Agriculture in the 1980's: Current and Emerging Policy Issues

Your program chairman asked that I direct my remarks to the subject of impacts of Reagan economics on agriculture. I do so with some trepidation since it is not clear which parts of current economic policies should be attributed to the Reagan administration, the Congress, the Federal Reserve Board, and preceding administrations. Further, I have some doubt as to what economic policy is, or is about to become, at any specific point in time. In reviewing current policies and programs, I also shall attempt to identify longer-run policy issues which might command our attention as agricultural economists.