Many of those affected by US trade and domestic agricultural policies are among the poorest people on the planet.

In the wake of the newly-released Ryan budget proposal, AEI agricultural economist Vincent Smith discusses the implications for agricultural subsidies and explains why more budget-cutting is imperative.

A total of 15 different U.S. food and nutrition programs (FANPs) serve about one in four Americans at a current annual cost of almost $100 billion. Can the government actually improve our personal eating habits? Are these billions of dollars well-spent?

The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 introduced many of the Farm Bill provisions that remain present today, including precursors to the current food and nutrition programs (FANPs). This policy served multiple purposes, including enhanced demand for farm products to alleviate low farm income and reduce agricultural surpluses, and enhanced food security and improved nutrition for the poor.

No one knows whether there will be a 2012 farm bill, but we do know that it there is one, nutrition programs -- food stamps, school lunches, WIC, etc. -- will take up the lion’s share of farm bill funding, well in excess of $90 billion a year. But is the funding serving the neediest Americans? Find out on Thursday at AEI.

This paper explores the opportunities presented by the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to Japan to revitalize its trade policy, bolster economic growth, and increase participation in regional multilateral fora for the 21st century. Despite its strengths, Japan has continued to face problems caused by its economic, political,...

Most public discussions of the farm bill renewal process have focused on the direct domestic effects of these policies. But U.S. agricultural subsidies, regulations, and spending programs have significant impacts on global commodity markets, and have therefore come under close scrutiny by U.S. trading partners. The World Trade Organization (WTO)...