ABSTRACT
Agricultural policy has the potential to be the most important factor in strengthening family agriculture in all areas of the globe. The farmer pays industrially determined prices for the inputs purchased and receives industrially determined prices for what is produced. Governments establish agricultural policy objectives in relation to specific targets. These measures, too, are able to achieve success only through their interrelations as they reinforce each other in addressing various aspects of problems. They typically include the price stability of agricultural products, low farm income, food security, food safety and future agricultural production capacity. This chapter examines each of these objectives to identify its relevance for family agriculture. Today American farm income is directly correlated with export demand for agricultural products. This is generally acceptable as long as export demand is sufficient to provide adequate levels of income. Government policy is especially important in insuring a nation’s future production.
