Book excerpt: After the longest farm bill debate in U.S. history, the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 became law, significantly changes U.S. agricultural policy. The new Farm Act removes the link between income support payments and farm prices by providing for seven annual fixed but declining "production flexibility contract payments" whereby participating producers may receive government payments largely independent of farm prices, in contrast to the past when deficiency payments were dependent on farm prices. Includes a side-by-side comparison of 1990 and 1996 farm legislation.