1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov February 17, 2022Farm Bill Primer: What Is the Farm Bill?The farm bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food i
2、ssues. In addition to developing and enacting farm legislation, Congress is involved in overseeing its implementation. The farm bill typically is renewed about every five years. Since the 1930s, Congress has enacted 18 farm bills. Without reauthorization, some farm bill programs would expire, such a
3、s the nutrition assistance and the commodity support programs. The farm bill also suspends permanent law for certain farm commodities. Without suspension, long-abandonedand potentially costlysupply control and price regimes dating back to the 1940s would activate. Other programs have permanent autho
4、rity and do not need reauthorization (e.g., crop insurance) but might be included in a farm bill to make policy changes or achieve budgetary goals. The farm bill also extends authorizations of discretionary programs. Farm bills traditionally have focused on farm commodity program support for a handf
