VENEMAN SAYS BUSH WILL SIGN $5.5 BLN FARM BAILOUT BILL

WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said onFriday President George W. Bush will sign the $5.5 billion farm bailoutbill passed by the Senate.Bush had threatened to veto a bailout bill that had risen to more than$7 billion with various spending items attached to it."It can now be sent to the president and he will sign it," Veneman toldreporters on the White House driveway. "I think this is a great victorytoday for farmers and it's especially important because it happened beforethe August recess."She said she hoped to get the bulk of the payments out by the end ofthe fiscal year, Sept. 30.Veneman said the farm crisis appeared to be easing in some areas."Some areas are better than others. Obviously we've had good livestockprices across the board, milk prices have been fairly good recently andeven on the grains we've seen some slight increase in prices. So I wouldsay there's some easing of the downturn in prices that we've seen inprevious years," she said.

COMPARISON OF U.S. SENATE, HOUSE FARM BAILOUTS

WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Details of U.S. farm bailout bill passed bySenate on Friday, compared with those of unsuccessful proposal written bySenate Agricultural Committee. Senate accepted plan which was passed byHouse of Representatives, and sent it to president for signature.-Provision ($Mln)Failed Passed-AGrains, cotton "market loss" payments5,466 4,622Soybeans and oilseed aid500 424Purchase surplus fruits, vegetables270 169-BPayments to tobacco quota holders80 129Cottonseed assistance100 85Peanutassistance55 54Wool and mohair assistance17 17Losses in 2000 crop apples150 N/A-CHoney loan program11 N/ADry peas, lentils and chickpeas20 N/AExtend dairy supports to Dec 31, 200242 N/ASuspends sugar assessments44 N/ALoan supports to ineligible growers40 N/AConservation programs542-D N/AArmy worm infestation losses4 N/AExpand Seniors Farmers' Market program20 N/ARural development grants, loans40 N/ADisasterrelief59-E N/AEmergency food distribution grantsN/A 10Doubles ceiling on loan support receiptsNo YesBans shipment of birds for cockfightingYes No

A-Roughly 85 percent of last year's aid package.B-grants to states and Puerto Rico, almost entirely for support ofspecialty crops.C-House included $150 million for apple growers in agriculture fundingbill for fiscal 2002.D-Includes $200 million for Wetlands Reserve enrollments and $250 forcost-sharing Environmental Quality Incentive Program.E-$24 million for persistently flooded land in upper Midwest, $10 millionto purchase floodplain easements on Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and$25 million for forage crops damaged by army worms.