Advanced search    Help

Clear all search criteria

Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).

• Selected Issues Related to an Expansion of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) [December 3, 2007]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "High petroleum and gasoline prices, concerns over global climate change, and the desire to promote domestic rural economies have greatly increased interest in biofuels as an alternative to petroleum in the U.S. transportation sector. Biofuels, most notably corn ethanol, have grown significantly in the past few years as a component of U.S. motor fuel supply. Ethanol, the most commonly used biofuel, is blended in nearly half of all U.S. gasoline (at the 10% level or lower in most cases). However, current biofuel supply only represents about 4% of total gasoline demand. While recent proposals have set the goal of significantly expanding biofuel supply in the coming decades, questions remain about the ability of the U.S. biofuel industry to meet rapidly increasing demand. Current U.S. biofuel supply relies almost exclusively on ethanol produced from Midwest corn. In 2006, 20% of the U.S. corn crop was used for ethanol production. To meet some of the higher ethanol production goals would require more corn than the United States currently produces, if all of the envisioned ethanol was made from corn. Due to the concerns with significant expansion in corn-based ethanol supply, interest has grown in expanding the market for biodiesel produced from soybeans and other oil crops. However, a significant increase in U.S. biofuels would likely require a movement away from food and grain crops as feedstocks. Other biofuel feedstock sources, including cellulosic biomass, are promising, but technological barriers make their future uncertain. Therefore, some proposals would require ever-larger amounts of biofuels produced from feedstocks other than corn starch, including sugarcane, oil crops, and cellulose, to promote the development of these fuels."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Yacobucci, Brent D.; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2007-12-03
• Agriculture-Based Renewable Energy Production [May 18, 2006]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Since the late 1970s, U.S. policy makers at both the federal and state levels have enacted a variety of incentives, regulations, and programs to encourage the production and use of agriculture-based renewable energy. Motivations cited for these legislative initiatives include energy security concerns, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and raising domestic demand for U.S.-produced farm products. Agricultural households and rural communities have responded to these government incentives and have expanded their production of renewable energy, primarily in the form of biofuels and wind power, every year since 1996. The production of ethanol (the primary biofuel produced by the agricultural sector) has risen from about 175 million gallons in 1980 to 3.9 billion gallons per year in 2005. Biodiesel production is at a much smaller level, but has also shown growth rising from 0.5 million gallons in 1999 to an estimated 75 million gallons in 2005. Wind energy systems production capacity has also grown rapidly, rising from 1.7 million megawatts in 1997 to an estimated 9.1 million megawatts by January 2006. […] This report provides background information on farm-based energy production and how this fits into the national energy-use picture. It briefly reviews the primary agriculture-based renewable energy types and issues of concern associated with their production, particularly their economic and energy efficiencies and long-run supply. Finally, this report examines the major legislation related to farm-based energy production and use. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2006-05-18
• Iraq's Agriculture: Background and Status [May 13, 2003]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Iraq's agricultural sector represents a small, but vital component of Iraq's economy. Over the past several decades agriculture's role in the economy has been heavily influenced by Iraq's involvement in military conflicts, particularly the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War and the 1991 Gulf War, and by varying degrees of government efforts to promote and/or control agricultural production. In the mid-1980s, agriculture accounted for only about 14 percent of the national GDP. After the imposition of U.N. sanctions and the Iraqi government's non-compliance with a proposed U.N. Oil-for-Food program in 1991, agriculture's share of GDP is estimated to have risen to 35 percent by 1992.1 Rapid population growth during the past three decades, coupled with limited arable land and a general stagnation in agricultural productivity, has steadily increased dependence on imports to meet domestic food needs since the mid-1960s. By 1980 Iraq was importing about half of its food supply. By 2002, between 80 and 100 percent of many basic staples-- wheat, rice, sugar, vegetable oil, and protein meals-- were imported. This report will be updated if events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2003-05-13
• WTO Doha Round: The Agriculture Negotiations [September 12, 2006]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On July 24, 2006, the WTO's Director General announced the indefinite suspension of further negotiations in the Doha Development Agenda or Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The principal cause of the suspension was that a core group of WTO member countries -- the United States, the European Union (EU), Brazil, India, Australia, and Japan -- known as the G-6 had reached an impasse over specific methods to achieve the broad aims of the round for agricultural trade: substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic subsidies, elimination of export subsidies, and substantially increased market access for agricultural products. […] As a result of the suspension of the negotiations, a major source of pressure for U.S. farm policy change will have dissipated. The current farm bill expires in 2007, and many were looking to a Doha Round agreement to require changes in U.S. farm subsidies to make them more compatible with world trade rules. The option of extending the current farm law appears strengthened by the indefinite suspension of the Doha talks. The United States must still meet obligations under existing WTO agricultural agreements, which limit trade-distorting spending to $19.1 billion annually. Some trade analysts think that, now that the Round has been suspended, there could be an increase in litigation by WTO member countries that allege they are harmed by U.S. farm subsidies. This report assesses the current status of agricultural negotiations in the Doha Round; traces the developments leading up to the December 2005 Hong Kong Ministerial; examines the major agricultural negotiating proposals; discusses the potential effects of a successful Doha Round agreement on global trade, income, U.S. farm policy, and U.S. agriculture; and provides background on the WTO, the Doha Round, the key negotiating groups, and a chronology of key events relevant to the agricultural negotiations. The report will be updated."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hanrahan, Charles; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2006-09-12
• Canada's WTO Case Against U.S. Agricultural Support: A Brief Overview [September 18, 2007]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On June 7, 2007, the Canadian government requested the establishment of a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel to consider two charges against U.S. farm programs -- first, that the United States has exceeded its annual commitment levels for total Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) in each of the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005, and second, that the U.S. export credit guarantee program operates as a WTO-illegal export subsidy. Both charges stem from a previous negative ruling against U.S. farm programs in a case brought by Brazil against the U.S. cotton program. The United States blocked Canada's request from proceeding at the June 21, 2007, meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB). According to WTO rules, a panel can only be blocked once, implying that a second request by Canada would have to be honored at a subsequent DSB meeting. However, Canada has since refrained from pursuing its panel request at subsequent biweekly DSB meetings. Canadian officials appear to be deliberating the merits of further action, particularly in light of a similar case against U.S. AMS limits being pursued by Brazil. Should any eventual changes in U.S. farm policy be needed to comply with a WTO ruling in Canada's favor, it would likely involve action by Congress to produce new legislation. For a detailed discussion of the U.S.-Canada WTO dispute settlement AMS case, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RL33853, 'Canada's WTO Case Against U.S. Agricultural Support', by Randy Schnepf. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2007-09-18
• Ethanol and Biofuels: Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Market Constraints Related to Expanded Production [March 16, 2007]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Due to the concerns with significant expansion in corn-based ethanol supply, interest has grown in expanding the market for biodiesel produced from soybeans and other oil crops. However, a significant increase in U.S. biofuels would likely require a movement away from food and grain crops. Other biofuel feedstock sources, including cellulosic biomass, are promising, but technological barriers make their future uncertain. Issues facing the U.S. biofuels industry include potential agricultural 'feedstock' supplies, and the associated market and environmental effects of a major shift in U.S. agricultural production; the energy supply needed to grow feedstocks and process them into fuel; and barriers to expanded infrastructure needed to deliver more and more biofuels to the market. This report outlines some of the current supply issues facing biofuels industries, including the limitations on agricultural feedstocks, infrastructure constraints, energy supply for biofuel production, and fuel price uncertainties."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Yacobucci, Brent D.; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2007-03-16
• Biofuels Provisions in the 2007 Energy Bill and the 2008 Farm Bill: A Side-by-Side Comparison [June 27, 2008]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA, P.L. 110-140), also known as the 2007 energy bill, significantly expands existing programs to promote biofuels. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-246), also known as the 2008 farm bill, contains a distinct energy title (Title IX) that covers a wide range of energy and agricultural topics with extensive attention to biofuels, including corn-starch based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and biodiesel. Research provisions relating to renewable energy are found in Title VII and tax provisions are found in Title XV of the farm bill. […] This report includes information from CRS Report RL34130, Renewable Energy Policy in the 2007 Farm Bill, by Randy Schnepf and Tom Capehart, and CRS Report RL34136, 'Biofuels Provisions in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140), H.R. 3221, and H.R. 6: A Side-by-Side Comparison', by Brent D. Yacobucci."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Yacobucci, Brent D.; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-; Capehart, Tom

  2008-06-27
• Brazil's WTO Case Against the U.S. Cotton Program: A Brief Overview [June 17, 2008]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On June 2, 2008, a World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body (AB) publicly released its final report upholding a December 2007 compliance panel ruling that the United States has not fully complied with a March 2005 WTO ruling against certain U.S. cotton support programs. This AB ruling was part of a prolonged dispute settlement case (DS267) originated by Brazil against certain aspects of the U.S. cotton program in September 2002. The ruling against the United States could necessitate further U.S. farm program changes or, if no further changes are forthcoming, clear the way for Brazil to request WTO authorization for retaliatory trade sanctions. The AB ruling must first be adopted by the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (within 30 days of the ruling's release); then the United States and Brazil will likely resume arbitration over the value of sanctions authority requested by Brazil (to be completed within 60 days). This report provides a brief overview of Brazil's case against the U.S. cotton program, the evolution and current status of the case, and the potential role for Congress. For a more detailed discussion of the U.S.-Brazil WTO dispute settlement case, see CRS Report RL32571, 'Brazil's WTO Case Against the U.S. Cotton Program', by Randy Schnepf. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2008-06-17
• U.S.-Canada WTO Corn Trade Dispute [January 31, 2007]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On January 8, 2007, Canada initiated a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement case (DS357) against certain aspects of U.S. commodity programs in general, and the U.S. corn program in particular, by requesting consultations with the United States under the auspices of the WTO dispute settlement process. Canada's WTO case represents the present manifestation of long-simmering concerns that previously surfaced in 2005 in the form of an anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty case brought by Canadian corn producers who sought legal action for alleged unfair subsidization and dumping of U.S. corn in Canadian markets. [...] If successfully litigated, this case could affect all U.S. agricultural policy since the charges against the U.S. export credit guarantee and direct payment programs extend beyond corn to all major program crops. Should any eventual changes in U.S. farm policy be needed to comply with a WTO ruling in Canada's favor, such changes would likely involve action by Congress to produce new legislation. Congress will be revisiting U.S. farm legislation this year and could potentially address some of the issues raised by Canada's WTO challenge. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, who has been advocating that a new Farm Act should be designed to make U.S. farm policy be 'beyond challenge,' has recently proposed changes to U.S. commodity programs that, if accepted in a new Farm Act, potentially could alleviate many of Canada's concerns while minimizing the likelihood of future WTO challenges. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2007-01-31
• WTO Compliance Status of the Conservation Security Program (CSP) and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) [May 21, 2007]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Under the auspices of the Uruguay Round's Agreement on Agriculture (AA), members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed to limit and reduce their most distortive domestic support subsidies. Several types of domestic subsidies were identified as causing minimal distortion to agricultural production and trade, as identified in Annex II (the so-called Green Box) of the AA, and were provided exemption from WTO disciplines. Potential 'Green Box' policies include outlays for conservation activities such as the Conservation Security Program and long-term land retirement programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program. Yet, certain aspects of both programs potentially are ambiguous or fall into 'gray' zones concerning their compliance with WTO rules. This report is not a legal opinion, but describes both the CSP [Conservation Security Program] and CRP [Conservation Reserve Program] programs, the WTO Annex II provisions that govern compliance, and the potential issues involved in evaluating the compliance status of the two programs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2007-05-21
• Brazil's WTO Case Against U.S. Agricultural Support: A Brief Overview [September 21, 2007]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On July 11, 2007, Brazil requested consultations with the United States, under World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement rules, to discuss two charges against U.S. farm programs -- first, that the United States has exceeded its annual commitment levels for the total aggregate measure of support (AMS) in each of the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005, and second, that the U.S. export credit guarantee program operates as a WTO-illegal export subsidy. Both charges stem from a previous successful challenge by Brazil of the U.S. cotton program […]. Canada is currently pursuing a similar case against the United States. Brazil initially had joined Canada's case as an interested 'third party,' but has since chosen to pursue its own case. A 60-day consultation period ended with no mutual agreement between Brazil and the United States. Brazil is now free to request the establishment of a WTO panel to rule on its complaint, but has not as yet done so. Should Brazil successfully pursue this case, any changes in U.S. farm policy to comply with a WTO ruling would likely involve action by Congress to produce new legislation. This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2007-09-21
• Farm Bill Legislative Action in the 110th Congress [Updated June 19, 2008]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "'On May 14, 2008, the House passed the conference agreement on the 2008 farm bill (H.R. 2419, The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008) by a vote of 318-106. The next day, the Senate passed the same bill by a vote of 81-15. Concurrently, on May 14, both the House and Senate passed, by voice vote, the final temporary extension of current law lasting until the earlier of May 23, 2008, or the date the 2008 farm bill was signed into law. […] The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the total cost of the 2008 bill (i.e., baseline plus new funding, using the March 2007 baseline) at just under $287 billion over FY2008-FY2012. Of the $287 billion in total five-year budget authority for programs under the new law -- not including revenue and cost-offset provisions in the bill -- about $42 billion (14%) in projected spending will support commodity crops, $189 billion (65%) will support the cost of food stamps and commodity assistance, $24 billion (8%) will support conservation programs, and $22 billion (8%) will support crop insurance. Another $8 billion is expected to be spent on trade, horticulture and livestock production, rural development, research, forestry and energy, and other programs. For FY2008-FY2012, the conference bill also includes nearly $4 billion in costs to pay for supplemental disaster assistance (included under Title XV). Over the full 10-year period (2008-2017), other tax-related provisions in that bill title, particularly from customs user fees in the bill, will generate additional funding for provisions throughout the conference bill, including in the nutrition, conservation, and energy titles, among others. This report will be updated."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Marples, Donald; Richardson, Joe; Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954- . . .

  2008-06-19
• Farm Bill Legislative Action in the 110th Congress [Updated June 13, 2008]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On May 14, 2008, the House passed the conference agreement on the 2008 farm bill (H.R. 2419, The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008) by a vote of 318-106. The next day, the Senate passed the same bill by a vote of 81-15. Concurrently, on May 14, both the House and Senate passed, by voice vote, the final temporary extension of current law lasting until the earlier of May 23, 2008, or the date the 2008 farm bill was signed into law. On May 21, the Bush Administration vetoed the legislation. Both the House and the Senate voted to override the veto, and the conference bill became law on May 22, 2008 (P.L. 110-234). […] The conference agreement contains 15 titles covering support for commodity crops, horticulture and livestock production, conservation, nutrition, trade and food aid, agricultural research, farm credit, rural development, energy, forestry, and other related programs. It also includes tax-related provisions that would make certain changes to tax laws, in order to offset new spending initiatives in the respective bills. The bill is intended to replace the most recent 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171) and to guide most federal farm and food policies through FY2012. Many provisions of the 2002 farm bill expired in September 2007, but were extended under a series of temporary extensions enacted during the farm bill debate."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Jickling, Mark; Johnson, Renée; Becker, Geoffrey S. . . .

  2008-06-13
• Farm Bill Legislative Action in the 110th Congress [Updated May 9, 2008]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "The farm bill governs federal farm and food policy and is renewed about every five years. The 110th Congress is seeking to revise the current farm bill (P.L. 107- 171), which covers a wide range of programs including commodity price and income support, agricultural conservation, farm credit, research, rural development, and foreign and domestic food programs, among others. The House completed floor action on its version of the farm bill (H.R. 2419) on July 27, 2007. The Senate Agriculture Committee approved its version (S. 2302) on October 25, 2007. On December 14, the Senate completed floor action on the farm bill, which was offered as a substitute to the House bill. Conference negotiations were initially delayed because of differences between committee leadership and the Administration. Consequently, Congress temporarily extended portions of the expiring 2002 farm bill until March 15, 2008, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2008 (P.L. 110-161). Since March, Congress has approved a one-month extension, followed by three consecutive short-term extensions lasting through May 16. […] Provisions in both the House and Senate farm bills seek many of the same types of changes to existing legislation and programs, but there are numerous differences. For farm commodities (Title I), both the House and Senate bills generally continue the framework of the 2002 farm bill, with certain changes to payment limitations and support prices for some commodities; however, the bills differ regarding other proposed programmatic changes. Both bills also add new provisions to address horticulture and livestock issues, and expand borrowing opportunities for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Johnson, Renée; Becker, Geoffrey S.; Capehart, Tom . . .

  2008-05-09
• Farm Bill Legislative Action in the 110th Congress [Updated April 10, 2008]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "The farm bill governs federal farm and food policy and is renewed about every five years. The 110th Congress is seeking to revise the current farm bill (P.L. 107- 171), which covers a wide range of programs including commodity price and income support, agricultural conservation, farm credit, research, rural development, and foreign and domestic food programs, among others. The House completed floor action on its version of the farm bill (H.R. 2419) on July 27, 2007. The Senate Agriculture Committee approved its version (S. 2302) on October 25, 2007. On December 14, the Senate completed floor action on the farm bill, which was offered as a substitute to the House bill. Conference negotiations have been delayed because of differences between committee leadership and the Administration. Consequently, Congress temporarily extended portions of the expiring 2002 farm bill until March 15, 2008, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2008 (P.L. 110-161). […] The nutrition title (Title IV) of both bills diverge substantially on both the total level of new funding provided for nutrition programs and the allocation of the new funding among programs. However, in most cases, the bills include very similar policy changes: increased food stamp benefits and loosened eligibility standards, and increased funding for fresh fruits and vegetables in most domestic food programs. For conservation (Title II), international trade and food aid (Title III), credit (Title V), rural development (Title VI), research (Title VII), forestry (Title VIII), and energy (Title IX), both bills reauthorize, expand, and/or modify many of the existing programs, create new programs and initiatives, or allow some programs to expire. For credit, both bills expand borrowing opportunities for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hanrahan, Charles; Gorte, Ross W.; Cowan, Tadlock . . .

  2008-04-10
• Brazil's WTO Case Against the U.S. Cotton Program [January 4, 2010]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On December 21, 2009, Brazil announced that it was authorized by the WTO to impose trade retaliation against up to $829.3 million in U.S. goods in 2010 in a long-running dispute over U.S. cotton subsidies. Brazil states that it may levy duties of up to 100% on a preliminary list of 222 goods of U.S. origin valued at $561 million, then apply the remaining value of $268.3 million in cross-retaliation (i.e., retaliatory countermeasures in sectors outside of the trade in goods, most notably in the area of U.S. copyrights and patents). Brazil has not yet finalized its decision to actually impose retaliatory measures; however, Brazil has said that it would announce a final list of potential retaliatory products in February 2010, when U.S. trade data becomes available."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2010-01-04
• Agriculture-Based Biofuels: Overview and Emerging Issues [May 1, 2013]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Increasing dependence on foreign sources of crude oil, concerns over global climate change, and the desire to promote domestic rural economies have raised interest in renewable biofuels as an alternative to petroleum in the U.S. transportation sector. However, energy from renewable sources has historically been more expensive to produce and use than fossil-fuel-based energy. U.S. policymakers have attempted to overcome this economic impediment by enacting an increasing number of policies since the late 1970s, at both the state and federal levels, to directly support U.S. biofuels production and use. Policy measures have included blending and production tax credits to lower the cost of biofuels to end users, an import tariff to protect domestic ethanol from cheaper foreign-produced ethanol, research grants to stimulate the development of new technologies, loans and loan guarantees to facilitate the development of biofuels production and distribution infrastructure, and, perhaps most importantly, minimum usage requirements to guarantee a market for biofuels irrespective of their cost. This report describes agriculture-based biofuels and the evolution of the U.S. biofuels sector with a focus on the role that federal policy has played in shaping its development. In addition, it highlights emerging issues that are critical to the biofuels sector and of relevance to Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2013-05-01
• U.S. Agricultural Policy Response to WTO Cotton Decision [Updated September 8, 2006]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "In a dispute settlement case (DS267) brought by Brazil against certain aspects of the U.S. cotton program, a WTO [World Trade Organization] Appellate Body (AB) recommended in March 2005 that the United States remove certain 'prohibited subsidies' by July 21, 2005, and remove the adverse effects resulting from certain 'actionable subsidies' by September 21, 2005. When the United States failed to meet these deadlines, Brazil claimed the right to retaliate against $3 billion in U.S. exports to Brazil based on the prohibited subsidies, and proposed $1 billion in retaliation based on the actionable subsidies. The United States objected to these retaliation amounts and requested WTO arbitration on the matter. However, in mid-2005 the United States and Brazil reached a procedural agreement to temporarily suspend retaliation proceedings. On August 21, 2006, Brazil submitted a request for a WTO compliance panel to review whether the United States has fully complied with panel and AB rulings. The United States blocked the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) from approving Brazil's request on August 31, 2006; however, Brazil is expected to make a second request (which the United States will be unable to block) at the DSB meeting set for September 28, 2006. If a compliance panel finds that the United States has not fully complied with the AB rulings, Brazil could ask the WTO arbitration panel to resume its work. Although the United States has already complied with a portion of the AB's recommendation by eliminating the Step 2 program (August 1, 2006), additional permanent modifications to U.S. farm programs may still be needed to fully comply with the WTO ruling on 'actionable subsidies.' This report will be updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2006-09-08
• Dairy Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79) [May 6, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  From the Introduction: "This report describes the major dairy provisions contained in the 2014 farm bill as well as Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost projections of historical program outlays compared with outlays under the new dairy programs. The report also includes a discussion of potential issues related to the new dairy policies. Finally, a table at the end of this report (Table A-1) provides a side-by-side comparison of dairy provisions from the 2008 and 2014 farm bills. Reaching a final compromise on U.S. dairy policy, as contained in the 2014 farm bill, was a long and arduous task involving considerable debate over what the nature and role of federal support programs should be. The following section provides background on the shift of federal support from dairy product prices to the dairy operating margin."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-05-06
• Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP): Status and Issues [March 10, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) is designed to assist the bioenergy industry to overcome the hurdle of continuous biomass availability--viewed as a critical deterrent to private sector investment in the cellulosic biofuels industry. To accomplish this, BCAP is charged with two tasks: (1) to support the establishment and production of eligible crops for conversion to bioenergy in selected areas, and (2) to assist agricultural and forest land owners and operators with collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of eligible material for use in a biomass conversion facility. […] BCAP is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Farm Service Agency (FSA). BCAP provides two categories of financial assistance: (1) annual and establishment payments that share in the cost of establishing and maintaining production of eligible biomass crops; and (2) matching payments that share in the cost of the collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of biomass to an eligible biomass conversion facility. The payments have different eligibility and sign-up requirements, payment rates, and contract lengths. BCAP assistance for establishing and producing biomass crops is available within designated project areas. BCAP project areas are specific geographic areas where producers may enroll land into BCAP contracts and produce specified biomass crops. As of June 2012, eleven BCAP project areas had been approved."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-03-10
• Status of the WTO Brazil-U.S. Cotton Case [October 1, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "On October 1, 2014, Brazil and the United States reached an agreement to resolve the long-running cotton dispute in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The two countries signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) that spelled out the terms of the agreement: Brazil relinquishes its rights to countermeasures against U.S. trade or any further proceedings in the dispute; the United States agreed to new rules governing fees and tenor for the GSM-102 export credit guarantee program; Brazil agreed to a temporary Peace Clause with respect to any new WTO actions against U.S. cotton support programs while the 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79) is in force or against any agricultural export credit guarantees under the GSM-102 program as long as the program is operated consistent with the agreed terms; the United States would make a onetime final payment of $300 million to the Brazil Cotton Institute (BCI) with explicit use-of-fund conditions; and both counties agreed to routine semi-annual reporting under the MOU. The cotton dispute settlement case (DS267) was initiated by Brazil--a major cotton export competitor--in 2002 against specific provisions of the U.S. cotton program. In September 2004, a WTO dispute settlement panel ruled that (1) certain U.S. agricultural support payments for cotton distorted international agricultural markets and should be either withdrawn or modified to end the market distortions; and (2) U.S. Step-2 payments and agricultural export credit guarantees for cotton and other unscheduled commodities were prohibited subsidies under WTO rules and should be withdrawn."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-10-01
• Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on Domestic Support [September 18, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Omnibus U.S. farm legislation--referred to as the farm bill--is renewed about every five years. Farm income and commodity price support programs have been a part of U.S. farm bills since the 1930s. Each successive farm bill usually involves some modification or replacement of existing farm programs. A key question likely to be asked of every new farm proposal or program is how it will affect U.S. commitments under the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and its Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM). The United States currently is committed, under the AoA, to spend no more than $19.1 billion annually on those domestic farm support programs most likely to distort trade--referred to as amber box programs and measured by the aggregate measure of support (AMS). The AoA spells out the rules for countries to determine whether their policies--for any given year--are potentially trade-distorting, and how to calculate the costs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-09-18
• Agriculture in the WTO Bali Ministerial Agreement [October 6, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "At the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) Ninth Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia, December 3-7, 2013, ministers adopted the so-called Bali Package--a series of decisions aimed at streamlining trade (referred to as trade facilitation), allowing developing countries more options for providing food security, boosting least-developed-country trade, and helping development more generally. The Bali Package represents the first multilateral trade deal in nearly two decades; however, it covers only a small fraction of the Doha Round mandate and leaves the more difficult trade topics for future negotiations. The Bali Package included five agricultural issues: (1) export subsidies and other policies known collectively as export competition; (2) tariff rate quota (TRQ) administration focused on managing persistently under-filled quotas; (3) a temporary peace clause for a developing country's above-market purchases of commodities for food-security stockholding programs; (4) a proposed list of green-box-eligible general services of particular interest to developing countries; and (5) cotton, in response to a proposal from four African members. The first major implementation step under the Bali Agreement included a July 31, 2014, deadline for the WTO's General Council to approve a protocol to incorporate the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) into the text of the WTO's legal agreements. Then, WTO members would begin to address a so-called post-Bali agenda which would include drafting a work program by the end of 2014 to conclude the Doha Round."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-10-06
• Dairy Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79) [September 15, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  From the Introduction: "This report describes the major dairy provisions contained in the 2014 farm bill as well as Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost projections of historical program outlays compared with outlays under the new dairy programs. The report also includes a discussion of potential issues related to the new dairy policies. Finally, a table at the end of this report (Table A-1) provides a side-by-side comparison of dairy provisions from the 2008 and 2014 farm bills. Reaching a final compromise on U.S. dairy policy, as contained in the 2014 farm bill, was a long and arduous task involving considerable debate over what the nature and role of federal support programs should be. The following section provides background on the shift of federal support from dairy product prices to the dairy operating margin."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-09-15
• WTO Doha Round: Implications for U.S. Agriculture [October 10, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "The goal of the Doha Round's agriculture negotiations is to make progress simultaneously across the three pillars of the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) 1994 Agricultural Agreement-- domestic support, market access, and export competition--by building on the specific terms and conditions established during the previous Uruguay Round of negotiations. Negotiators have attempted to maintain a balance across the three pillars by simultaneously achieving concessions from exporters and importers alike in the form of tighter spending limits on trade-distorting domestic support; elimination of export subsidies and new disciplines on other forms of export competition; and expansion of market access by lowering tariffs, increasing quota commitments, and limiting the use of import safeguards and other trade barriers. However, as a concession to poorer WTO [World Trade Organization] member countries, the degree of new conditions is to be less stringent for developing than for developed nations. Substantial progress had been made by 2008 in narrowing differences in Doha Round negotiating positions. As a result, a 'modalities framework' (i.e., specific formulas and timetables for reducing trade-distorting farm support, tariffs, and export subsidies, and for opening import markets) was released in December 2008, in an attempt to lock in the status of negotiated concessions, while adding detail to outstanding issues as a basis for further, more specific talks."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-10-10
• Agriculture in the Bali Agreement: A Way Forward [November 13, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "At the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) Ninth Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia, December 3-7, 2013, ministers adopted the so-called Bali Package. The package has measures dealing with four principal categories: Trade Facilitation, Agriculture, Cotton, and Development and Least-Developed Country (LDC) Issues. From the United States' viewpoint, the major policy initiative is the Trade Facilitation Agreement, which aims to improve the efficiency of international trade by harmonizing and streamlining customs procedures such as duplicative documentation requirements, customs processing delays, and nontransparent or unequally enforced importation rules and requirements. The Bali Package covers only a small fraction of the Doha Round mandate and leaves the more difficult trade topics for future negotiations; however, it represents the first multilateral trade deal in nearly two decades. At the time, analysts predicted that a successful Bali Package--boosted primarily by substantial efficiencies in trade facilitation--could increase global gross domestic product by $1 trillion. However, many hope that its ultimate benefit will be a rejuvenation of the Doha Round."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-11-13
• Agriculture in the WTO Bali Ministerial Agreement [November 13, 2014]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "At the World Trade Organization's (WTO's) Ninth Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia, December 3-7, 2013, ministers adopted the so-called Bali Package--a series of decisions aimed at streamlining trade (referred to as trade facilitation), allowing developing countries more options for providing food security, boosting least-developed-country trade, and helping development more generally. The Bali Package represents the first multilateral trade deal in nearly two decades; however, it covers only a small fraction of the Doha Round mandate and leaves the more difficult trade topics for future negotiations. The Bali Package included five agricultural issues: (1) export subsidies and other policies known collectively as export competition; (2) tariff rate quota (TRQ) administration focused on managing persistently under-filled quotas; (3) a temporary peace clause for a developing country's above-market purchases of commodities for food-security stockholding programs; (4) a proposed list of green-box-eligible general services of particular interest to developing countries; and (5) cotton, in response to a proposal from four African members. […] The U.S. Congress will continue to seek to influence and monitor ongoing trade agreement negotiations, including multilateral negotiations within the context of the WTO, to ensure that U.S. agricultural, food industry, and consumer interests are reflected in their outcomes. This report focuses on those aspects of the Bali Package that deal with and are specific to agriculture. It also includes a section (at the end of the report) that provides an update on the status of implementation of the various Bali Package provisions agreed to by the WTO."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2014-11-13
• Renewable Energy Programs and the Farm Bill: Status and Issues [October 25, 2013]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Title IX, the energy title of the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-240), contains the bioenergy programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA renewable energy programs have incentivized research, development, and adoption of renewable energy projects, including solar, wind, and anaerobic digesters. However, the primary focus of USDA renewable energy programs has been to promote U.S. biofuels production and use--including corn starch-based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and soybean-based biodiesel. […] In the 113th Congress, both the Senate-passed (S. 954) and House-passed (H.R. 2642) bills would extend most of the renewable energy provisions of Title IX, with the exception of the Rural Energy Self-Sufficiency Initiative, the Forest Biomass for Energy Program, the Biofuels Infrastructure Study, and the Renewable Fertilizer Study, which are either omitted or explicitly repealed by both bills. In addition, S. 954 omits the Repowering Assistance Program, while H.R. 2642 adds a new reporting requirement on energy use and efficiency at USDA facilities. Otherwise, the primary difference between the House and Senate bills is in the source of funding. Over their five-year reauthorization period (FY2014-FY2018), the Senate bill contains a total of $900 million in new mandatory funding and authorizes $1.140 billion in appropriations for the various Title IX programs. In contrast, H.R. 2642 contains no mandatory funding for Title IX programs, while authorizing $1.405 billion over the five years, subject to annual appropriations."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2013-10-25
• Consumers and Food Price Inflation [September 13, 2013]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  "Everyone eats. As a result, everyone is affected to some degree by food price changes. This makes understanding food price changes and their effects on consumers an important matter for Congress. This report provides information on the current status and outlook for U.S. food prices, measuring their changes and how such changes relate to U.S. consumers. The first section of the report, 'Consumer Demand,' briefly reviews the major economic concepts underlying consumer food behavior. The second section, the 'Consumer Price Index,' describes how U.S. food price inflation rates have evolved since 1915, when federal price data collection for inflation-measuring purposes began. The third section, 'Consumer Income and Expenditures,' provides information on recent history and projections for U.S. food expenditure shares relative to total household budget, with comparisons across income quintiles, as well as internationally. The fourth section, 'Recent Food Price Inflation,' examines retail food price inflation, including a review and discussion of the level of food price inflation registered by the consumer price index for all-food, at-home-food, and away-from-home-food purchases as well as for major food groups. Finally, a fifth section, entitled 'Effect of Retail Price Changes,' briefly discusses the impact that rapid food price inflation can have on government food programs and the more vulnerable consumer groups. Each section may be read independently of the others. Thus, those readers that are concerned primarily with the current status of U.S. retail food price inflation may proceed directly to the sections entitled 'Historic Price Inflation Patterns,' 'Recent Food Price Inflation,' or 'Effect of Retail Price Changes.'"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2013-09-13
• Canada's WTO Case Against U.S. Aggregate Measure of Support (AMS) [Updated September 7, 2007]

  Show summary     Open resource [pdf]     (open full abstract)

  This CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report for Congress covers Canada's dispute over U.S. corn subsidies and related legislative programs that allegedly created an imbalance in the market. "On June 7, 2007, the Canadian government requested the establishment of a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel to consider two charges against U.S. farm programs -- first, that the United States has exceeded its annual commitment levels for total aggregate measure of support (AMS) in each of the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005, and second, that the U.S. export credit guarantee program operates as a WTO-illegal export subsidy. […] Earlier in the year (January 2007), Canada took the first step in instituting a WTO dispute settlement case when it requested consultations with the United States to discuss three specific concerns. In addition to the two aforementioned charges against U.S. farm programs, Canada initially included a third charge - that U.S. corn subsidies had caused serious prejudice to Canadian corn producers in the form of market price suppression in Canadian corn markets during the 1996 to 2006 period. […] If successfully pursued and litigated, this case could affect all U.S. agricultural policy, since the charges against the U.S. export credit guarantee program and AMS limit extend to all major program crops. Should any eventual changes in U.S. farm policy be needed to comply with a WTO ruling in Canada's favor, such changes would likely involve action by Congress to produce new legislation."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Schnepf, Randall Dean, 1954-

  2007-09-07