In the United States, the farm bill is the primary agricultural and food policy tool of the federal government. The comprehensive omnibus bill is passed every 5 years or so by the United States Congress and deals with both agriculture and all other affairs under the purview of the United States Department of Agriculture.
It usually amends some and suspends provisions of permanent law, reauthorizes, amends, or repeals provisions of preceding temporary agricultural acts, and puts forth new policy provisions for a limited time into the future. Beginning in 1973, farm bills have included titles on commodity programs, trade, rural development, farm credit, conservation, agricultural research, food and nutrition programs, marketing, etc.[1]
Farm bills can be highly controversial and can impact international trade, environmental preservation, food safety, and the well-being of rural communities. The agricultural subsidy programs mandated by the farm bills are the subject of intense debate both within the U.S. and internationally.
The current farm bill, known as the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, replaces the last farm bill which expired in September 2007.
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According to the Congressional Research Service, nine bills between 1965 and 2002 are "generally agreed" to be farm bills;[1] the 2008 farm bill is the tenth.
The 2002 Farm Bill has been criticised by Michael Pollan for making it economic to keep beef cattle in enclosed areas, feeding them cheap subsidised corn and antibiotics.
The latest 2008 Farm bill known as the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 increased spending to $288Bn therefore causing controversy at the time by increasing the budget deficit. It increased subsidies for biofuels which the World Bank has named as an important contributor to the 2007–2008 world food price crisis.