Not the least of the problems with reforming the farm bill is the lack of subsidy envy. Many of the excluded farmers do not actually want what the included farmers have got.

Just $1.6bn (£784m, €1.1bn) fresh money over five years in the House version of the farm bill was enough to satisfy, at least for now, the so-called “specialty crop” producers, including fruit, vegetable and nut growers. In many cases, this involved no more than getting a foot in the door: the House version dedicates just $70m each fiscal year to buying fresh fruit and vegetables for schools, covering only 35 schools per state. Robert Guenther of United Fresh, which represents fruit and vegetable growers, says: “Some people say we got bought off cheaply . . . but it provides a good platform to build on in five years.”