Environmental reform of agricultural policy in 1990 and beyond: Consider the source

Abstract

The environment will be a major issue during the 1990 Farm Bill reauthorization, with environmental reform efforts directed toward strengthening the conservation provisions of the 1985 Farm Bill, and expanding into new areas of water quality and food safety. The process will differ from the 1985 Farm Bill environmental reform experience in several important ways. In 1990, the policy ideas under discussion are more sweeping, the issues are more complex and controversial scientific understanding is more ambiguous, technical capacity in the field is highly limited, and the farm policy environment is more volatile. Key environmental policy issues this year are the future size and purposes of the 1985 Conservation Reserve Program, and the strengthening of sodbuster, swampbuster and conservation compliance provisions enacted in 1985. Commodity program reforms that remove disincentives to crop rotations, and food safety issues will also top the environmental agenda. An Environmental Stewardship Program is proposed as a new approach to source reduction and pollution prevention. An ESP program might consist of 10–15 year contracts under which farmers are compensated to adopt environmentally sound practices such as crop rotations, reduced and more efficient use of agricultural chemicals, integrated pest management systems, and best management practices for water quality and food safety concerns.