One unintended consequence of the recent farm bill was the creation of a more rigid and stricter test to define what “actively engaged” in farming means reported John Crabtree for the Center for Rural Affairs.
The new language requires family farmers to demonstrate they provide labor on the farm to receive farm payments, but it does not require passive investors in corporate farming to meet that same standard.
Corporate farming investors only have to meet a management test.
More thoughts from John Crabtree about the farm bill are available from the Center for Rural Affairs.