Beginning with the Food Security Act of 1985, there was a gradual shift away from
production controls and price supports as the primary instrument of policy for crops and towards
the increasing use of direct payments. This culminated in the Federal Agriculture Improvement
and Reform Act of 1996, which replaced the previous system of deficiency payments with direct
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payments that were largely decoupled from current plantings. A declining schedule of payments
was established for the latter part of the period covered by the Act (1999-2002), holding open the
possibility of their eventual elimination. The legislation also foresaw the end of the price support
program for dairy products. There were no explicit provisions for facilitating the adjustment that
would be required as a result of this policy reorientation.