03-23-2002

AGRICULTURE: Conferees Strike Key Deal on Farm Bill

House-Senate conferees announced on March 19 that they had reached
agreement on allocations of money for all titles of the farm bill. Senate
Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle, D-S.D., said that the funding agreement
would provide $46 billion for commodities; a $2.6 billion
"cushion" for dairy, peanuts, and sugar; $17.1 billion for
conservation; $6.4 billion for nutrition programs; and $3.3 billion for
the remaining titles. The conferees directed committee staff to work on
the farm bill during the two-week spring recess and to be ready for member
meetings beginning on April 9. Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman issued
a statement saying that the Bush Administration wants the bill to pass by
early April if it is to be implemented to cover the 2002 crop
year.


Jerry Hagstrom/CongressDaily

National Journal