Looking back almost 100 years, the history of the farm bill largely tracks the history of food production in the U.S. as the legislation evolves to meet the needs of its modern-day constituents – farmers and consumers. Agriculture’s role in providing food security, and in turn national security, to the U.S. is more important than ever. So, what is it and why is it important?

What is the farm bill?

The farm bill refers to an authorization of mandatory and discretionary spending bills appropriated to provide assistance related to food and farms. It is a multi-year law that is primarily executed by the United States Department of Agriculture, and it governs a wide variety of agricultural and food programs. First created to help struggling farmers in the 1930s, the farm bill has expanded to be a resource to help the industry grow and thrive in an ever-evolving world. The current farm bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, is set to expire on September 30, 2023.

The farm bill provides an important consistent opportunity for policymakers to address agricultural and food issues comprehensively. It has grown over the decades to serve food and agriculture, but its roots are in farm commodity program support. These traditional support commodities include corn, cotton, wheat, soybeans, rice, dairy, peanuts and sugar. The farm bill has expanded and broadened to include nutrition assistance, conservation, research, specialty crops and bioenergy programs. Because of this, the farm bill brings together some of the most unlikely partners to advocate for a legislative package composed of provisions that would likely not survive the legislative bureaucracy as stand-alone measures.

The farm bill ensures a safe and abundant food supply, helps feed the hungry, invigorates rural communities and helps farmers take care of the environment as they continue to provide food, feed, fuel and fiber to the U.S. and the world.

Why is the farm bill important?

On the farm side, those utilizing farm bill programs value risk management tools that offer certainty and predictability. Tools like crop insurance products, marketing loans and commodity programs help producers manage through tough times in order to be able to pass the family farm on to the next generation. Families are able to put dinner on the table thanks to nutrition assistance programs. Voluntary, market-based incentives in conservation programs help provide producers with the tools and assistance needed to implement soil and water improvements. Rural communities have access to tools like broadband grants and new business loans authorized by the farm bill to help enhance economic development and attract growth.

Just as agriculture changes and adapts to meet the needs of the time, the farm bill is called upon to do the same to serve the needs of its constituents. Every five years or so, Congress passes a new farm bill to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world and ensure that critical programs continue to work for farmers and ranchers, families on a budget, and rural communities working to stay competitive.

Justin Ferguson is the Federal Affairs Coordinator at the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.