Congressional Research Service Reports - 205 Matching Results

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Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2018

Description: This report examines the major legislative milestones for the last 11 farm bills covering 53 years and illustrates trends that may provide useful background and context as the current farm bill debate proceeds.
Date: September 21, 2018
Creator: Monke, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

WTO Disciplines on U.S. Domestic Support for Agriculture

Description: This report outlines the rules and disciplines the United States has committed to abide by as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Date: September 19, 2018
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on U.S. Domestic Support

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments that are most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy. It includes a discussion regarding how WTO commitments may influence policies and questions for evaluating WTO compliance of domestic farm spending..
Date: September 6, 2018
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity

Description: This report discusses the various industrial uses for hemp, a variety of Cannabis sativa of the same plant species as marijuana. It compares hemp with marijuana and discusses global production, legal status, and recent legislative activity.
Date: June 22, 2018
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Efforts to Address Seasonal Agricultural Import Competition in the NAFTA Renegotiation

Description: This report discusses a proposal by the U.S. in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations that would allow U.S. agricultural producers of certain fruits and vegetables to more easily file an injury claim regarding imports from Mexico. It includes details regarding the proposal, Mexican produce imports statistics, and arguments for and against the proposal.
Date: December 7, 2017
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Potential Effects of a U.S. NAFTA Withdrawal: Agricultural Markets

Description: This report examines some of the potential consequences to U.S. agricultural markets of a U.S. withdrawal from NAFTA, focusing on the possibility that higher tariffs could be imposed on U.S. imports and exports. In particular, under a NAFTA withdrawal, it is likely that most-favored nation (MFN) tariffs would be imposed on agricultural products traded among the NAFTA countries instead of the current zero tariff (i.e., duty-free trade) for most agricultural products. In general, MFN tariffs on U… more
Date: November 13, 2017
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Energy Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79): Status and Funding

Description: This report focuses on those policies contained in the 2014 farm bill that support agriculture-based renewable energy, especially biofuels. The introductory sections of this report briefly describe how USDA bioenergy policies evolved and how they fit into the larger context of U.S. biofuels policy. Then, each of the bioenergy provisions of the 2014 farm bill are defined in terms of their function, goals, administration, funding, and implementation status. In an appendix at the end of this repo… more
Date: September 21, 2017
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Agricultural Recovery Resources for Hurricane-Related Losses

Description: This report provides a short overview of select agricultural recovery resources related to hurricanes such as Harvey and Irma. It is not a comprehensive list (see "CRS Resources" below for more information about programs) and is not intended to provide up-to-date information on unfolding events. For additional support, please contact available CRS experts in hurricane-related issue areas.
Date: September 8, 2017
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Farm Safety-Net Payments Under the 2014 Farm Bill: Comparison by Program Crop

Description: This report looks at available Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and Federal Crop Insurance Act (FCIC) data for the major program crops and compares relative support using several different measures: absolute payments, payments per acre, payments as a share of the value of production, and payments as a share of the cost of production. In addition, price and income support levels are compared to market prices.
Date: August 11, 2017
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Farm Bill Programs Without a Budget Baseline Beyond FY2018

Description: This report discusses the 2014 farm bill, which contains 39 programs that received mandatory funding that do not have baseline beyond FY2018. These programs had estimated mandatory spending totaling $2.824 billion over the five-year farm bill.
Date: July 21, 2017
Creator: Monke, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity

Description: This report discusses the various industrial uses for hemp, a variety of Cannabis sativa that is of the same plant species as marijuana. It compares hemp with marijuana and discusses global production, legal status, and recent legislative activity.
Date: March 10, 2017
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Federal Food Safety System: A Primer

Description: This report discusses concerns about food safety, the resources required to ensure food safety, and whether federal food safety laws themselves, first enacted in the early 1900s, have kept pace with the significant changes that have occurred in the food production, processing, and marketing sectors since then.
Date: December 16, 2016
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Revisiting U.S.-Mexico Sugar Agreements

Description: This report discusses negotiations of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) with the government of Mexico regarding consideration of changes to two sugar suspension agreements made in December 2014.
Date: August 12, 2016
Creator: McMinimy, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Financing U.S. Agricultural Exports to Cuba

Description: This report discusses a new policy approach toward Cuba that, in part, seeks to reduce the role of long-standing U.S. sanctions on commercial relations with Cuba while also promoting greater engagement and normal relations with the island nation.
Date: June 24, 2016
Creator: McMinimy, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

U.S. Sugar Program Fundamentals

Description: This report discusses the U.S. sugar program, which is singular among major agricultural commodity programs in that it combines a floor price guarantee with a supply management structure that encompasses both domestic production for human use and sugar imports.
Date: April 6, 2016
Creator: McMinimy, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Role of Local and Regional Food Systems in U.S. Farm Policy

Description: This report provides background information on many of the type of operations engaged in the U.S. local and regional food system. A wide range of farm businesses are involved in local foods, such as direct-to-consumer marketing, farmers' markets, farm-to-school programs, community-supported agriculture,6 community gardens, school gardens, food hubs and market aggregators, kitchen incubators, and mobile slaughter units. This report also highlights some of the available resources within existing … more
Date: February 18, 2016
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

U.S. Farm Income Outlook for 2016

Description: This report discusses this the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) farm income outlook and its implications. According to USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), national net farm income--a key indicator of U.S. farm well-being--is forecast at $54.8 billion in 2016, down 3% from last year. The 2016 forecast represents the third consecutive year of decline and would be the lowest since 2002 in both nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars.
Date: February 16, 2016
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2016 Appropriations

Description: This report discusses the Agriculture appropriations bill for FY 2016, which funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) -- except for the Forest Service -- as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and, in even-numbered fiscal years, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Date: October 21, 2015
Creator: Monke, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

U.S. Agricultural Trade with Cuba: Current Limitations and Future Prospects

Description: This report reviews the current state of agricultural trade between the United States and Cuba, identifies key impediments to expanding bilateral trade in agricultural products and key provisions in the law to which these obstacles are anchored. It also summarizes several of the bills introduced in the 114th Congress that propose to remove specific restrictions that impede trade in agricultural goods or that seek to lift the embargo on Cuba entirely.
Date: October 1, 2015
Creator: McMinimy, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

U.S. Agricultural Trade with Cuba: Current Limitations and Future Prospects

Description: This report reviews the current state of agricultural trade between the United States and Cuba, identifies key impediments to expanding bilateral trade in agricultural products and key provisions in the law to which these obstacles are anchored. It also summarizes several of the bills introduced in the 114th Congress that propose to remove specific restrictions that impede trade in agricultural goods or that seek to lift the embargo on Cuba entirely.
Date: October 1, 2015
Creator: McMinimy, Mark A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Irrigation in U.S. Agriculture: On-Farm Technologies and Best Management Practices

Description: This report is intended to provide an overview of on-farm irrigation and does not cover storage and conveyance prior to the farm or how irrigation adoption may alter other farm practices, such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides or impacts off-farm (e.g., groundwater and surface water quality concerns).
Date: September 10, 2015
Creator: Stubbs, Megan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Farm Safety Net Programs: Background and Issues

Description: This report discusses several programs operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that supplement the income of farmers and ranchers in times of low farm prices and natural disasters. Federal crop insurance, farm programs, and disaster assistance are collectively called the farm safety net.
Date: August 21, 2015
Creator: Shields, Dennis A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Agricultural Biotechnology: Background, Regulation, and Policy Issues

Description: This report discusses the ethical and political issues surrounding contemporary biotechnology. Driving the discussion are inventions such as genetically engineered (GE) crops, which have increased from 3.6 million acres to 143 million acres in the United States. The report also raises concerns about regulations and the adequacy of environmental assessments.
Date: July 28, 2015
Creator: Cowan, Tadlock
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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