The House is poised to debate the Farm Bill tonight -- expected to vote at
10 p.m.  Reps. Leonard Boswell, D-Ia., and Rep. Jim Leach, R-Ia., are
undecided, according to aides.

Please call your Representative now, especially Rep. Boswell and Rep. Leach.

Call **tonight** (the Capitol Switchboard number is 202-224-3121) and urge
your Representative to vote "Yes" on the
Boehlert/Kind/Gilchrest/Dingell amendment to H.R. 2646, the Farm Bill.

If you wish to offer specific points in support of your position, tell the
person taking your call that the amendment makes both economic and
environmental sense because it would help farmers protect water quality,
conserve our nation's critical natural resources and conserve prime farmland
as well as wetlands, forests, grassland and other wildlife habitats.

By JANE NORMAN
Register Washington Bureau
10/03/2001
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Washington, D.C. - The House was poised Tuesday to begin debate on a new
farm bill, despite uncertainty over how much money will be available and the
potential for a charged conservation debate.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest, R-Texas, and Rep.
Charles Stenholm of Texas, the committee's top Democrat, have written a bill
that would cost $73 billion more than current spending for programs during
the next 10 years, money that was expected to come out of the budget
surplus. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman has said it is unclear how much
will be available for farm spending given the lagging economy and the costs
associated with last month's terrorist attacks.

Clipped here>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The most fiery debate is expected to be over an amendment proposed by a
coalition of lawmakers headed by Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., and Rep. Sherwood
Boehlert, R-N.Y., that shifts $1.9 billion a year to conservation efforts.

The amendment is similar to the conservation approach favored by Senate
Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Ia., who recently released
bipartisan principles of agreement with Lugar. The Bush administration has
been critical of farm subsidies that fail to promote conservation.

Rep. Tom Latham, R-Ia., who opposes the Kind amendment, said he believes
Combest will yank the bill from the floor if the amendment is approved.

Rep. Greg Ganske, R-Ia., said he, too, will oppose the amendment because it
would mean less money for Iowa farmers. Reps. Leonard Boswell, D-Ia., and
Rep. Jim Leach, R-Ia., are undecided, according to aides.

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