{
  "id": "97-69",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "97-69",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 316335,
      "date": "1997-01-06",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T21:00:27.103941",
      "title": "The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996: An Overview",
      "summary": "This document also available in  PDF Image .\n  Faced with spring planting decisions and the prospect of having to operate farm programs under\noutdated, permanent agricultural statutes because of expiring provisions in the 1990 farm law, the\nHouse and Senate passed omnibus farm legislation in the early months of 1996. Following quick\nresolution of the House-Senate bill differences, the President signed  H.R. 2854 , the\nFederal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act, also called the 1996 farm bill, on April 4, 1966\n( P.L. 104-127 ). At the core of U.S. farm policy are federal programs that support farm income and\nsome commodity prices. The 1996 law makes substantial policy changes to many of these programs. \nIt replaces the earlier target price deficiency payment system for grains and cotton with\npredetermined and capped annual contract payments to participating producers through 2002. \nPayments are tied to overall crop history, rather than to individual crops, and no longer are linked\nto market prices. Earlier nonrecourse commodity loan and marketing loan repayment provisions are\nlargely maintained; however, the new law ends annual federal acreage reduction and strict planting\nrequirements.\n  With respect to the other federally supported farm commodities, the new law: 1) reauthorizes\nthe dairy price support program, but phases it out by the end of 1999, and requires a consolidation\nof federal milk marketing orders; and 2) extends the sugar and peanut programs for 7 years, with\nsome modifications, but keeps largely intact their broad program structures.\n  The trade title of the new law extends through FY2002 authority for the Export Enhancement\nProgram (EEP) and Market Access Program (MAP, formerly the Market Promotion Program, or\nMPP), the dairy export incentive program (DEIP), export credit guarantees, and P.L. 480 food aid\nprograms. \n  The conservation title of the new law builds on conservation initiatives enacted in 1985 and\n1990, and, in a major departure from previous policy, converts the majority of conservation spending\nto entitlements by financing them with Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds.\n  The new law also authorizes a new structure for the delivery of rural development assistance\nthat increases states' discretion over the allocation of federal rural development funds, and authorizes\nan annual transfer of $100 million from the U.S. Treasury for 3 years to establish a Fund for Rural\nAmerica. Extensions of funding authority and revisions to agricultural research programs, credit,\nand crop insurance are also in the new law.\n  The food title of the FAIR Act extends the food stamp program through FY1998 and the\ncommodity donation programs through FY2002, and authorizes funding for new community-based\nfood security projects. Major cost-reducing changes to the food stamp program, and authority for\nthe program through FY2002, are contained in the 1996 welfare bill ( P.L. 104-193 ).",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Energy Policy"
  ]
}