USDA has released a document highlighting some of the differences between the previous farm bill and the recently passed 2014 farm bill.
Notable differences on the farm safety net provisions include:
- Direct payments are eliminated
- Farmers will now choose between Price Loss Coverage and Agricultural Risk Coverage
The new farm bill also consolidates several conservation programs and links basic conservation practices to crop insurance premium subsidies on highly erodible lands and wetlands.
Navigating some of the differences in the new farm bill might take some getting used to, but it’s much better than a seemingly never-ending fight to simply get a new farm bill passed. The 2014 farm bill isn’t perfect, but it makes necessary reforms and allow farmers to plan for the future.