Administration Asks Congress to Extend the Farm Bill for One Yar

Posted by Brian Gould Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:11:00 GMT

U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday called on Congress to give up its deadlocked negotiations over a $600 billion farm law and pass by Friday a one-year extension of the 2002 law, popular in farm country.

The White House proposal would erase hopes in Congress of large increases in funding for nutrition programs like food stamps and in land stewardship. Some farm lobbyists say a bill cannot pass without rewarding those popular programs.

House and Senate negotiators, meeting minutes after the White House issued Bush’s statement, said they would make a final effort to wrap up the new law. The optimism was mixed with sober words that time is short.