Specialty crops and the farm bill

Abstract

AbstractSpecialty crops include a myriad of diverse commodities, markets, and supply chains. In contrast to major field crops, specialty crops have historically been covered by different Farm Bill provisions and other policies, in part due to their heterogeneity. As specialty crop production and markets evolve, the applicability and efficacy of alternative policy instruments change as well. We track how Farm Bill coverage of specialty crops adjusted throughout the years in broad types of policy approaches: commodity programs, trade, nutrition, research, risk mitigation, and conservation. Looking forward, we consider how specialty crops fit with current White House priorities of economy, equity, and climate as discussions begin on a new Farm Bill.