50 Years Of Ag

President's Influence On Ag Policy

RANDY P. KROTZ

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Over the past 50 years, U.S. presidents have shaped agricultural policy, ensuring the sector's growth, sustainability, and global competitiveness. In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon's administration introduced price supports and food assistance programs that expanded the agricultural safety net. Nixon's Secretary of Agriculture, Earl Butz, an Indiana native, famously encouraged farmers to "get big or get out," promoting large-scale production and export-oriented agriculture.

In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan's policies focused on reducing government intervention and cutting agricultural subsidies, aligning with his broader deregulatory agenda. While this era saw market liberalization, farmers faced volatility, prompting the need for more robust farm credit systems and disaster relief programs during the farm crisis of the mid-1980s.

Under President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, the North America Free Trade Agreement and the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act of 1996 significantly altered trade and agricultural subsidies, shifting toward market-driven policies. However, environmental sustainability also gained attention, with many policies encouraging conservation.

The early 2000s saw a renewed focus on food security and biofuels under President George W. Bush. His administration expanded support for ethanol and other biofuel industries, linking agriculture to energy policy. President Obama continued this trend by promoting renewable energy sources and pushing for more robust environmental conservation measures through the 2014 Farm Bill, which aimed to streamline farm subsidies while bolstering crop insurance programs.

More recently, under President Donald Trump, U.S. agricultural policy emphasized trade, focusing on renegotiating trade deals like NAFTA (revised as the USMCA) and addressing trade imbalances with China, which heavily impacted U.S. farmers. The Biden administration has emphasized climate-smart agriculture, sustainability, and increasing access to global markets while supporting traditional farm safety nets.

Throughout these five decades, presidential support has continuously evolved, balancing economic interests, environmental concerns, and international trade priorities to sustain American agriculture. Success has varied for each President, often depending on the leanings of Congress.  ∆

RANDY P. KROTZ: CEO, AgWiki Inc.