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.

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 examines the federally subsidized crop insurance program. Under this program, the federal government subsidizes about 60 percent of the premiums farmers pay for private insurance to protect them against financial losses due to drops in the value of their crops.

Philip G. Pardey of the University of Minnesota will explain why investment in R&D is so important for increasing agricultural productivity and keeping food prices low.

At a recent trade conference I was astonished to see a poster with the words "Aid not Trade." As though the two were mutually exclusive.

The US Average Crop Revenue (ACRE) program was introduced as part of the 2008 Farm Bill. ACRE was marketed as a farm revenue safety net program, but in reality ACRE payments are largely driven by decreases in agricultural commodity prices from recent levels.

Widespread public support for direct outlays to a segment of society that now tends to be relatively wealthy may be waning.