Peanut Program Survives House Vote

Southerners and their farm-state allies in the House narrowly fought off a move Wednesday to kill a Depression-era peanut program that critics say forces shoppers to shell out more at the checkout line.

The 212-209 vote came as the House moved toward a major overhaul of farm programs that would end decades-old subsidies for corn, cotton, wheat and other major crops.

The basic bill ends the system of near limitless spending for major crop subsidies accompanied by government controls on planting. To ease the switch, the bill gives farmers fixed, declining payments over seven years.