"The most dramatic change in the farm bill that is winding its way through Congress is the program that allows farmers much more flexibility to plant rather than being tied to their historical base of specific crops," says Daniel Sumner, professor of agricultural economics at UC Davis. Sumner directed a nationwide research project on U.S. agricultural policy and the new farm bill for the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington, D.C. California agriculture is less dependent on government subsidies than other major farm states. Government payments amount to one or two percent of revenue in this state compared to five to 10 percent or more in Texas, Iowa and the Dakotas, says Sumner. Another provision in the bill would abolish the agriculture department's power to idle cropland. "This change has major long-term implications," says Sumner, "but in the next several years the amount of land expected to be idled is small so the quantitative effects will be minor." In addition, the farm bill does not reform dairy policy and does little to change trade programs, he says. The impact on consumers will be minimal and the income effects for farmers will be small as well, Sumner notes.