Farm families with incomes below the poverty line are far less likely than wealthier farmers to receive farm support payments. Using data from the 1989-2004 Current Population Survey, we find that poor farm families are also not participating in other assistance programs. Controlling for other...

Diverse needs and preferences across the United States provide justification for the devolution, or decentralization, of many Federal Government programs to the State or local level. The move toward devolution, however, has not been evidenced in U.S. agricultural policy, despite significant...