August has arrived; named by the Ancient Romans for Augustus Ceasar, it is the last full month of the summer season and the beginning of the end of the dog days of summer (Boeckmann, June 28, 2024; Andrew, July 18, 2024; Avet, Terrebonne Parish Library; Boeckmann, June 21, 2024). It is also when Congress takes its annual month-long recess, a practice that traces to 1968 (U.S. Senate, August 11, 2023; Staneck, August 4, 2014). With no Farm Bill on the horizon, this week’s article returns to the Inflation Reduction Act and analysis of the conservation investments by USDA. In terms of policy design, the IRA offers a potential case study via implementation of the Congressional direction on use of the funds and how practices drive allocations.
