Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, who is not a member of the farm bill conference committee, has predicted that Congress will pass the farm bill just before going out of session for the Christmas holidays, the Mason City, Iowa, Globe Gazette reported Saturday.

Sen. Tom Harkin, R-Iowa, who is on the conference committee, said that the farm bill could be combined with another spending bill and that the bill's fate depends on agreement on the food stamp cut.

• The Globe Gazette — Iowa congressmen agree food assistance key to farm bill