INTRODUCTION

Once every five years or so, the United States Congress passes a new farm bill (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition). This routine legislative process sets governmental strategy and policy priorities for an array of issues, including crop insurance, healthy food access, beginning farmer training, and support for sustainable farming practices. The most recently-passed farm bill was implemented beginning in 2018, and was entitled the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. The 2018 legislation included $428 billion over five years and it focuses on twelve primary elements, including conservation, forestry, energy, and horticulture.

The first farm bill, called the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, was part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal package of programs in the wake of the Great Depression (Library of Congress). Prior to this initial legislation, U.S. agriculture policy primarily focused on “land distribution, support for education and research programs to increase agricultural productivity, and programs to provide farmers with market information.” Since that time, however, subsequent farm bills have grown in scope to also focus on reducing surplus and raising crop prices, controlling soil erosion, providing federal crop insurance, expanding food assistance programs, and addressing environmental conservation. Additionally, since 1973, each farm bill has been considered an “omnibus” spending package, spanning many policy goals and budget priority areas.

As Congress evaluates what should be included in the 2023 and subsequent farm bills, it is time for your students to consider the same issue. This deliberation includes fifteen video clips, two articles, and several educational activities to guide students through a review of the history and purpose of the farm bill, the major policy prerogatives impacted by the legislation, and the elements under consideration for the 2023 and future farm bills. After a careful review of multiple perspectives, students will determine what should be included in the farm bill and be presented with several optional extensions to take an active role in the debate.

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Objectives and Outcomes

• Students will be able to describe key vocabulary terms and concepts associated with the debate surrounding the proposed policy provisions of the farm bill.
  
  
• Students will be able to identify and explain aspects of the debate of which policy priorities should be included in the farm bill, including those of research, education, infrastructure, and other considerations.
  
  
• Students will be able to evaluate arguments related to policies proposed for inclusion in the farm bill and formulate an opinion on this question.

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