Agricultural Export Provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
June 26, 2008 |
| Report Number |
RS22905 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Charles E. Hanrahan, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Agricultural exports, which are forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reach $108.5 billion in 2009, are an important source of employment, income, and purchasing power in the U.S. economy. Programs that deal with U.S. agricultural exports are a major focus of Title III, the trade title, in the new omnibus farm bill, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-246, H.R. 6124). The enacted farm bill repeals the major U.S. export subsidy program, and reauthorizes and changes a number of programs that assist with financing U.S. agricultural exports or that help develop markets overseas. Changes include modifying export credit guarantee programs to conform with U.S. commitments in the World Trade Organization (WTO), making organic products eligible for export market development programs, and increasing the funds available to address sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to U.S. specialty crop exports.
International food aid programs are the other major focus of the farm bill trade title. For a discussion of farm bill changes in food aid programs, see CRS Report RS22900, International Food Aid Provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill.
