Senate to Soon Name Farm Bill Conferees

Senate will name farm bill conferees today or Wednesday, setting the stage for the conference process to take another step.Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said Monday there will be seven or more likely nine Senate conferees named, far fewer than the 47 House conferees announced last week.Wednesday will likely begin conference negotiations among the four principal negotiators: the chairmen and ranking Democrats on the Senate and House Agriculture committees.When asked what he plans to tell House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, about the Senate bill, Roberts said: “It passed 86-11.”