When President Bush signed the one-month extension of the 2002 Farm Bill that gave Congress until April 18 to finish a new bill, he said that if Congress wasn't successful by that time he would request a one-year extension of current legislation.
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer says it's in the hands of Congress right now and he hopes to see a breakthrough soon, but if they don't have something solid by the end of this week, a longer extension of current law would be in order.
"Since we're almost through with all the planting decisions for the 08 crop," Schafer says. "We may want to see that legislation go through the 09 crop as well.
Schafer says he would much prefer a new bill to an extension of the old one, but if Congress doesn't get their work done that may be where it's headed.