Harkin Says Senate Could Pass Farm Bill Next Week

Reuters reports that Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) indicated in a telephone interview today that: "the Senate would pass the farm bill no later than next week." Harkin also said that he hopes to build a veto-proof majority for the bill.

The wire service also reports that the Senate rejected the "Fresh Act" which would have replaced U.S. farm subsidies with government-paid insurance policies. The rejected legislation would have eliminated the $5.2 billion paid annually in direct payments and replaced them with insurance policies to protect growers from a steep drops in revenue or yields.