Ohio State University. Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics
Abstract
The U.S. drought of 1988 has focused attention on federal assistance to farmers affected by drought and other natural disasters. However, disaster aid for farm operators has been a significant claimant on federal outlays since the mid-1970s. Current aid programs include emergency loans, direct payments, and subsidized crop insurance. Historically, cost of this assistance has been viewed as unacceptably high, resulting in continuous national debate and associated policy experimentation. Genealogy of this debate is explored, and two proposals are advanced
