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“Disappointing” is one way to look at the farm bill extension; it threw away years worth of work by trade groups, industry figures and lawmakers in attempting to reform the 2008 farm policy, and instead opted to simply extend it.
For instance, the ARC (Agricultural Risk Coverage) program, a key highlight from the Senate version of the farm bill, would have subsidized producers based on both need and actual production history, as opposed to arbitrarily each year. In the final bill, it was replaced instead with direct payments. Iowa Corn Growers Association’s Senior Policy Advisor Amanda Taylor explains.
