Transcript Principles of Public Policy Education

You Make the Call:
To Subsidize or Not?
U.S. Farm Policy: 2007 Farm Bill Debate
Dr. Mark A. Edelman, Director
Community Vitality Center
Professor of Economics and Extension Economist
Iowa State University
Leadership Iowa Farm Bill Panel
December 6, 2007
How Public Policy Problems are Different
 Key
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Differences:
Group Rather than Individual Decisions
People Have Different Circumstances
People Hold Different Values on What Should Be
People Differ in Goals and Objectives
 Conflicting
Views on What Ought to be Done
Advocate vs Educator
 An Advocate
believes they have the best
solution to a problem, tries to convince
others, and encourages others to support
their cause in the political process.
 An
Educator enhances learning and
understanding, assists others in making
their own decisions, and facilitates
participation in the process
Science Can’t Always Solve Problems
 Science solves problems when
 Single objective and relatively few goals
 Objective is clearly revealed and measurable
 Everyone in group agrees with objective & goals
 Public Policy Issues have
 Multiple objectives and goals
 Objectives that are unknown or not revealed
 Differing value judgments on what should be done
 Science
is only a decision tool
Role of Public Policy Educators
in a Democracy

Present Facts
(evidence of what exists)
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Destroy Myths
(incorrect notions that people believe are facts)
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Allow citizens & leaders to apply their own values
Facilitate understanding of areas of agreement &
differences
Facilitate participation in process
Edelman’s Top 10
1.
Farm Bills are temporary extensions of
1940s era permanent farm law
2.
Farm Bills are the way they are because
they are written by the Ag Committees
Who Sits on the Ag Committees?
Senate Members - 21
House Members - 46
North Central - 11
North Central - 18
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IA, ND, MI, NE, OH, MN
IN, KS, MN, SD, IA
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South - 5
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AR, GA, MS, KY, SC
South - 19
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Northeast - 2
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VT, PA
West - 3
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MT,CO, ID
MN, IA, SD, IN, KS, OH, MN, WI, ND,
IN
KS, IL, MO, IA, NE, OH, NE, MI
NC, NC, GA, GA, TX, TN, GA, TX, FL
VA, AL, OK, NC, AL, AL, TX, LA, NC,
TX
Northeast - 3
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PA, NY, NY
West - 6
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CA, CA, CA, CO
CO, CA
Edelman’s Top 10
3. The Farm Bill coalition has changed over
time:
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Farm Bloc in 1930s
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Food programs added in 60s
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Environment & Rural Development in 70s
4. About 75% of Farm Bill spending is food
programs
Edelman’s Top 10
5. Farm Bill spending has increased as farm
numbers have declined.
 Some suggest less farmers less clout
 Others: fewer farmers easier to organize
6. Market oriented system with a safety net and
increasing incentives for multifunctional objectives
 Environment & water quality
 Renewable Energy
Edelman’s Top 10
7. U.S. Food & Ag System is one of few remaining
industries where dispersed family operations sell
into a much more concentrated processing and
distribution system that also relies on international
markets where significant protectionism has
existed since prior to WWII.
8. Iowa relies more on Ag’s contribution to the state’s
economy than almost all other states except
perhaps the Dakotas

25% of Iowa GDP
Edelman’s Top 10
U.S. Farm Safety Net provides $2 billion injection into
Iowa’s economy when times are bad.
9.
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No other state benefits more: 4-5% of GDP
So question is What to do with Budget Baseline if it does not go to
Farm Supports?
If $2 doesn’t come to Iowa, where will it go?
Do we elect Iowa Delegation to keep score?
Maybe the Iowa debate is not whether or not there ought
to be farm subsidies, but what form should the safety net
be to achieve multiple farm and nonfarm objectives.
10.
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Start with Farmer Preferences
Knowing Farm Bill Processes

Troika (3 horse hitch)
 Interest Groups (Ag, Environment, Food, & Rural Dev)
 Executive Agencies
 Congressional Committees
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Legislative Process
 Leadership Control (Majority Rules)
 Content Control (Authorization and Oversight)
 Budget Control (Appropriations)
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Best Practices for Communication & Building
Relationships
The Farm Bill Legislative Process
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Administration Hearings and Proposals
Ag & Ag Approps Committee Assignments (Leadership)
Budget Targets and Appropriations (Budget)
House & Senate Ag Committees (Authorization)
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Conference Committee to Iron out Differences
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Subcommittee Hearings & Proposals
Markup to Committee Proposal
Floor Debate
Passage by Both Houses
Concurrence by Both Houses
Presidential Signature or Veto
Funds Available
Senate Target:
 Tax Revenues for increasing targets Baseline
 Revenue Insurance Pilot versus Disaster
Assistance
 Number of Amendments
House Target:
 $15 billion over 5 years above Baseline
CVC Web Site: www.cvcia.org
2007 Farm Bill Issues and Resources
 Iowa Farmer Preferences on 2007 Farm Bill Issues (PDF file)
 The 2007 Farm Bill: U.S. Producer Preferences, 2006
 USDA 2007 Farm Bill Page
 Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
 House Agriculture Committee
Policy Centers specializing in Farm Bill Issues Analysis
 CARD (Iowa State University)
 Agriculture and Food Policy Center (Texas A&M)
 Agricultural Policy Analysis Center (University of Tennessee)
 Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (Missouri)
 Rural Policy Research Institute (Missouri)
 Farm Foundation (Chicago)
Extension Public Policy Education Principles
 Public Policy Education by Richard Barrows (PDF file)