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The Senate failed to finish its Farm Bill work before the holiday recess. As they return to Washington this week, AFBF President Bob Stallman is asking Farm Bureau members to deliver this message: "We don't care who wins or loses partisan battles related to the farm bill, we just want results."

"The House did an excellent bipartisan job on getting a farm bill through. We'd like to see the Senate do the same thing," Stallman said. He added, "I think it will be very difficult for (Congress) to finish – not impossible – but difficult for them to finish implementation of a new Farm Bill for 2002 crops. That's what our producers are standing back and looking at, along with their bankers. They are asking what the future holds as they go forward (in efforts) to finance and plan for this year's crop. The delay has caused concern and increased uncertainty in the countryside."

Stallman is asking all Farm Bureau members to continue to encourage senators, both Republicans and Democrats, to come together. "Tell them to make some changes here, make some changes there to get a consensus bill out so we can move forward to conference."