will affect a number of stakeholders in the industry from small-scale farmers to leading corporations.
The bill is inappropriate because it fails to tackle the changes to the Global Food Support Program championed by Obama’s government. Instead, the bill allocates the United States Agency for International Development with up to $81 million. The money is to be used by the urgency in the purchase of food for the victims in the areas affected. The program abolishes the exportation of food from America to disaster-prone areas. Although the program is cheaper compared to the existing program, it should be noted that it hurts the American agricultural industry. The current program benefits the industry because they promote the farmers and corporations when their products are bought.
Conclusion
Notably, The US Farm Bill has been in existence for over 80 years. The bill was enacted to tackle the falling agricultural prices, countrywide food shortage, soil erosion, agricultural credit, and inequitable export actions (Hey 56). The 2014 Farm Bill was passed early this year by Congress and signed into law by President Obama. Those supporting the bill believe that it lessens agricultural deficits by $16.6 billion in the next ten years. About $5.3 billion of these savings will materialize by the year 2018. Equally, the bill supporters believe that the bill improves the livelihoods of those living in rural America because they majorly depend on farming as their main source of livelihood. However, the bill supporters are misinformed because the bill will cause more harm than good. As such, the bill will affect a number of poor farmers depending on direct lending programs and hurt the meat industry.
Works Cited
Conner, Mary T.. Farm Bill of 2008 major provisions and legislative action. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2010. Print.
Hey, David. Oxford companion to family and local history. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
In Congress’s Farm Bill, the rich get richer. 2014. Web.
Lehrer, Nadine. U.S. Farm Bills and policy reforms: ideological conflicts over world trade, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. Amherst, N.Y.: Cambria Press, 2010.Print.
Smith, Andrew F.. Encyclopedia of food and drink in America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Print.