ABSTRACT
Planting flexibility on base acres was allowed in subsequent legislation, with the idea that farmers would respond to the market in their plantings and reduce surpluses. The call for a different approach to federal commodity programs was stimulated by commodity surpluses of the mid-twentieth century, international trade issues, government deficits, farm crises, and environmental concerns. In addition to required Acreage Reduction Program acres, planting flexibility provisions of the 1985 farm bill allowed producers to set aside all of their feed grains and wheat acres in a 0/92 program and part of their cotton and rice base acres in a 50/92 program. In order to help farmers with cash flow problems, advances on commodity program payments were authorized in the 1985 Act. Ad hoc assistance has varied from the provision of supplemental and direct payments to low-interest loans. The 1985 farm bill can be considered a turning point in farm programs in that base building was halted.
