Mike Espy questions whether the bill is hypocritical

The Republican bill was an alternative to a Democratic bill, which raised crop subsidies linked to falling commodity prices.

The two bills would increase spending on farm programs by nearly 80% over the next years and authorise farm and nutrition programme until 2006.

Mike Espy, secretary for agriculture when the US pledged to roll back subsidies in the 1990s, said: "It is a bit hypocritical, in light of the US position advocated over the past few years in the WTO and it is quite embarrassing, I believe, to the administration....President Bush has not offered its support formally for this effort."

"You have a clash domestically here between the executive branch, which is generally more tuned to international mandates...against more domestic emphasis."