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Passage of the Agriculture Adjustment Act
President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) as part of the New Deal in 1933. The AAA aimed to restore commodity prices to reasonable levels by offering subsidies to farmers for decreasing their production of certain crops. -
The Agricultural Adjustment Act declared unconstitutional
In the United States v. Butler trial, the Supreme Court declared the AAA unconstitutional because it overstepped the bounds of what the federal government is allowed to regulate. The Court argues that the regulation of crop production is a problem that should be handled by the individual states. -
Passage of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act
The Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act gave grants of money to farmers who provided evidence of good land use and soil preservation. For instance, farmers who shifted from surplus crops like corn and cotton to needed crops like legumes (which are also not as harsh to the soil) would be rewarded. -
Passage of the AAA of 1938
The AAA of 1938 put both price supports and marketing quotas in place for corn, cotton, and wheat in order to ensure both sufficient supply and sufficient prices for these commodities. -
Note on the AAA of 1938
The AAA of 1938 is a piece of permanent legislation. This means that while more recent legislation may override the provisions in the AAA of 1938, if that modern legislation expires or is repealed then the AAA of 1938 will once again be active. -
The Food Stamp Program is made permanent
The food stamp program (later renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is made permanent by the signing of the Food Stamp Act. This program will prove to be a substantial part of the Farm Bill for many years to come. -
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) for nutrition assistance is adopted nationally
EBT and the rest of the nutrition assistance program in the US not only help those in need get food but also help the food and agriculture sector to succeed by circulating money and resources more freely. -
Passage of the Agricultural Act of 2014
The Agricultural Act of 2014 differs from previous farm bills in that it adds new crop insurance plans, substantially changes programs for commodities, and expands the programs for up-and-coming technologies and farming techniques such as organic farming, bioenergy, and specialty crops. -
Note on the Agricultural Act of 2014
The most major change in the Agriculture Act of 2014 is that it disposes of direct payments, countercyclical payments, and the Average Crop Revenue Election program. In exchange, the act creates the Price Loss Coverage program and the Agricultural Risk Coverage program. Farmers must adapt quickly to the removal of the systems that have been in place for decades and the implementation of these new insurance programs.
