FARM RISK POLICY AT A CROSSROAD

Legislatively mandated declines in government program payments have coincided with sharp declines in most major crop commodity prices. Thus, a debate has begun about the direction of future farm policy. The debate has been largely expressed in terms of a "safety net" for producers. This paper address several economic issues associated with proposals to enhance the agricultural "safety net." The case is made that crop insurance reform cannot satisfy the desire for above-market price supports. Characteristics required for an insurable risk are discussed, as are the interactions between public and private risk-management tools