Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 11/15/18

House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders are within striking distance of reaching agreement on a farm bill conference report, as the Senate panel's top Republican and Democrat see things.

Roberts' ambitious outlook of a deal being possible today, if realized, would put Congress in good position to pass final legislation before the year ends. But sources tell MA that lawmakers have a ways to go before a deal can be reached.

The loneliest number: As one would expect, the six titles that Roberts says Conaway is dug in on include the commodity, conservation and nutrition sections. But Roberts also said Wednesday that he, Senate Agriculture ranking member Debbie Stabenow and House Ag ranking member Collin Peterson were all on the same page.

"I am very troubled by the fact that we have agreement among three but we can't get the fourth one," Roberts said of the Big Four, our Liz Crampton reports. Conaway has been slow to respond to compromise offers, Roberts said, and at one point took 12 days to make a counter-proposal.

"I think we're close if the House wants to get a farm bill," Stabenow said, per another dispatch Liz filed from the Hill.
Conaway's response: The Texas Republican disagreed with the notion that Roberts, Stabenow and Peterson were in accord.

"We've got some things I haven't agreed to, they've got some things they haven't agreed to, so you pick your poison as to who you think is standing in the way," Conaway said.

The House Ag chairman accused Roberts of also not being quick to respond to proposals. Conaway said it took Roberts' staff eight days to respond to one of Conaway's offers.

— Bottom line: It's become increasingly clear that the Big Four are not on the same page about where talks stand, raising more questions about how quickly lawmakers can get a bill done in the lame-duck session.