Congress decidedly passes farm bill

Margin rules out possibility of veto

WASHINGTON - With veto-proof margins, Congress yesterday sent President Bush a bill that would boost farm subsidies and money for food stamps to help the poor deal with rising grocery prices.

Bush has threatened to veto the $290 billion bill, saying it is fiscally irresponsible and too generous to wealthy corporate farmers in a time of record crop prices.

But Congress disagreed, with both chambers passing the measure by well more than the two-thirds' majority needed to override a veto. The Senate voted 81 to 15, a day after the House passed the bill with 318 yes votes.

About two-thirds of the bill would pay for domestic nutrition programs such as food stamps and emergency food aid for the needy. An additional $40 billion is for farm subsidies, while almost $30 billion would go to farmers to idle their land and to other environmental programs.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer again criticized the bill after Tuesday's House vote, saying it has the wrong priorities.

"It does not target help for the farmers who really need it, and it increases the size and cost of government while jeopardizing the future of legitimate farm programs by damaging the credibility of farm bills in general," he said.

Congress has overridden only one veto, on a water projects bill, during Bush's two terms.

Congressional negotiators met for weeks in an effort to come closer to the White House on the amount of money to be paid to wealthy farmers - one of the chief sticking points with the administration. But drastic cuts to subsidies were not possible, lawmakers said, because of the clout of Southern lawmakers who represent rice and cotton farms, which are more expensive to run.

"This bill has reform in it," said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader. "Could we have done more? Perhaps. But if we'd done more we wouldn't have gotten a bill."

The legislation would make small cuts to direct payments that are distributed to some farmers no matter how much they grow. The farm bill also would eliminate some federal payments to individuals with more than $750,000 in annual farm income or married farmers who make more than $1.5 million.

Individuals who make more than $500,000 or couples who make more than $1 million jointly in nonfarm income also would not be eligible for subsidies.

Under current law, there is no income limit for farmers receiving subsidies, and married couples who make less than one-fourth of their income from farming will not receive subsidies if their joint income exceeds $5 million.

The administration originally proposed a cap for those who make more than $200,000 in annual gross income, but later indicated it could accept a limit of $500,000. Previously, negotiators were considering a $950,000 income cap on farm income.

The bill also would:

Boost nutrition programs, including food stamps and emergency domestic food aid, by more than $10 billion over 10 years.

Expand a program to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to schoolchildren.

Increase subsidies for certain crops, including fruits excluded from previous farm bills.

Increase loan rates for sugar producers.

Cut a per-gallon ethanol tax credit for refiners from 51 cents to 45 cents.

Require that meats and other fresh foods carry labels with their country of origin.

Pay farmers for weather-related losses from a new $3.8 billion disaster relief fund.