[20020426]RS21138_农产品支付限额：标书比较.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21138Updated April 26, 2002Farm Commodity Payment Limits:Comparison of ProposalsJasper WomachAgriculture Policy SpecialistResources, Science, and Industry DivisionSummaryGreater public awareness of the size of commodity program payments reaching acomparatively small number of very large farms has focused the attention of Congresson payment limits. Limits on commodity program payments have been imposed since1970. As part of the emergency economic assistance packages enacted each of the pastthree years, the payment limits have been doubled. In addition, a mechanism has beendeveloped that allows farms to circumvent the limit on loan deficiency payments, namelycommodity certificates.The House farm bill (H.R. 2646) largely preserves payment limits at the increasedlevels recently approved, including the exemption of commodity certificates. In contrast,the bill adopted by the Senate (S. 1731), including an amendment sponsored by SenatorsDorgan and Grassley, reduces the limits about 50% and eliminates the commoditycertificate exemption. Translating the dollar limits into cr