Beyond the 2002 Farm Bill

Few things in life are inevitable. The agriculture we have depends on the choices we make today. We have at least three choices, each with dramatically different effects on Iowa agriculture."

"We think the current approach of putting all our resources into producing cheap, bulk commodities while keeping alive the fiction of supporting 'family' farms is the worst of the three options. It is cruel and it gives farmers false hope. It leads them to believe that if they just hang in there a little longer, things will get better."

"[Another] approach would be to decide that we want more than just cheap, bulk commodities from agriculture. Instead of expecting only food, feed and fiber from farming, we could broaden our expectations. Farming could be called upon to help create energy, medicines and industrial products. Most importantly, farming could be thought of as providing a service, not just a product."

A new Leopold Center paper, "Iowa Agriculture: Beyond 2002," looks at three approaches to the farm bill and the impact on Iowans. The paper was written by Associate Director Mike Duffy and Director Fred Kirschenmann. Portions were published Feb. 9 as a guest editorial in the newspaper, Iowa Farmer Today.

It is posted on the web, http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/iowaag/iowaag.htm, or can be requested by calling the Leopold Center at (515) 294-3711.