Married couples with joint incomes of up to $1.5 million from their farm operation could still qualify for crop subsidies under a five-year, $300 billion farm bill compromise that would boost the Agriculture Department's food and farm programs.

In some cases, farm couples with incomes totaling $2.5 million _ assuming $1 million is from other, non-farm sources _ could also qualify. That's far too rich for the Bush administration, which renewed President Bush's threat to veto the package as being too generous to wealthy farmers.

As details of the House-Senate compromise emerged Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer reiterated the veto threat. White House budget director ...