If you have been near U. S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in the past few months, you may have heard him complain about the lack of a new farm bill. He’s blaming House Republicans, who won’t bring it up for a vote.

U. S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-Collinsville) says there’s a reason for that: it can’t pass. “Liberal Democrats from the city and suburbs … don’t like our reforms in the food and nutrition portion,” says Shimkus, “and some conservative Republicans … think the government shouldn’t be involved in agriculture policy.”

Shimkus says with the election coming up, the thing that could actually get done with a farm bill is to pass a three-month extension and postpone the heavy lifting.

(Posted 9-20-2012 at 6:21am, Illinois Radio Network)