Congressional Research Service Reports - 348 Matching Results
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- Farm Bills: Major Legislative Actions, 1965-2018
- 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.
- WTO Disciplines on U.S. Domestic Support for Agriculture
- This report outlines the rules and disciplines the United States has committed to abide by as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on U.S. Domestic Support
- 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..
- Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity
- 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.
- Emergency Assistance for Agricultural Land Rehabilitation
- This report discusses federal programs which provide emergency agricultural land rehabilitation funds.
- Efforts to Address Seasonal Agricultural Import Competition in the NAFTA Renegotiation
- 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.
- Potential Effects of a U.S. NAFTA Withdrawal: Agricultural Markets
- 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.S. agricultural imports would likely raise prices both to U.S. consumers and other end users, such as manufacturers of value-added food products.
- Energy Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79): Status and Funding
- 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 report, Table A-1 presents data on 2014 farm bill budgetary authority for energy provisions, while Table A-2 presents the original budget authority for Title IX programs under the previous 2008 farm bill. A third table (Table A-3) provides a side-by-side comparison of Title IX energy-related provisions for current versus previous law.
- Federal Agricultural Recovery Resources for Hurricane-Related Losses
- 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.
- Farm Safety-Net Payments Under the 2014 Farm Bill: Comparison by Program Crop
- 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.
- Farm Bill Programs Without a Budget Baseline Beyond FY2018
- 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.
- Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity
- 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.
- The Federal Food Safety System: A Primer
- 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.
- U.S. Sugar Program Fundamentals
- 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.
- The Role of Local and Regional Food Systems in U.S. Farm Policy
- 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 federal programs administered by USDA and other agencies.
- U.S. Farm Income Outlook for 2016
- 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.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2016 Appropriations
- 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).
- U.S. Agricultural Trade with Cuba: Current Limitations and Future Prospects
- 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.
- Irrigation in U.S. Agriculture: On-Farm Technologies and Best Management Practices
- 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).
- Farm Safety Net Programs: Background and Issues
- 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.
- U.S. Agricultural Trade with Cuba: Current Limitations and Future Prospects
- This report reviews the current state of agricultural trade between the United States and Cuba. It identifies key impediments to expanding bilateral trade in agricultural products and key provisions in the law to which these obstacles are anchored, and also considers the potential consequences for trade in agricultural goods if bilateral trade were returned to a more normal footing. 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.
- FY2016 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations: In Brief
- This report discusses the Agriculture appropriations bill for fiscal year 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). Agriculture appropriations include both mandatory and discretionary spending, however, mandatory amounts are general set by other authorizing laws (such as the farm bill).
- Update on the Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak of 2014-2015
- This report discusses selected issues regarding the severe outbreak of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) currently affecting poultry in the U.S.
- California Agricultural Production and Irrigated Water Use
- This report provides an overview of California's farm economy, specifically examining the current state of the water supply and the use of irrigation water.
- Agriculture Issues in U.S.-EU Trade Negotiations
- This report briefly discusses the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) between the U.S. and the European Union (EU). The report also briefly notes the use of agricultural biotechnology.
- Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods and the WTO Trade Dispute on Meat Labeling
- This report covers the dispute between the U.S with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, who say that the recent country-of-origin labeling (COOL) system implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is unfair and does not meet its original objectives. This dispute was brought before the WTO dispute panel and found to be valid. The report ends with a discussion of options for the U.S. in regards to modifying COOL to follow WTO rulings.
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: Ongoing Outbreak
- This report gives a brief overview of the pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which as of May 15, 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported 168 cases.
- 2014 Farm Bill Provisions and WTO Compliance
- This report briefly describes the relevant World Trade Organization (WTO) rules governing domestic support programs under the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM). The report then reviews the current U.S. farm safety net programs in light of their potential for compliance with the AoA and SCM and their potential to affect the success of the current Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations.
- Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on Domestic Support
- This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy. The report discusses a key question that policy makers ask of virtually every new farm proposal is, how will it affect U.S. commitments under the WTO? The answer depends not only on cost, but also on the proposal's design and objectives, as described below.
- U.S. Farm Income Outlook for 2015
- This report discusses national net farm income, which is a key indicator of U.S. farm well-being. The outlook for lower net farm income, coupled with record farm wealth, suggests a mixed financial picture heading into 2015 for the agricultural sector as a whole, with substantial regional variation.
- Bee Health: The Role of Pesticides
- This report briefly describes recent scientific research and analysis regarding the potential role of pesticides among the factors affecting the health and well-being of bees.
- Farm Safety Net Programs: Background and Issues
- 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.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
- This report discusses various policy aspects of the Agriculture appropriations bill for FY2015, which funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), except for the Forest Service.
- Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods and the WTO Trade Dispute on Meat Labeling
- This report covers the dispute between the U.S with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, who say that the recent country-of-origin labeling (COOL) system implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is unfair and does not meet its original objectives. This dispute was brought before the WTO dispute panel and found to be valid. The report ends with a discussion of options for the U.S. in regards to modifying COOL to follow WTO rulings.
- U.S.-EU Poultry Dispute on the Use of Pathogen Reduction Treatments (PRTs)
- This report highlights the dispute between the U.S. and EU over the use of Pathogen Reduction Treatments (PRTs) during the processing of poultry products. PRT's are antimicrobial rinses--including chlorine dioxide, acidified sodium chlorite, trisodium phosphate, and peroxyacids, among others--that have been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use in poultry processing to reduce the amount of microbes on meat.
- Emergency Assistance for Agricultural Land Rehabilitation
- This report describes emergency agricultural land assistance programs designed to repair agricultural and forest land following a natural disaster and potentially mitigate future risk. It presents background on the programs--purpose, activities, authority, eligibility requirements, and authorized program funding levels, as well as current congressional issues.
- Agriculture in the WTO Bali Ministerial Agreement
- At the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) Ninth Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia, December 3-7, 2013, ministers adopted the so-called Bali Package--a series of decisions aimed at streamlining trade (referred to as trade facilitation), allowing developing countries more options for providing food security, boosting least-developed-country trade, and helping development more generally. This report focuses on those aspects of the Bali Package that deal with and are specific to agriculture. It also includes a section (at the end of the report) that provides an update on the status of implementation of the various Bali Package provisions agreed to by the WTO.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations
- This report discusses various policy aspects of the Agriculture appropriations bill for FY2015, which funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), except for the Forest Service.
- The Farm Safety Net: In Brief
- This report discusses the 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. The programs are collectively called the farm safety net.
- Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on Domestic Support
- This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy. The report discusses a key question that policy makers ask of virtually every new farm proposal is, how will it affect U.S. commitments under the WTO? The answer depends not only on cost, but also on the proposal's design and objectives, as described below.
- Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: EPA’s Air Compliance Agreement
- This report discusses a plan announced by EPA in January 2005, called the Air Compliance Agreement, that would produce air quality monitoring data on animal agriculture emissions from a small number of farms, while at the same time protecting all participants (including farms where no monitoring takes place) through a “safe harbor” from liability under certain provisions of federal environmental laws.
- What Is the Farm Bill?
- This report describes the Farm Bill (P.L. 110-246, Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, which was enacted into law on June 18, 2008.
- Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Specialty Crops: Selected Farm Bill and Federal Programs
- No Description Available.
- Environmental Regulation and Agriculture
- This report provides the background, status, and issues related to selected environmental regulations or initiatives possibly affecting agriculture that have drawn attention in and beyond Congress.
- Conservation Compliance and U.S. Farm Policy
- This report discusses various provisions designed to reduce production and conserve soil and water resources. Many of the provisions remain in effect today, including the two compliance provisions--highly erodible land conservation (sodbuster) and wetland conservation (swampbuster).
- Programs Without a Budget Baseline at the End of the 2008 Farm Bill
- This report discusses the 2008 farm bill (the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, P.L. 110-246), which provided mandatory funding for many programs. Some of these programs had budget baseline beyond the end of the farm bill in FY2012, while others did not.
- What Is the Farm Bill?
- This report discusses the farm bill, which is an omnibus, multi-year piece of authorizing legislation that governs an array of agricultural and food programs.
- Farm Commodity Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79)
- This report describes the farm commodity programs in Title I of the 2014 farm bill for "covered commodities" such as wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, and peanuts. Producer support is provided for the 2014-2018 crop years primarily through either statutory ("reference") prices or historical revenue guarantees based on the five most recent years of crop prices and yields.
- The 2014 Farm Bill (Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79)
- This report briefly informs the reader about what the Farm Bill of 2014 is, what is at stake, and the cost of it. The report also includes information about the involvement of interest groups and the effect the Farm Bill has on food issues.
- What Is the Farm Bill?
- This report describes the Farm Bill (P.L. 110-246, Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008), which was enacted into law on June 18, 2008.