Ed Schafer was sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture earlier this week
by voice vote in the Senate. Secretary Schafer is a businessman and
former Governor of North Dakota.

At his confirmation hearing last week, Schafer said he hopes to
narrow the differences between Congress and the Bush Administration
over the Farm Bill. The Bush Administration has threatened to veto
the Farm Bill over revenue provisions included in the bill, and over
the Administration's desire for stricter limits on commodity
payments.

Late last year, Congress extended the current Farm Bill through March
15 to give it time to pass a new Farm Bill.

Senate and House leaders have not yet named the members of the
Conference Committee that will resolve the differences between the
Senate and House Farm Bills, but Congressional staff have been
working to identify the key areas of disagreement.

We posted a copy of our chart that compares the major conservation
provisions of the House and Senate Farm Bill, along with current law,
and the Ag and Wildlife Working Group recommendations (the collection
of hunting, fishing and conservation groups that NWF has been working
with on Farm Bill issues through the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation
Partnership).

Visit the Yahoo Farming for Wildlife group site to see
it: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/FarmingforWildlife_USA/ Click on "files"
and look for Comparison House Senate Farm Bill.

Duane Hovorka