MAJOR U.S. FARM GROUPS OPPOSE POLICY CHANGES Seven major U.S. farm groups took the unusual step of releasing a joint statement urging congressional leaders not to tinker with existing farm law. Following meetings with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Kika de la Garza (D-Tex.) and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the groups issued a statement saying lawmakers should "resist efforts to overhaul the 15-month-old law, which is operating in its first crop marketing year." The farm groups included the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Cattlemen's Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Pork Producers Council and the U.S. Rice Producers Legislative Group. The statement said Congress should not modify the 1985 farm bill "so the law might have its intended impact of making agriculture more competitive in export markets while at the same time maintaining farm income." "We strongly believe American farmers now need predictability and certainty in farm legislation in order to have any opportunity of making proper production and marketing decisions," the groups said.