Divvying Up the Pie: U.S. Adults’ Preferences for USDA Expenditures in 2018

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) spends roughly U.S.$140 billion yearly in public funds on farm, nutrition, conservation, and other programs, yet scarce research has elicited the preferences of the U.S. public regarding USDA spending. We survey a representative sample of U.S. adults to examine preferences for USDA spending and find respondents would spend less on nutrition, about the same on farm programs, and more on conservation and other programs. However, respondents’ allocation toward nutrition increases after receiving information on the USDA’s 2018 budget. These results provide insights into the state and malleability of public support for policy options.