When Congress returns today, it will again take up the task of passing a nearly trillion-dollar farm bill that would set commodity subsidy, conservation, alternative energy and nutrition programs for the next five years. With a schedule full of religious holidays, the House will have just eight days this month to move the measure before the current farm bill expires Sept. 30. Farm industry observers agree that a more likely course will be a short-term extension that will carry work either into the lame-duck session later this year or into the new Congress next year. Go to story #1