For most of the past 50 years federal legislation has been an integral part of American agriculture's economic structure. Government farm policy was traditionally intended to lend stability to an erratic agricultural and rural economy.
Criticism of past programs has come from farm and
non-farm sectors alike. Taxpayers didn't like paying farmers for not
producing crops. Corporate and industrial interests wanted maximum
production because it meant more food on the market and greater use of
fuel, chemicals, fertilizers and equipment. Historically, full
production has resulted in commodity surpluses, which produce very low
prices and waste natural resources. Farmers have been critical of past
programs for being overly comp licated, restrictive and favoring large
farms.
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