1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov March 8, 20192018 Farm Bill Primer: What Is the Farm Bill?The farm bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food
2、issues. In addition to developing and enacting farm legislation, Congress is involved in overseeing its implementation. The farm bill is typically renewed about every five years. Since the 1930s, 18 farm bills have been enacted (2018, 2014, 2008, 2002, 1996, 1990, 1985, 1981, 1977, 1973, 1970, 1965,
3、 1956, 1954, 1949, 1948, 1938, and 1933). Some farm bill programs would expire without reauthorization, such as the nutrition assistance programs and the commodity programs. Without reauthorization, certain basic farm commodities would revert to long-abandonedand potentially costlysupply-control and
4、 price regimes under permanent law dating back to the 1940s. Many discretionary programs would not have statutory authority to receive appropriations. Other programs have permanent authority and do not need reauthorization (e.g., crop insurance) but might be included in a farm bill to make policy ch