It’s a virtual certainty that the federal government will reduce spending on U.S. farm programs. What’s still to be decided is which programs are cut and how much.

One of the biggest questions involves the so-called “safety net,” which gives farmers financial assistance when times are tough.  There are a number of proposals to refashion the existing safety net, and trying to understand the various alternatives isn’t easy.

So the American Farmland Trust,  which advocates for farm and ranch land conservation, commissioned Ohio State University agricultural economist Carl Zulauf to analyze the various proposals.

His analysis can be be found at at www.farmland.org. Look under “What’s New” on the right side of the web page.