Can Farm Policy Do More to Help North Carolina Farmers - And the Environment? Assessing Farmer Support for Conservation Programs in the Farm Bill
Abstract
This year, Congress is renewing our national farm policy in a piece of legislation
known as the federal Farm Bill. The most recent Farm Bill, the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002, increased funding for conservation programs, but the majority
of its dollars continue to subsidize producers of commodity crops. In North Carolina,
77 percent of farmers are not eligible for traditional subsidies, but instead produce
a wide diversity of farm products. As a result, many environmental and agricultural
groups are asking if farm policies can do more to help NC farmers get their fair share
of federal funding. This study examines conservation policy options using a survey
to gather farmer preferences for conservation provisions in the Farm Bill. Survey
results showed farmers are most concerned about energy efficiency and resources such
as soil and water on their land. The results also suggest there is a strong support
for conservation programs and that a vast majority of farmers favor financial and
technical assistance to address conservation goals. Many farmers felt that Farm Bill
programs that assisted with soil erosion prevention, protected water quality, or created
wildlife habitat would be useful in protecting or improving their farm’s resources.
I suggest that new farm policy should increase overall funding for several Farm Bill
conservation programs, especially since cost and out of pocket expenses were the most
significant barriers to implementing conservation practices. The NRCS and the Farm
Service Agency should focus on educating more farmers about conservation programs
and collaborate with farmers, extension agents, and non-profits to reach consensus
on conservation goals and develop plans that are more efficient.
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Master's projectPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/533Citation
Roberson, Tabitha Domian (2008). Can Farm Policy Do More to Help North Carolina Farmers - And the Environment? Assessing
Farmer Support for Conservation Programs in the Farm Bill. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/533.Collections
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