A provision in an agricultural bill, passed by the Senate and representing an ostensible scaling back of federal farm policy, calls for the establishment of a Federal Popcorn Board. Since the board could levy assessments on popcorn processors directly, it would not be funded by the federal government. It would still be empowered to issue regulations, violations of which would be subject to civil fines up to $1,000. The proposal enjoys strong support from Republican Senate Agriculture committee chairman Richard Lugar (from Indiana, a popcorn-producing state) and from the Popcorn Institute, a trade association.

The bill also contains provisions calling for $20 million in grants for schools that provide farm education to Hispanics, $15 million to create sewage systems in Eskimo villages, as well as the creation of the National Kiwi-fruit Board and the National Canola and Rapeseed Board.

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