"A five-year farm and food bill that would revamp the federal safety net for farmers and eliminate direct government payments for idle crop fields took its first step toward passage Thursday in the Senate."

"A 90-8 vote to officially begin debate opens the way for what could be several weeks of attempts to amend proposed legislation that spends some $100 billion a year on crop insurance, conservation and nutrition programs.

The measure would save $23 billion over a 10-year period from current spending levels. Some of those savings would come from eliminating the current system where farmers get direct payments from the government regardless of whether they actually plant a crop."

Jim Abrams reports for the Associated Press June 8, 2012. [2]