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History of Farm Bills

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    Great Depression and Dust Bowl

  • Agriculture Adjustment Act (AAA)

    Agriculture Adjustment Act (AAA)

    In 1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) of 1933 into law, as part of the New Deal. The law offered farmers subsidies in exchange for limiting their production of certain crops, so that crop prices could increase. The goals of the AAA were limiting crop production, reducing stock numbers, and refinancing mortgages with terms more favorable to struggling farmers. First ever Farm Bill
  • Agricultural Act of 1938

    Agricultural Act of 1938

    The 1938 Act continued the 1935 Soil Conservation Act and the 1936 Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, two laws designed to address the ecological crisis of soil erosion. Farmers were compensated for planting soil supporting crops such as soybeans and reducing production of crops that contributed to soil erosion.
  • Agricultural Act of 1948

    The law made price support mandatory at 90 percent of parity for 1949 basic commodities.
  • Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973

    Congress enacted the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973, a four-year program designed to stimulate production to meet rising demands for food and fiber.
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    More food concern

  • Food and Agriculture Act of 1977

    It increased price and income supports and established a farmer-owned reserve for grain. It also established a new two-tiered pricing program for peanuts. Growers could produce in excess of their quota, within their acreage allotment, but would receive the higher of the two price-support levels only for the quota amount.
  • 1981 Agriculture and Food Act

    Created a title for Resource Conservation
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    Begin Conservation Focus

  • Food Security Act of 1985

    Food Security Act of 1985

    This act incentivized wetland preservation and prevention of soil erosion. It removed 45 million acres of cropland from production to control supplies of food and fiber and protect soil and water resources.
  • Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990

    This act included the Global Climate Change Prevention Act and the first forestry title.
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    1990 to 2000

  • Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002

    Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002

    The first farm bill to include an energy title.
  • 2008 Farm Bill

    2008 Farm Bill

    The Farm Bill set the agricultural program and funding priorities for the nation and covers everything from crop payments to growers to conservation programs and efforts aimed at creating more “green energy” from farm products.
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    Most Recent

  • Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018

    Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018

    Our most recent Farm Bill, signed by President Trump Dec. 20, 2018 The 2018 Farm Bill, enacted December 20, 2018, provides support, certainty, and stability to our nation's farmers, ranchers, and forest managers. There weren't many changes or updates, except it did legalize hemp production for all purposes within the parameters laid out in the statute. The bill explicitly preserved FDA's authorities over hemp products.
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    2023

    The next farm bill will be passed this year, in 2023.