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The U.S. farm bill should not be renewed next year unless a broader agreement is reached with the World Trade Organization that would protect Midwestern farmers, Sen. Jim Talent said Monday.
WTO negotiations broke down earlier this month in Geneva, Switzerland, largely because countries could not agree on common rules for trading agricultural goods. Poorer counties want the United States to cut farm subsidies so they can bolster their own farm sectors.
Talent, R-Mo., said it would be foolish to cut back on domestic farm payments while WTO negotiations continue.
"There's a danger that other countries might believe that we would undercut the programs over which they're negotiating," Talent said.