The “Farm Bill” is a compilation of many different Acts that have been passed by the United States Congress to enhance agricultural productivity and conservation on private lands. It has its beginnings in the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 (P.L. 73-10). This initial legislation was in response to the environmental catastrophe known as the Dust Bowl that occurred during the Great Depression. The legislation established agricultural policy to support the production of sustainable food and fiber and help restore confidence in agricultural markets. Periodically, the legislation is re-enacted with evolving conservation policy, addressing commodity payments such as disaster payments and price supports as well as nutrition food programs. During the last five Farm Bills, conservation programs have become increasingly significant.

The Food Security Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-198) was the first to include a conservation title that has continued to evolve and diversify the types of programs that address conservation issues primarily on private lands.  There are three central provisions for this Act:

• Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) provisions, which includes “Sodbuster” provisions associated with conservation requirements for land broken out of permanent vegetation and planted to an agricultural commodity.  HELC is also associated with the conservation compliance requirements for cropland that is actively being farmed. The intent of the HELC provisions is to address erosion problems.
  
  
• Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions, nicknamed “Swampbuster,” were enacted to reduce wetland loss.
  
  
• The Conservation Reserve Program’s (CRP) primary purpose was to rest highly erodible lands from crop production by establishing permanent cover.

Swampbuster and Sodbuster are disincentives: if participants do not comply with these provisions they could lose agricultural cost assistance benefits. CRP took the incentive approach and provided annual rental payments and cost-share to retire highly erodible lands from annual tillage operations. Though CRP originally focused on soil conversation, it has evolved to include plantings that are better suited to provide wildlife habitat.

Subsequent Farm Bills have included additional incentive-based conservation programs. The Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-624) established:

• Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands
  
  
• Stewardship Incentives Program (SIP) to further forest management stewardship.

The Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-127) established:

• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) to restore and enhance habitat for fish and wildlife.
  
  
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that addresses a large array of environmental issues, including at-risk species habitat.
  
  
• Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) to provide tools to protect agricultural lands.
  
  
• State Technical Committees (STC) to advise USDA on implementation of conservation programs.

The 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (P.L. 107-171) created:

• Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) to restore and protect grasslands.
  
  
• Conservation Security Program (CSP) to reward farmers and ranchers for conservation stewardship and to foster further conservation enhancements.

The 2008 Food, Conservation and Energy Act (P.L. 110-246) eliminated the Conservation Security Program, substantially increased conservation program funding, and established:

• Conservation Stewardship Program;
  
  
• Tax incentives for conservation easements and recovery actions for endangered species;
  
  
• Additional opportunities for including partners in the implementation of WHIP, EQIP, and CSP by establishing the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI); and
  
  
• Incentives to encourage private landowners who allow wildlife recreational access on private lands.

Once Congress authorizes a new Farm Bill, agencies decide if they must promulgate rules in the Federal Register about how the programs will be implemented. If so, public comments are solicited, reviewed, and responded to in the final rules. However, Interim Rules are often used to move forward with program delivery while comments are considered. Simultaneous with the promulgation of rules, the agencies develop national implementation policy for each program. National policy lays out the sideboards that states must use in establishing program priorities, program eligibility, conducting program sign ups, establishing cost-share or incentive rates, and other details of program delivery.

State offices of NRCS and FSA work with State Technical Committees and Local Work Groups (LWG) to further prioritize programs within their respective states. The NRCS State Conservationist can also set aside funds to address special projects or initiatives in states to emphasize species of conservation concern. 

In summary, the Farm Bill is not a single piece of legislation but a dynamic series of Acts over the past eight decades that include new programs or revise existing ones that have significant effects on the environment. In this Field Guide we use the term Farm Bill to encompass all of these Acts. Although the Farm Bill includes significant conservation programs, it is the primary vehicle for agricultural policy and programs.