We assess the extent to which national budget considerations, international trade negotiations, and domestic political deliberations affect the potential development of an omnibus farm bill, which may be signed into law in 2008. With no successful conclusion of the Doha Development Round of trade negotiations in sight, U.S. legislators appear unable to make politically unpopular decisions on domestic farm policy reform. However, the absence of an international trade agreement does not reduce the need for the U.S. to comply with previous agreements.