So what happened?

"I guess first and foremost, the hardest part of public policy is that no one has a crystal ball," said Sara Braasch, executive director of the Idaho Cattlemen's Association.

And she would know. Before her ICA post, Braasch was the legislative assistant for agriculture to Idaho Sen. Larry Craig and was involved in the writing of most of the 1996 Farm Bill.

"The intention across the board was good. After that there were a number of situations ... no one saw coming," such as the economic collapse of Asia, a major trading partner, Braasch said.

Another major deterrent to the farm bill's success in restructuring American agriculture is that integral components of the overhaul were grounded in tax and trade issues that are outside the jurisdiction of the congressional ag committee, she said. A new road would have to include tax relief, expansion into new export markets and enforcement of trade agreements.

While promised, many contend, those things didn't happen. Yet there were also problems in the farm bill itself, they say.

Murtaugh pork producer Dave Roper, president elect of the National Pork Producers Council, said inequity between commodities was the biggest problem with the last farm bill.

"The whole farm bill was a little bit wrong," he said. "There needs to be more equity between livestock and crops. It seems like the crop side has faired a little better. I'm in both," he said, adding that he raises barley, potatoes and corn in addition to pork, "but I realize the inequity."

"You can't let one group get the lion's share of money. Corn and soybeans (big Midwest crops) get the lion's share, but that doesn't do us any good in Idaho," he said. "It needs to be more equitable in order to be a fair system. It has to be. It's like going to the store and only focusing on one thing."

To Roper's way of thinking, however, a farm bill is less about money and more about good policy.

"Some people's focus is that it's just a fight for (monetary) support for a certain commodity. A lot have based their survivability on this price support, have become addicted and can't do without it," he said. "But you want a farm bill to correct a problem and not go back year after year and have to fix the problem.

"Most people are looking at money, but I'm far more concerned with policy. The money always runs out while the hands are still out there," he said. "The policy side, to me, is 75 percent, and the funding side is 25 percent. The policy is what drives the other side."

Steve Johnson, executive director of the Idaho Grain Growers Association, agrees, but that's not stopping the National Association of Grain Growers from going after some monetary guarantees. The group is proposing a plan that includes a fixed payment, and adjustment in the loan rate and a counter cyclical payment that would kick in only when needed.

"Basically what it's trying to do is guarantee a $4.25 (per-bushel) price," Johnson said.

While grain growers as a whole were on board with the Freedom to Farm plan to end fixed payments by 2002, the past five years have caused growers -- in grain and other commodity circles as well -- to rethink the plan, Johnson said.

"What you'll hear from most folks is that there was a legitimate attempt and sincere effort on everyone's part, but you're just not going to be able to sustain agriculture without support for the basic commodities.

"If you support the basic commodities, needs of U.S. consumers, other crops will fall into place and make money for those farmers," he said, adding that price assurance on a handful of basic crops will spur processors of other commodities to entice farmers to plant what they need. "It makes all the other crops compete for acres, and you have a healthy economy."

But that is just one philosophy in the fray. The House Ag Committee is in the throes of hearing after hearing to grant all of agriculture a shot at the new farm bill.

Braasch knows that arduous process firsthand.

"It's not going to be easy coming up with a new farm bill," she said, adding that the lessons learned from last farm bill will help. "There's something to be learned from every bill. Experience is the best teacher."

Roper, who has just returned from the pork industry's day on Capitol Hill, said whatever happens won't happen quickly.

"I don't even know if the war lines are going to be drawn by the end of this year," he said. "It'll probably be one of the most significant battles the administration and Congress have had to deal with. It's not going to be pretty."