Food Security Act of 1985

Food Security Act of 1985
U.S. Government · Public domain · source
Name	Food Security Act of 1985
Enacted by	98th United States Congress
Effective date	December 23, 1985
Public law	Public Law 99–198
Nickname	1985 Farm Bill

Food Security Act of 1985 was a major United States federal statute enacted by the 98th United States Congress and signed into law during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. The legislation revised agricultural policy established under previous statutes such as the Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Agricultural Act of 1949, while addressing concerns raised during the 1980s farm crisis and debates involving stakeholders like the United States Department of Agriculture, the Farm Bureau, and congressional committees including the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

Background and Legislative History

The act emerged from legislative negotiations in the 98th United States Congress amid pressures from the 1980s farm crisis, the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 aftermath, and policy debates influenced by leaders such as Bob Dole, Tom Harkin, George H. W. Bush, and Tip O'Neill. Legislative drafting involved staff from the United States Department of Agriculture, counsel to the House Agriculture Committee, and advocacy by organizations including the National Farmers Union and the American Farm Bureau Federation. Congressional floor debates referenced precedents like the Food and Agriculture Act of 1965 and procedural maneuvers tied to appropriations in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985.

Key Provisions

The statute instituted a suite of measures affecting price supports, deficiency payments, marketing quotas, and conservation compliance obligations, building on frameworks found in the Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act. It mandated conservation compliance for eligibility in certain commodity support programs, introduced a new set of land retirement and wetlands protection rules, and adjusted loan rates and target prices for commodities including wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton, and rice. Legislative language referenced statutory authorities like the Commodity Credit Corporation and administrative processes overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Conservation and Environmental Programs

Key environmental innovations tied to the act included expanded Conservation Reserve Program provisions, explicit wetlands conservation restrictions, and the introduction of the Sodbuster and Swampbuster provisions that conditioned program eligibility on land-management practices. These provisions intersected with jurisprudence and policy debates involving cases and statutes associated with Environmental Protection Agency actions, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidance, and conservation groups such as the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy. Implementation engaged agencies including the Natural Resources Conservation Service and drew attention from legislators like Patrick Leahy and environmental advocates linked to the Audubon Society.

Commodity, Price Support, and Acreage Programs

The act revised commodity programs for staples including wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton, and rice by altering target prices, loan rates, and acreage set-aside rules, concepts previously adjusted under the Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act. It affected payment limitations and eligibility standards that intersected with tax policy debates involving the Internal Revenue Service and fiscal policy priorities discussed by lawmakers such as James A. Walsh and committees including the House Committee on Ways and Means. Market interventions via the Commodity Credit Corporation and rules on marketing quotas drew scrutiny from commodity groups such as the National Corn Growers Association and international trading counterparts referenced in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Impact and Criticism

The statute produced mixed assessments from agricultural economists, legal scholars, and policy analysts affiliated with institutions like American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Institution, Land Institute, and university cooperative extension services at Iowa State University, Kansas State University, and University of California, Davis. Supporters praised its conservation measures and targeted support for producers impacted by the 1980s farm crisis, citing analyses by researchers connected to the United States Department of Agriculture and the Economic Research Service. Critics from groups including the Cato Institute and environmental litigators argued about unintended consequences for wetlands, fiscal costs noted by the Congressional Budget Office, and distributional effects highlighted by advocacy organizations such as the National Family Farm Coalition and legal challenges that invoked precedents from the Supreme Court of the United States.

Implementation and Amendments

Implementation required rulemaking by the United States Department of Agriculture agencies including the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, with subsequent amendments and continuations addressed in later farm bills such as the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, and the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. Congressional oversight from the House Agriculture Committee and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry guided program adjustments, while litigation in federal courts and policy reviews by the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Research Service influenced later statutory reforms.

Category:United States federal agriculture legislation Category:1985 in American law