Farm Commodity Programs
Overview
Throughout American history the federal government has used its legislative power to promote farm policies, and commodity programs are a direct extension of those policies. Depending on how the term "farm commodity program" is defined, programs have existed since the late 1700s. From that time until the beginning of the 20th century, federal legislation developed that provided free land to anyone willing to settle and farm it, creating an independent family farm system. Although not targeted specifically at commodities, the net result was an increase in commodity production. During the mid-1800s and continuing through the 1920s, federal farm policy focused primarily on education, research, and some marketing assistance. Legislation during this period created the Cooperative Extension Service and exempted farmer cooperatives from antitrust regulation in an effort to improve farm production and marketing. This legislation helped improve farm productivity, but farm income was still unstable and often low. Read the full overview
Note: Recently added resources are posted at the top of the applicable sections.
Major Statutes
(codified in scattered sections of titles 7, 15, 16, and 21 of the U.S.C.)
Regulations
Case Law
Administrative Law Decisions
Center Research Publications
(O'Brien, 2006)
Congressional Research Service Reports
Farm Commodity Programs
Commodities
Farm Bills
Finance and Credit
Agricultural Law Bibliography
Introduction | Keyword Search | Browse Categories
Administrative Law (Federal and State Farm Programs)
Farm Policy and Legislative Analysis
Marketing Boards, Marketing Orders, Marketing Promotion, Marketing Quotas
Reference Resources
2008 Farm Bill Side-by-Side
Briefing Rooms:
Corn
Cotton
Fruit and Tree Nuts
Soybeans and Oil Crops
Sugar and Sweeteners
Wheat
Farm and Commodity Policy
ACRE
Countercyclical Payments
Dairy
Marketing Assistance Loans and Loan Deficiency Payments
Payment Limitations
What Is Meant by Decoupling?
Government Payments and the Farm Sector
Recommended Readings
Recommended Data
Publications:
Economic Aspects of Revenue-Based Commodity Support (Cooper, 2009)
Exploring Alternative Farm Definitions: Implications for Agricultural Statistics
and Program Eligibility (O'Donoghue et al., 2009)
Integrating Commodity Programs and Conservation Programs: Design Options and Outcomes (2007)
Effects of Reducing the Income Cap on Eligibility for Farm Program Payments (2007)
Cropland Concentrating Faster Where Payments are Higher (2007)
The Importance of Farm Program Payments to Farm Households (2007)
Relaxing Fruit and Vegetable Planting Restrictions (2007)
Commodity Payments, Farm Business Survival, and Farm Size Growth (2007)
Economic Brief: Growing Farm Size and Distribution of Payments (2006)
Eliminating Fruit and Vegetable Planting Restrictions: How Would Markets Be Affected? (2006)
How Do Decoupled Payments Affect Resource Allocations Within The Farm Sector? (2004)
Food and Agriculture Commodity Consumption in the United States: Looking Ahead to 2020 (2003)
Farm Payments: Decoupled Payments Increase Households' Well-Being, Not Production (2003)
Analysis of the U.S. Commodity Loan Program with Marketing Loan Provisions (2001)
Farm Bill 2002
Commodity Credit Corporation
2008 Farm Bill Homepage
Commodity Programs Homepage
Commodity Operations Subject Page
Price Support Subject Page
Price Support Initiatives
Commodity Loans
Loan Deficiency Payments
Market Loss Assistance Payment Program
Loan Rates
Price Support Reports
Laws and Regulations - Authorizing Statutes
Farm Program Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility for 2009 and Subsequent Crop, Program,
or Fiscal Years (74 FR 23) (Feb 2009)
Calculating Estimated Farm Program (FP) Payments for Use in Farm Business Plans (FBP's) (Feb 2009)
CCC Net Outlays by Commodity and Function
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (ACRE)
Fact Sheets:
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program Fruit, Vegetable, and Wild Rice Provisions (2009)
Fees and Charges Assessed by the Commodity Credit Corporation for Cotton Loans, Loan Forfeitures, and
Relocation of Collateral (2009)
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program (2008)
Peanut Marketing Assistance Loans and Loan Deficiency Program (2008)
Beneficial Interest Requirements for Marketing Assistance Loans and Loan Deficiency Payments
(Excluding Sugar) (2006)
Handbooks:
Full List of Handbooks Available
FSA Handbook for Compliance and Common Management
Common Management and Operating Provisions (1-CM, Rev. 3)
Farm Reconstitutions (2-CM, Rev. 6)
Farm, Tract, and Crop Data (3-CM, Rev. 4)
Common Land Unit (8-CM, Rev. 1)
Acreage Compliance Determinations (2-CP, Rev. 15)
Payment Reductions and Violations (4-CP, Rev. 5)
Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Provisions (6-CP, Rev. 3)
Finality Rule Equitable Relief (7-CP, Rev. 2)
Payment Limitations (1-PL, Rev. 1)
Subsidiary Files (2-PL, Rev. 1)
Web-Based Subsidiary Files (3-PL)
Payment Eligibility, Payment Limitation, and Average Adjusted Gross Income (4-PL)
FCIC Program Integrity (4-RM)
FSA Handbook for Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (1-DCP)
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (1-DCP, Rev. 1)
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program and Average Crop Revenue Election for 2009 and Subsequent Crop Years (1-DCP, Rev. 3)
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payments (2-DCP)
Direct and Counter-Cyclical Automation (2-DCP, Rev. 1)
2008 Farm Bill
Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation (HELC/WC) Compliance Provisions
Farm Bill 2008
Farm Bill
Commodity Forecasts Homepage
Reports of the Commission on the Application of Payment Limitations for Agriculture (USDA-May 2008)
Farm Bill
Exceed Income Eligibility Limits (GAO-09-67, 2009)
(GAO-10-82, 2009)