The Revenue Program Option in the 2008 U.S. Farm Bill: Evaluating Performance Characteristics of the ACRE Program

Had only a farm program like the new ACRE state revenue program existed instead of the authorized 1996–2008 programs for corn, soybeans, and wheat, farm support expenditures would have occurred earlier but totaled less. In contrast, at the higher prices forecast for the three crops over the 2009–2012 crop years, spending per acre is expected to be higher for acres enrolled in the ACRE program than for acres enrolled in the traditional programs. These results reflect the different design features of the two programs: revenue versus price assistance and assistance levels that adjust with lagged market revenue versus fixed nominal support triggers. The design issues and policy questions raised for both domestic policy considerations and WTO compliance are discussed.