EMERSON'S ALTERNATIVE FARM BILL REJECTED BY AGRICULTER COMMITTEE

An alternative farm bill drafted by U.S. Reps. Bill Emerson, R-Mo. and Larry Combest, R-Texas, failed by two votes Wednesday in the House Agriculture Committee.

Emerson, of Cape Girardeau, said in a statement that he was disappointed the bipartisan farm bill, called the Agricultural Competitiveness Act of 1995, failed as the substitute to the Freedom to Farm Act introduced by U.S. Rep. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.

"It was the only bipartisan measure before the committee," he said late Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the legislative process today failed Southern Missouri farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses."

Emerson's bill, defeated 26-23, would have met budget guidelines of $13.4 billion in slowed spending over seven years by reforming traditional farm programs.

Earlier Wednesday, the committee defeated President Bill Clinton's proposal to slow farm-bill spending by $4.4 billion by 2002.

A vote on Roberts' measure was expect late Wednesday.