US FARM BILL STUCK

Negotiations on a new Farm Bill appear to be going nowhere. President Bush says the $283-Billion price tag is too high. And small-farm lobbyists like Dan Owens from the Center for Rural Affairs say too much money goes to big operations. Owens said Congress should help family farmers and stop mega-subsidy checks. The lobbyist said without a real payment limit, the Farm Bill under discussion is not worth passing. Supporters of the current payment system say it keeps consumer prices down. The current farm bill has been extended to mid-March.