1. AGRICULTURE:
Curtain lifted on farm bill deal the 'president will veto'

House-Senate negotiators announced a final agreement on the nearly $300 billion five-year farm bill yesterday, as Bush administration officials vowed to veto it. The five-year bill includes spending increases for nutrition and conservation and a new program that pays farmers to grow dedicated feedstocks for next-generation cellulosic fuels. It also includes a sweeping tax package that gives incentives for landowners who conserve endangered species, a new $1-per-gallon bonus for cellulosic ethanol and scales back the blenders credit for corn-based ethanol. Go to story #1