ABSTRACT
The two central topics that this chapter investigates are (1) the criteria upon which alternative proposals for agricultural policy may be judged and (2) the examination, comparison, and ranking of several alternatives to the present system of farm programs. The analysis of the goals and means of governmental intervention must necessarily begin with an understanding of the underlying problems that policies are designed to solve or mitigate (McCalla, 1984). The choice between policies, whether based on social ideals or political considerations, is a subjective matter of importance but one left too often unattended by agricultural economists.
