U.S. FARM POLICY DEBATE COULD HIT SENATE SOON The Senate this week might take up proposed legislation that could serve as a lightning rod to expose broad initiatives to change U.S. farm policy. The Senate could consider a House-passed bill that would allow wheat and feedgrains farmers to receive at least 92 pct of their income support payments if flooding last year prevented, or will prevent, them from planting their 1987 crops, Senate staff members told Reuters. Also pending is a bill extend the life of the National Commission on Dairy Policy. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, R-Minn., intends to offer an amendment to one of the bills that would suspend the minimum planting requirement for all 1987 wheat, feedgrain, cotton and rice producers, an aide said. Under current law, producers must plant at least 50 pct of their base acreage to be eligible for 92 pct of their deficiency payments. Most major U.S. farm groups have lobbied hard against making any fundamental changes in the 1985 farm bill out of fear a full-scale debate could expose agricultural problems to budget-cutting pressures. Representatives of these farm groups have said they also fear efforts by Midwestern Democrats to force a floor vote on a bill that would require large acreage set-asides in return for sharply higher support prices. However, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, sponsor of the bill, told Reuters he did not intend to offer his measure as a floor amendment but to bring it through the committee.