AGRICULTURE REPORT - Farm Bill

AGRICULTURE REPORT
–
May 28, 2002: Farm Bill

By George Grow

This is the VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT.

President Bush has signed a major farm bill. The new law increases government support programs for farmers. It
is estimated to cost one-hundred-ninety-thousand-million dollars over the next ten years. That is eighty-threethousand-
million dollars more than the cost of continuing current programs.

The law ends efforts by Mister Bush’s Republican Party to reduce federal aid to farmers.
Many in the party had urged the president to veto the bill.

The measure replaces a farm program passed in Nineteen-Ninety-Six. That program ended
most restrictions¹ on the amount of a crop that can be grown. It also ended traditional price
support payments for American farmers.

Mister Bush said the new law provides economic security for farmers. He said it will do
this without lowering prices for crops or supporting crop production that is not needed.

The President noted² that, in the past, Congress would pass a farm bill for a period of years, and then approve
additional money each year. He said the additional payments made it difficult for Congress to operate within its
budget. He said it also created problems for farmers.

The new law raises payment rates to growers of grain and cotton. It re-establishes a system that provides federal
aid to farmers when crop prices drop too low. The law also re-establishes aid for producers of wool and honey.

There is an eighty percent increase in the amount of money spent on farm programs to protect the environment.
The law also includes food aid for non -citizens who have lived in the United States legally for at least five years.

The farm bill has critics in the United States and in other countries. Conservatives say the government will spend
too much money on agriculture when the budget is in deficit³. Others say the measure is an effort to win political
support for the President and members of Congress in important farm states.

Australia, Canada, the European Union and other countries have said the new law is in opposition⁴ to American
calls for freer farm trade. Some critics say the increased aid may violate international trade rules.

However, President Bush says the farm program is within the limits set by the World Trade Organization. He
says the success of America’s farmers is necessary for the success of the American economy.

This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by George Grow.

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1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。