NIANTIC - With the 2002 Farm Bill set to expire in September, a listening session was held Saturday morning in Niantic with hopes of making progress on the future content of the 2007 version.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, was in attendance, along with representatives of trade associations, state agencies, environmental and energy advocacy groups and agriculture economists to discuss agriculture issues concerning the new farm bill.

"We are facing several things that are going to really decide our future. The first is the budget," Durbin said. "We have a serious budget problem."

Durbin, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Subcomittee, said the war has aggravated the budget, costing $2 billion a week and has created budget deficit for the last several years.

Not having a disaster program for farmers and trade were also issues of concern.

"Unlike previous farm bills, we are being pushed in certain directions by trade," Durbin said.

Peggy Kaye, vice president of public relations for Farm Credit Services of Illinois, said her company wants to improve the rural community that serves the farmers.

"We're very concerned about the rural community and their vulnerability, and we're doing everything we can to try to improve the economy," she said.

With use of biofuels on the rise, Durbin mentioned benefits of the new market, including cleaner air and a high demand for corn and soybeans.

"Now, we're moving dramatically in terms of alcohol fuels, ethanol, biodiesel," he said. "We're now reaching a point (where) we can't produce corn fast enough to keep up with the demand."

Philip Nelson, president of the Illinois Farm Bureau, said, "I think we need to, as we write this new farm bill, make sure we have enough flexibility in the CRP program (a voluntary incentive-based conservation program).

"I think farmers will tell you in this state that they like the conservation element from the 2002 Farm Bill."

He added that there should also be a regulatory framework for agriculture.

"We're just seeing a whole host of regulations," he said. For example, an Environmental Protection Agency regulation stating that if there is a wind speed that exceeds 10 mph, spraying out herbicides or pesticides is not allowed.

"We need some common sense back into the framework," he said.

The new farm bill likely will include provisions for commodity, nutrition, conservation and other programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to a news release from Durbin's office.

"The farm bill - affects all of these people," Niantic farmer Dan Miller said of various area farmers. He added that he believes the farm bill even has an affect beyond agriculture, such as water supplies.

"When all those areas get affected, so will we. So somewhere and somehow - we have to get it in a form that will have a positive effect for agriculture."

Alicia Spates can be reached at aspates@herald-review.com or 421-6986.