ERS Farm Bill-Related Research

The core research and data program of the Economic Research Service covers the breadth of USDA programs touched by the Farm Bill: farming, nutrition, conservation, rural development, research, and energy. Below we highlight some recent research focusing on these issues.

• Commodity Programs and Risk Management
• Conservation
• Trade and Global Food Security
• Nutrition
• Credit
• Rural Development
• Research
• Energy
• Specialty Crops
• Organic Agriculture
• Local and Regional Foods
• Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
• Some Key Supporting Data

Commodity Programs and Risk Management

• "Federal Commodity Programs Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage Address Price and Yield Risks Faced by Producers," Amber Waves, August 2018
• Federal Risk Management Tools for Agricultural Producers: An Overview , June 2018
• "The 2012-13 Drought Heightened Federal Disaster Assistance Payments for Livestock Producers," Amber Waves, May 2018
• Farmland Values, Land Ownership, and Returns to Farmland, 2000-2016 , February 2018
• Federal Natural Disaster Assistance Programs for Livestock Producers, 2008–2016 , January 2018
• The Evolving Distribution of Payments From Commodity, Conservation, and Federal Crop Insurance Programs , November 2017
• "Applications for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Program Increased After the Agricultural Act of 2014," Amber Waves, July 2017
• "Managing Agricultural Risk Under Different Scenarios: Selected 2014 Farm Act Programs," Amber Waves, February 2017
• "Historical Analysis of MPP-Dairy Suggests Limited Impact on Average Margins but Considerable Potential for Risk Reduction," Amber Waves, February 2017
• "Changes in Farmers' Financial Status May Affect Crop Insurance Demand," Amber Waves, November 2016
• "Farm Bill Income Cap for Program Payment Eligibility Affects Few Farms," Amber Waves, August 2016
• "Federal Crop Insurance Is Associated With Higher Levels of Short-Term Farm Debt," Amber Waves, October 2015
• "2014 Farm Act Shifts Crop Commodity Programs Away From Fixed Payments and Expands Program Choices," Amber Waves, July 2014
• The Effects of Premium Subsidies on Demand for Crop Insurance , July 2014
• Changing Farm Structure and the Distribution of Farm Payments and Federal Crop Insurance , February 2012
• Identifying Overlap in the Farm Safety Net , November 2011
• An Analysis of the Limited Base Acre Provision of the 2008 Farm Act , October 2011
• Alternatives to a State-Based ACRE Program: Expected Payments Under a National, Crop District, or County Base , September 2011
• Fruit and Vegetable Planting Restrictions: Analyzing the Processing Cucumber Market , February 2011

Conservation

• "The Effect of Conservation Payments on Farmer Adoption Varies Across Conservation Practices," Amber Waves, May 2018
• "Cost-Effective Strategies for Reducing Cropland Nutrient Deliveries to the Gulf of Mexico," Amber Waves, September 2018
• Tillage Intensity and Conservation Cropping in the United States , September 2018
• "Study Finds Crop Insurance Has Small Effect on Environmental Quality," Amber Waves, September 2017
• "Gathering Experimental Evidence To Improve the Design of Agricultural Programs," Amber Waves, August 2017
• "Conservation Compliance in the Crop Insurance Era," Amber Waves, July 2017
• "Options for Improving Conservation Programs: Insights From Auction Theory and Economic Experiments," Amber Waves, February 2015
• "Additionality in Agricultural Conservation Programs," Amber Waves, September 2014
• Options for Improving Conservation Programs: Insights from Auction Theory and Economic Experiments , January 2015
• An Economic Assessment of Policy Options To Reduce Agricultural Pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay , June 2014
• "2014 Farm Act Continues Most Previous Trends in Conservation," Amber Waves, May 2014
• The Role of Conservation Programs in Drought Risk Adaptation , April 2013
• Water Conservation in Irrigated Agriculture: Trends and Challenges in the Face of Emerging Demands , September 2012
• Baselines in Environmental Markets: Tradeoffs Between Cost and Additionality , February 2012
• Nitrogen in Agricultural Systems: Implications for Conservation Policy , September 2011
• Grassland to Cropland Conversion in the Northern Plains: The Role of Crop Insurance, Commodity, and Disaster Programs , June 2011
• The Influence of Rising Commodity Prices on the Conservation Reserve Program , February 2011

Trade and Global Food Security

• "Progress and Challenges in Global Food Security," Amber Waves, February 2018
• "World Agricultural Trade Experiences Sizable Growth but Still Faces Barriers," Amber Waves, February 2018
• "U.S. Agricultural Trade in 2016: Major Commodities and Trends," Amber Waves, May 2017
• "International Food Security Assessment: Past Progress and Prospects to 2025," Amber Waves, October 2015
• "International Food Security Expected to Improve, but Regional Differences Persist," Amber Waves, November 2018
• "Reduced Exports to China in Fiscal Year 2019 May Drive U.S. Agricultural Trade Balance to Lowest Level Since 2007," Amber Waves, December 2018
• Global Macroeconomic Developments Drive Downturn in U.S. Agricultural Exports , July 2016
• "Increased Demand for U.S. Agricultural Exports Would Likely Lead to More U.S. Jobs," Amber Waves, June 2017
• "U.S. – Cuba Agricultural Trade: Past, Present, and Possible Future," Amber Waves, August 2015
• "Rice Imports Help Alleviate Haiti's Food Needs," Amber Waves, February 2016
• "Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade: How Much Do They Impact U.S.-E.U. Trade?" Amber Waves, August 2016
• "South Africa Resumes Imports of U.S. Chicken Following 15 Years of Anti-Dumping Duties," Amber Waves, March 2017
• "Sub-Saharan Africa's Food Security Situation Varies by Region," Amber Waves, September 2018
• "Productivity Impacts on Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa," Amber Waves, August 2014
• "Measuring Access to Food in Tanzania: A Food Basket Approach," Amber Waves, March 2015

Nutrition

• Participation in USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Effect of Local Labor Market Conditions in Oregon , September 2018
• Household Food Security in the United States in 2017 , September 2018
• "Participation in SNAP Varies Across States But Is Generally Decreasing," Amber Waves, September 2018
• "Number of People Participating in USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Continues To Fall," Amber Waves, April 2018
• The Food Assistance Landscape: FY 2017 Annual Report , March 2018
• "Distance to Grocery Stores and Vehicle Access Influence Food Spending by Low-Income Households at Convenience Stores," Amber Waves, March 2018
• "Supermarkets, Schools, and Social Gatherings: Where Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Other U.S. Households Acquire Their Foods Correlates With Nutritional Quality," Amber Waves, February 2018
• "ERS's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Policy Index Captures State Differences in Program Administration," Amber Waves, February 2018
• "Eligibility Requirements for SNAP Retailers: Balancing Access, Nutrition, and Integrity," Amber Waves, January 2018
• Design Issues in USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Looking Ahead by Looking Back , January 2018
• "Low-Income Areas With Low Supermarket Access Increased in Urban Areas, But Not in Rural Areas, Between 2010 and 2015," Amber Waves, April 2017
• "Illuminating SNAP Performance Using the Power of Administrative Data," Amber Waves, November 2016
• "Restricting Sugar-Sweetened Beverages From SNAP Purchases Not Likely To Lower Consumption," Amber Waves, March 2015
• Household Food Security in the United States in 2013 , September 2014
• "2014 Farm Act Maintains SNAP Eligibility Guidelines and Funds New Initiatives," Amber Waves, July 2014
• Participation in SNAP and Unemployment Insurance: How Tight Are the Strands of the Recessionary Safety Net? , November 2013
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Access at the State and County Levels: Evidence From Texas SNAP Administrative Records and the American Community Survey , September 2013
• Effects of the Decline in the Real Value of SNAP Benefits From 2009 to 2011 , August 2013
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participation Leads to Modest Changes in Diet Quality , April 2013
• Food Insecurity Among Households With Working-Age Adults With Disabilities , January 2013
• Food Security Improved Following the 2009 ARRA Increase in SNAP Benefits , April 2011

Credit

• "Current Indicators of Farm Sector Financial Health," Amber Waves, July 2018
• "Trends in Farm Sector Debt Vary by Type of Debt and Lender," Amber Waves, July 2016
• "Farm Businesses Well-Positioned Financially, Despite Rising Debt," Amber Waves, April 2014
• "Federal Crop Insurance is Associated with Higher Levels of Short-Term Farm Debt," Amber Waves, October 2015
• "Digging into the U.S. Farm Balance Sheet," Tableau data visualization, November 2018 

Rural Development

• "Impacts of the Value-Added Producer Grant Program on Business Outcomes," Amber Waves, May 2018
• "Small Business Loans and Rural Business Growth," Amber Waves, February 2018
• Rural America at a Glance, 2017 Edition , November 2017
• "Veterans Are Positioned To Contribute Economically to Rural Communities," Amber Waves, September 2017
• Rural Manufacturing at a Glance, 2017 Edition , August 2017
• Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms: Family Farm Report, 2014 Edition , December 2014
• Rural America at a Glance, 2014 Edition , November 2014
• Rural Employment Trends in Recession and Recovery , August 2014
• Emerging Energy Industries and Rural Growth , November 2013
• Rural Veterans at a Glance , November 2013
• Farm Activities Associated With Rural Development Initiatives , May 2012
• Impacts of Regional Approaches to Rural Development: Initial Evidence on the Delta Regional Authority , June 2011

Research 

• "Agricultural Research in High-Income Countries Faces New Challenges as Public Funding Stalls," Amber Waves, May 2018
• "Agricultural Productivity Growth in the United States: 1948-2015," Amber Waves, March 2018 
• "U.S. Agricultural R&D in an Era of Falling Public Funding," Amber Waves, November 2016 
• "Productivity Growth Is Still the Major Driver in Growing U.S. Agricultural Output," Amber Waves, September 2016  
• "U.S. Agricultural Productivity Growth: The Past, Challenges, and the Future," Amber Waves, September 2015  
• "Public Agricultural Research Investment Helps Determine Productivity Growth," Amber Waves, March 2012
• "Rising Concentration in Agricultural Input Industries Influences New Farm Technologies," Amber Waves, December 2012
• The Complementary Roles of the Public and Private Sectors in U.S. Agricultural Research and Development , September 2012
• Research Investments and Market Structure in the Food Processing, Agricultural Input, and Biofuel Industries Worldwide , December 2011

Energy

• Agriculture's Supply and Demand for Energy and Energy Products , May 2013
• "Long-Term Prospects for Agriculture Reflect Growing Demand for Food, Fiber, and Fuel," Amber Waves, September 2012
• "Ethanol Strengthens the Link Between Agriculture and Energy Markets," Amber Waves, June 2012

Specialty Crops

• USDA School Meal Programs: How and Why the Cost of Food Purchases Varies Across Locales , November 2018
• "New Survey Results Highlight Variation in Food Safety Practices Prior to the Produce Rule," Amber Waves, August 2018
• "Impacts of Value-Added Producer Grant Program on Business Outcomes," Amber Waves, May 2018
• "Shopping at Farmer’s Markets and Roadside Stands Increases Fruit and Vegetable Demand," Amber Waves, March 2018
• "U.S. Agricultural Trade in 2016: Major Commodities and Trends," Amber Waves, May 2017
• "Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade: How Much Do They Impact U.S.-E.U. Trade?," Amber Waves, August 2016

Organic Agriculture

• "Growing Organic Demand Provides High-Value Opportunities for Many Types of Producers," Amber Waves, February 2017
• "Support for the Organic Sector Expands in the 2014 Farm Act," Amber Waves, July 2014
• "Growth Patterns in the U.S. Organic Industry," Amber Waves, October 2013
• "Who Is Adopting Organic Farming Practices?" Amber Waves, October 2013

Local and Regional Foods

• "Shopping at Farmers' Markets and Roadside Stands Increases Fruit and Vegetable Demand," Amber Waves, March 2018
• "School Districts in the Northeast Are Most Likely To Serve Local Foods on a Daily Basis," Amber Waves, May 2017
• "Local Foods and Farm Business Survival and Growth," Amber Waves, March 2016 
• "Many U.S. School Districts Serve Local Foods," Amber Waves, March 2015
• "The Size and Scope of Locally Marketed Food Production," Amber Waves, February 2015
• Trends in U.S. Local and Regional Food Systems: A Report to Congress , January 2015
• Direct and Intermediated Marketing of Local Foods in the United States , November 2011
• Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues , May 2010

Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

• "For Beginning Farmers, Business Survival Rates Increase With Scale and With Direct Sales to Consumers," Amber Waves, September 2016
• "Beginning Farmers and Ranchers and the Agricultural Act of 2014," Amber Waves, June 2014
• Working the Land With 10 Acres: Small Acreage Farming in the United States , April 2014
• Beginning Farmers and Ranchers at a Glance , January 2013

Some Key Supporting Data

• Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS): An annual survey of farm and ranch operators that provides a direct linkage between commodity production practices, farm financial performance, and the farm household.
• Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America: Provides county-level mapping for over 60 economic and demographic indicators.
• Food Environment Atlas: Assembles county-level food environment indicators to provide a spatial overview of a community's ability to access healthy food. 
• Food Access Research Atlas: Measures access to affordable, nutritious food by census tract using indicators such as distance to grocery stores and vehicle availability.
• Maps and State Rankings of Major Land Uses, 2012: Provides State-by-State data on area of cropland, grassland, forest, urban, and other land use categories.
• Visualizing U.S. Farmland Ownership, Tenure, and Transition: Details about agricultural land tenure, ownership, and transition for 25 States, 6 regions, and the contiguous U.S.