Wisconsin's two Democratic senators voted in favor of the farm bill Thursday, helping approve it 81-15 and send it to President Bush.

Herb Kohl, chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, praised the bill for creating a stronger safety net for farmers and allowing interstate commerce of state-inspected meat products, among other things.

The bill extends the Milk Income Loss Contract program by five years and raises the rate at which it pays dairy farmers.

Wisconsin has more state-inspected meat plants than any other state in the nation, Kohl said. The bill encourages smaller entrepreneurs to expand and ship out of state at a time when the industry has been consolidating around major slaughter houses, he said.

"With this legislation, Congress is putting our rural communities first and providing the means to greatly enhance the quality of life for people living throughout the dairy state and the nation," Kohl said.

Russ Feingold said the bill would significantly improve food stamp and food assistance programs for many Americans dealing with high food prices.

"While I am disappointed that the bill does not do more to reform farm subsidies, livestock programs and the direct payment system, it does take good steps toward helping dairy farmers and rural communities," Feingold said.

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