Description
Book SynopsisAt the intersection of the growing national conversation about our food system and the long-running debate about the US government's role in society is the complex farm bill. In The Fault Lines of Farm Policy Jonathan Coppess analyses the legislative and political history of the farm bill, including the evolution of congressional politics for farm policy.
Trade Review"Without question, Coppess instills in readers the importance of reflecting on the origins and evolution of the farm policy before, during, and after embarking on future farm policy-making processes."—Sheila Fleischhacker,
Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development"
The Fault Lines of Farm Policy is a briskly paced and informative account of the process of making farm legislation."—J. L. Anderson,
South Dakota History“Jonathan Coppess brings his experience and expertise to bear on the challenges faced in crafting a farm bill. The historical perspective of this work will give policy makers the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the past.”—Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (2009–16) and president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council
“Jonathan Coppess’s understanding of farm policy since 1990 is especially impressive, and his ability to root this discussion in a larger historical context makes this book a first-rate work of scholarship.
The Fault Lines of Farm Policy will be a major contribution to the literature on farm policy and on congressional behavior and the legislative process.”—David Hamilton, author of
From New Day to New Deal: American Farm Policy from Hoover to Roosevelt, 1928–1933“A prolific contributor to today’s farm policy dialogue, Jonathan Coppess draws on legal expertise, legislative experience, political observations, and economic analysis to provide substantial insights about the forces that have driven eighty years of policy decisions.”—David Orden, director of the Global Issues Initiative of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment at Virginia Tech Research Center
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Fault Lines and Farm Policy
1. The Origins of Farm Policy, 1909–1933
2. Adjusting to the New Deal and War, 1933–1945
3. Transition and Turbulence after War, 1945–1949
4. A Surplus of Problems and Disagreement, 1950–1969
5. The Commodity “Roller Coaster” and the Crash, 1970–1989
6. Revolution and Reform Launch the Modern Era, 1990–1999
7. Cotton, Ethanol, and Risk Management Form the Modern Era, 2000–2010
8. Old Fights Plague the Agricultural Act of 2014, 2011–2014
9. Trying to Reason with the Fault Lines
Appendix 1: Graphs and Charts
Appendix 2: Bills and Terms
Notes
Bibliography
Index
