Agricultural policy reform has become a very hot topic. Over the next couple of years we will see the funding for these programs being hotly debated. The thesis of this book is that a better-informed public is essential to bring rationality to farm policy. This book provides telling evidence that markets work, that competent commercial farmers will earn returns on their resources as high as those earned elsewhere in the absence of income transfer to farmers.Content:Chapter 1 Farm Commodity Programs: Essential Safety Net or Corporate Welfare? (pages 1–34): Luther TweetenChapter 2 Agricultural Policy: Pre? and Post?Fair Act Comparisons (pages 35–54): Bruce L. GardnerChapter 3 The Content of Farm Policy in the 21st Century (pages 55–69): David OrdenChapter 4 An Empirical Analysis of the Farm Problem: Comparability in Rates of Return (pages 70–90): Jeffrey W. Hopkins and Mitchell MorehartChapter 5 Income Variability of U.S. Crop Farms and Public Policy (pages 91–108): Carl R. ZulaufChapter 6 Crop Insurance: Inherent Problems and Innovative Solutions (pages 109–126): Shiva S. MakkiChapter 7 Impact of Agribusiness Market Power on Farmers (pages 127–145): Suresh Persaud and Luther TweetenChapter 8 Do Farmers Receive Huge Rents for Small Lobbying Efforts? (pages 146–159): David S. Bullock and Jay S. CogginsChapter 9 Coalitions and Competitiveness: Why has the Sugar Program Been Resilient? (pages 160–183): Charles B. Moss and Andrew SchrnitzChapter 10 Farmland is Not Just for Farming Any More: The Policy Trends (pages 184–203): Lawrence W. LibbyChapter 11 Kuznets Curves for Environmental Degradation and Resource Depletion (pages 204–230): Aref A. Hervani and Luther TweetenChapter 12 Food Security, Trade, and Agricultural Commodity Policy (pages 231–244): Daniel A. SumnerChapter 13 Competing Paradigms in the OECD and Their Impact on the WTO Agricultural Talks (pages 245–264): Tim JoslingChapter 14 The Changing Economics of Agriculture and the Environment (pages 265–285): David E. Ervin and Frank CaseyChapter 15 Rational Policy Processes for a Pluralistic World (pages 286–301): Alan Randall