The core research and data program of the Economic Research Service covers the breadth of USDA programs touched by the Farm Bill: farming, nutrition, conservation, rural development, research, and energy. Below we highlight some recent research focusing on these issues.
- Access to Food and Nutrition Assistance
- Beginning, Limited Resource, and Female Farmers and Ranchers
- Commodity Programs and Risk Management
- Conservation
- Credit
- Energy
- Research
- Rural Development
- Specialty Crops, Organic, Local Foods, Horticulture
- Trade
Access to Food and Nutrition Assistance
- 📈 Charts of Note: Food Access
- 📈 Charts of Note: Food Security in the U.S.
- 📈 Charts of Note: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Household Food Security in the United States in 2023, September 2024
- The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report, June 2024
- "SNAP Spending Rose and Fell With Pandemic-Era Changes to Benefit Amounts," Amber Waves, June 2024
- Comparing Food Insecurity Among the U.S. Military and Civilian Adult Populations, April 2024
- Household Food Insecurity Across Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2016–21, April 2024
- The Impacts of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Redemptions on County-Level Employment, May 2019
- "SNAP Redemptions Contributed to Employment During the Great Recession," Amber Waves, May 2019
- Impact of USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Rural and Urban Economies in the Aftermath of the Great Recession, October 2021
- Super Stores’ Impact on the Availability of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Approved Stores, June 2021
- Low-Income and Low-Foodstore-Access Census Tracts, 2015–19, June 2022
- Food Insecurity Among Working-Age Veterans, May 2021
- COVID-19 Working Paper: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Redemptions during the Coronavirus Pandemic, March 2021
- "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Online Purchasing Expanded in First Two Years of Pandemic," Amber Waves, September 2022
- "Higher Vehicle Exclusions and Asset Limits in SNAP May Encourage Asset Accumulation Among Low-Income Households," Amber Waves, March 2019
- Design Issues in USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Looking Ahead by Looking Back, January 2018
Beginning, Limited Resource, and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
- 📈 Charts of Note: Rural Poverty & Well-Being
- 📈 Charts of Note: Beginning, Limited Resource, and Female Farmers and Ranchers
- An Overview of Farms Operated by Socially Disadvantaged, Women, and Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers in the United States, February 2024
- "USDA Survey Provides Insights Into Farms Operated by Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers," Amber Waves, October 2024
- Access to Farmland by Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers: Issues and Opportunities, December 2022
- "Beginning Farm Operators and Spouses More Likely To Work Off the Farm Than Established Counterparts," Amber Waves, February 2020
- "Much Like Other Americans, Veterans Would Benefit From Improving the Quality of Their Diets," Amber Waves, February 2020
- An Examination of Veterans’ Diet Quality, December 2019
- An Overview of Beginning Farms and Farmers, September 2019
Commodity Programs and Risk Management
Commodity Programs
- Recent Developments in Ad Hoc Assistance Programs for Agricultural Producers, September 2024
- "As Drought Threats Continue, Government’s Financial-Climate Risk From Livestock Forage Disaster Program Expected To Increase," Amber Waves, August 2024
- The Stocking Impact and Financial-Climate Risk of the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, January 2024
- Potential Variability in Commodity Support: Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs, August 2019
- "Changes in Commodity-Income Support Programs and Commodity Prices Have Caused Increased Variability in Support Payments," Amber Waves, August 2019
- "Federal Commodity Programs Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage Address Price and Yield Risks Faced by Producers," Amber Waves, August 2018
- Federal Natural Disaster Assistance Programs for Livestock Producers, 2008–2016, January 2018
- Economic Effects of U.S. Dairy Policy and Alternative Approaches to Milk Pricing, May 2017
- "Historical Analysis of MPP-Dairy Suggests Limited Impact on Average Margins but Considerable Potential for Risk Reduction," Amber Waves, February 2017
- The Effects of the Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers, September 2016
- "Farm Bill Income Cap for Program Payment Eligibility Affects Few Farms," Amber Waves, August 2016
- Changing Structure, Financial Risks, and Government Policy for the U.S. Dairy Industry, March 2016
Crop Insurance
- Potential Budgetary Impacts of Climate Change on the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Insurance Plan, December 2024
- Federal Programs for Agricultural Risk Management, December 2023
- "With Expanded Options, Organic Producers of Specialty Crops Increase Use of Federal Risk Management Products," Amber Waves, October 2023
- Wheat Outlook: September 2022, September 2022
- Note: See special article, “Factors Influencing Prevented Planting for Spring Wheat” on page 10.
- "Climate Change Projected To Increase Cost of the Federal Crop Insurance Program due to Greater Insured Value and Yield Variability," Amber Waves, November 2019
- "Changes in Farmers' Financial Status May Affect Crop Insurance Demand," Amber Waves, November 2016
- Federal Crop Insurance Options for Upland Cotton Farmers and Their Revenue Effects, October 2016
- How Do Time and Money Affect Agricultural Insurance Uptake? A New Approach to Farm Risk Management Analysis, August 2016
- The 2014 Farm Act Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage, and Supplemental Coverage Option Programs' Effects on Crop Revenue, January 2016
- "Federal Crop Insurance Is Associated With Higher Levels of Short-Term Farm Debt," Amber Waves, October 2015
- "The Importance of Federal Crop Insurance Premium Subsidies," Amber Waves, October 2014
- The Effects of Premium Subsidies on Demand for Crop Insurance, July 2014
Cross-Cutting Issues
- U.S. Agricultural Policy Review, 2023, December 2024
- U.S. Agricultural Policy Review, 2022, November 2023
- U.S. Agricultural Policy Review, 2021, February 2023
- Specialty Crop Participation in Federal Risk Management Programs, September 2022
- Farm Use of Futures, Options, and Marketing Contracts, October 2020
- Climate Change and Agricultural Risk Management Into the 21st Century, July 2019
- Federal Risk Management Tools for Agricultural Producers: An Overview, June 2018
- The Evolving Distribution of Payments From Commodity, Conservation, and Federal Crop Insurance Programs, November 2017
- "Applications for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Program Increased After the Agricultural Act of 2014," Amber Waves, July 2017
- Changes to the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program Under the Agricultural Act of 2014: Their Potential Risk Reduction Impacts, May 2017
- Farm Household Income Volatility: An Analysis Using Panel Data From a National Survey, February 2017
- "Managing Agricultural Risk Under Different Scenarios: Selected 2014 Farm Act Programs," Amber Waves, February 2017
- "Agriculture Risk Coverage Program Proves More Popular Than the Supplemental Coverage Option," Amber Waves, January 2016
- The 2014 Farm Act Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage, and Supplemental Coverage Option Programs' Effects on Crop Revenue, January 2016
- "2014 Farm Act Shifts Crop Commodity Programs Away From Fixed Payments and Expands Program Choices," Amber Waves, July 2014
Conservation
- 📈 Charts of Note: Conservation Programs
- 📈 Charts of Note: Irrigation & Water Use
- 📈 Charts of Note: Natural Resources & Environment
- 📈 The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is regionally concentrated, Charting the Essentials, January 2023
- Land Use of Rejected, Enrolled, and Expiring Fields in the Conservation Reserve Program, August 2024
- Utility-Scale Solar and Wind Development in Rural Areas: Land Cover Change (2009–20), May 2024
- "Agricultural Land Near Solar and Wind Projects Usually Remained in Agriculture After Development," Amber Waves, September 2024
- Cover Crops on Livestock Operations: Potential for Expansion in the United States, May 2024
- Farmland Rental and Conservation Practice Adoption, March 2024
- The Stocking Impact and Financial-Climate Risk of the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, January 2024
- Rotational Grazing Adoption by Cow-Calf Operations, November 2022
- USDA Conservation Technical Assistance and Within-Field Resource Concerns, May 2022
- "Producers' Net Costs Influence Offers to USDA's Conservation Reserve Program," Amber Waves, April 2022
- "Cover Crops Can Influence Soil Health, Even Within the First Few Years After Adoption," Amber Waves, March 2022
- Cover Practice Definitions and Incentives in the Conservation Reserve Program, February 2022
- "Energy Pricing Structures Promote Increased Use of Scarce Groundwater Resources in the High Plains Aquifer Region," Amber Waves, February 2022
- Irrigation Organizations: Drought Planning and Response, January 2022
- Trends in U.S. Irrigated Agriculture: Increasing Resilience Under Water Supply Scarcity, December 2021
- Irrigation Organizations: Water Storage and Delivery Infrastructure, October 2021
- Cover Crop Trends, Programs, and Practices in the United States, February 2021
- "Incentives to Retire Water Rights Have Reduced Stress on the High Plains Aquifer," Amber Waves, October 2020
- "In Recent Years, Most Expiring Land in the Conservation Reserve Program Returned to Crop Production," Amber Waves, February 2020
- The Fate of Land in Expiring Conservation Reserve Program Contracts, 2013-16, January 2020
- "2018 Farm Act Retains Conservation Programs But Could Reduce Payments for Land Retirement," Amber Waves, December 2019
- "Conservation Practices With Greater Benefits to Farmers and Ranchers Have Higher EQIP Completion Rates," Amber Waves, June 2019
- Working Lands Conservation Contract Modifications: Patterns in Dropped Practices, March 2019
- Development, Adoption, and Management of Drought-Tolerant Corn in the United States, January 2019
Credit
- 📈 Charts of Note: Farm Economy
- "Increases in U.S. Farm Debt and Interest Expenses Minimally Affect Sector’s Financial Position in the Short-Term, as Measured by Liquidity and Solvency Ratios," Amber Waves, August 2023
- "More Microloans Issued in Regions With Higher Concentrations of Small Farms and Beginning Farmers, Women, and Minorities," Amber Waves, April 2018
- "Nearly 14,000 USDA Microloans Issued Between 2013 and 2015," Amber Waves, March 2017
- USDA Microloans for Farmers: Participation Patterns and Effects of Outreach, December 2016
Energy
- 📈 Charts of Note: Bioenergy
- The Role of Commercial Energy Payments in Agricultural Producer Income, April 2024
- Global Demand for Fuel Ethanol Through 2030, February 2023
- Ownership of Oil and Gas Rights: Implications for U.S. Farm Income and Wealth, June 2018
- Dedicated Energy Crops and Competition for Agricultural Land, January 2017
Research
- 📈 Charts of Note: Agricultural Research and Productivity
- "Investment in U.S. Public Agricultural Research and Development Has Fallen by a Third Over Past Two Decades, Lags Major Trade Competitors," Amber Waves, June 2022
- "Agricultural Research in High-Income Countries Faces New Challenges as Public Funding Stalls," Amber Waves, May 2018
Rural Development
- 📈 Charts of Note: Population & Migration
- 📈 Charts of Note: Rural Classifications
- 📈 Charts of Note: Rural Economy & Population
- 📈 Charts of Note: Rural Poverty & Well-Being
- America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance: 2024 Edition, December 2024
- Rural America at a Glance: 2024 Edition, November 2024
- "Who is Served by USDA Rural Broadband Projects? Study Shows Smaller Share of Eligible American Indians and Alaska Natives Reached by ReConnect," Amber Waves, December 2023
- "The Most Rural Counties Have the Fewest Health Care Services Available," Amber Waves, August 2022
- "Self-Employed Workers Are Less Likely To Have Health Insurance Than Those Employed by Private Firms, Governments," Amber Waves, July 2022
- "Rural Businesses That Receive USDA Business and Industry Guaranteed Loans Less Likely To Fail," Amber Waves, September 2019
- Rural Individuals' Telehealth Practices: An Overview, November 2018
- "Innovation Can Make Rural Manufacturers More Resilient," Amber Waves, October 2018
Specialty Crops, Organic, Local Foods, Horticulture
Organic
- Organic Situation Report, 2025 Edition, February 2025 New
- "USDA Created Organic Assistance Programs From 2021–23 in Response to Disruptions, Decreased Organic Transitioning Acreage," Amber Waves, March 2024
- "With Expanded Options, Organic Producers of Specialty Crops Increase Use of Federal Risk Management Products," Amber Waves, October 2023
- U.S. Organic Production, Markets, Consumers, and Policy, 2000–21, March 2023
- "Organic Dairy and Beef Producers Face Limited Markets, Feed Grain Shortages," Amber Waves, November 2022
- Organic Feed Grains and Livestock: Factors That Influence Outcomes in Thinly Traded Markets, February 2022
Local Foods
- America's Diverse Family Farms: 2021 Edition, December 2021
- "Local Food Sales Continue to Grow Through a Variety of Marketing Channels," Amber Waves, October 2021
- Marketing Practices and Financial Performance of Local Food Producers: A Comparison of Beginning and Experienced Farmers, August 2021
Trade
- "Global Fertilizer Market Challenged by Russia's Invasion of Ukraine," Amber Waves, September 2023
- United Kingdom Agricultural Production and Trade Policy Post-Brexit, February 2023