Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, made it clear speaking to agriculture reporters Tuesday morning that he isn't thrilled about Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns' staff drafting legislative language for the farm bill. It's just "not appropriate," he said.

"I've argued against that with them," Chambliss said. "I don't think it's the function of the administration to draft a farm bill."

While Republican Chambliss isn't happy about the administration from his own party stepping so deep into the farm bill, Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Agriculture Committee, is encouraging Johanns' involvement.

"Politics make strange bedfellows, you all know that," Harkin said of the situation.

Harkin then almost immediately pointed out that Johanns proposed spending five times more money on Harkin's crown jewel measure, the Conservation Security Program.

As everyone political discusses the farm bill, they also note that it's regional and parochial difference, not party affiliation, that creates alliances and disputes. Harkin and Johanns are Midwesterners where farmers are less resistant some of the changes backed by both Harkin and Johanns, such as tighter payment limits.

Chambliss did note that the Bush Administration and Johanns right now have become more engaged in the farm bill at this point than either the Bush or Clinton administrations or ag secretaries got involved in either 2002 or 1996.