Reconciling Agricultural Pricing, Environmental, Conservation, Energy, and Structural Concerns: Discussion

Abstract

Farm legislation in 1981 is no more likely to change socio-economic or environmental issues than the legislation passed in 1977. The policy issues, with land use at the focus, may evolve during the 1980s, but farmers will have to join conservation and environmental coalitions if they want price and income policies to continue because of institutional barriers at the national level. A strong constituency to overcome these barriers will require single-issue groups to develop broader concerns which are sometimes conflicting. Government agencies will have to become more cooperative. Although the budget process should be able to reconcile conflicting policies, the basic institutional structure must change first. (DCK)