Where is The Power in Agricultural and Food

Policy?• Agriculture’s iron triangle• Government

– Executive Branch– Legislative Branch– Judicial Branch

• Other Organizations– General farm organizations– Commodity organizations– Agribusinesses– Public interest groups

• Other departments

Interest Groups

Key part of iron triangle

Interest Groups

USDA Congress

More often than not, the interest groups are the ones that get the attention of USDA and/or Congress

Farm Organizations

• General farm/agribusiness organizations– American Farm Bureau Federation– National Farmers Union

• Commodity organizations– National Corn Growers– National Cotton Council– Every commodity has one, and some have

multiple

All other things equal, the more specific the cause/interest, the more effective the group

But all other things are seldom equal

Commodity Organizations

• Most effective organizations in agriculture because of focused commodity interests

• Most effective are those that represent entire industry (NCC)

• Beef has had conflicts among cattlemen and NCBA

• If producer organization goes head-to-head with agribusiness, agribusiness normally wins (ex., packer in beef)

• Almost always have related state organizations

• Party alignment is an interesting issue

Commodity Organizationsex. NCBA

•Advertise•Educate•Provide services to members

Public Interest Groups

Typically focus on only 1 issue• Environment (Sierra Club, National

Resources Defense Council, Environmental Working Group, American Farmland Trust)

• Hunger lobby (Bread for the World)• Animal rights (Humane Society of the

United States, P.E.T.A.)• Consumer lobby (CFA, CW, CU, Center

for Science in the Public Interest)

Agribusinesses/Trade Associations

• Restaurant Associations• Equipment dealers• Chemical Applicators• International Dairy Foods Association

Summary

•Truly an iron triangle of influence

•Functions of Legislative Branch

•Functions of key Committees

•Why It’s Good to be in the Majority

•How a Bill Becomes a Law

Summary (cont)

• General farm/Agribusiness interests generally broader than commodity policy

− Trade− Tax policy

• Often have related state organizations• Often aligned with political party

− Farmers Union (D)− Farm Bureau (historically R)− Agribusiness (generally R)

• Agribusiness firms often have their own lobbyists but still belong to commodity groups and general agribusiness organizations