Despite substantial transformations in American agriculture, farm programme spending remains a closely guarded prerogative of United States agricultural policy. This work examines both the history of farm subsidies and the contemporary relevance of traditional farm programmes to today's agricultural industries. The text analyzes the mixed performance of past agricultural support programs, reviews the late-1990s debate concerning farm policies, and critically assesses the often staunch political resistance to much-needed policy reforms. Casting a keen eye toward recent developments on both national and international fronts, the authors consider the ramifications of the 1996 Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act as well as multilateral efforts to gain agricultural reform during the Uruguay Round of GATT. Their prognosis hinges upon both the continued growth and competitiveness of the world market and, perhaps more importantly, the ongoing commitment of congressional reform advocates.