Overview

At the intersection of the growing national conversation about our food system and the long-running debate about our government's role in society is the complex farm bill. American farm policy, built on a political coalition of related interests with competing and conflicting demands, has proven incredibly resilient despite development and growth. In The Fault Lines of Farm Policy Jonathan Coppess analyzes the legislative and political history of the farm bill, including the evolution of congressional politics for farm policy. Disputes among the South, the Great Plains, and the Midwest form the primordial fault line that has defined the debate throughout farm policy's history. Because these regions formed the original farm coalition and have played the predominant roles throughout, this study concentrates on the three major commodities produced in these regions: cotton, wheat, and corn. Coppess examines policy development by the political and congressional interests representing these commodities, including basic drivers such as coalition building, external and internal pressures on the coalition and its fault lines, and the impact of commodity prices. This exploration of the political fault lines provides perspectives for future policy discussions and more effective policy outcomes.

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9781496205124

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Reviews

A prolific contributor to today's farm policy dialogue, Jonathan Coppess draws on legal expertise, legislative experience, political observations, and economic analysis to provide substantial insights about the forces that have driven eighty years of policy decisions. -David Orden, director of Global Issues Initiative of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment at Virginia Tech Research Center -- David Orden Jonathan Coppess's understanding of farm policy since 1990 is especially impressive, and his ability to root this discussion in a larger historical context makes this book a first-rate work of scholarship. The Fault Lines of Farm Policy will be a major contribution to the literature on farm policy and on congressional behavior and the legislative process. -David Hamilton, author of From New Day to New Deal: American Farm Policy from Hoover to Roosevelt, 1928-1933 -- David Hamilton Jonathan Coppess brings his experience and expertise to bear on the challenges faced in crafting a farm bill. The historical perspective of this work will help inform the upcoming debate on the next farm bill and allow policy makers the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the past. -Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (2009-16) and president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council -- Tom Vilsack

Author Information

Jonathan Coppess is a clinical assistant professor of law and policy in the department of agricultural and consumer economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He previously served as chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, as well as administrator and deputy administrator for farm programs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency in Washington DC.    

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