U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack is laying out USDA’s farm bill priorities this week.

But given the current economic climate and the efforts of the Congressional super committee tasked with finding more than a trillion dollars in budget cuts.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says USDA’s leadership may not carry much weight. That’s because the leaders of the Ag Committees – Debbie Stabenow, Pat Roberts, Frank Lucas and Collin Peterson – have told the members of the Super Committee that they’ll have a detailed set of 2012 Farm Bill policy suggestions aimed at achieving the 23-billion dollars in savings they previously recommended by November 1st.

Grassley believes it will mostly affect Title I, food stamps and perhaps conservation. His understanding is that programs outside those areas will be handled next year. He admits this is an unusual way to write a farm bill – but says it’s necessary if you believe farmers should have a safety net.

Grassley says the people who know something about agriculture should write the farm bill – rather than leaving it entirely to the super committee. Though that group will still have the final say

Whatever the super committee decides, once they present a measure to the Congress, it must be voted up or down without amendment.