By PHILIP BRASHER, AP Farm Writer
 
                        WASHINGTON--A trade dispute involving Cuba and a squabble over
                       federal milk policy have derailed for the time being congressional action on an $8
                        billion farmer relief package. And neither side in the controversy is showing sign of wanting
                        to compromise.
                             Republican leaders had agreed to put the assistance money -badly needed to help bail
                        out the troubled agriculture economy -in a must-pass agricultural appropriations bill
                        being worked out by House and Senate negotiators.
                             But the lawmakers did not resume their talks Thursday because of dairy and Cuba
                        trade issues. House GOP leaders told the budget negotiators they did not want the dairy
                        issue in the bill and will not let the legislation out of the House if it weakens the 40
                        -year-old trade embargo on Cuba.
                             Farm groups are pushing Congress to allow the sale of food and medicine to Cuba,
                        but that has riled some conservatives and Florida lawmakers. The dairy dispute involves
                        an Agriculture Department overhaul of milk pricing set to take effect next month.
                        Lawmakers in the South and East want to scrap the new system and replace it with
                        regional price-setting agreements.
                        Lawmakers in the Midwest support the proposed changes.
                             "They're both big (issues). They're both difficult," said Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla.,
                        chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
                             It was suggested Thursday that an additional $700 million in
                        disaster relief for farmers might be put into the bill if the Cuba and
                        dairy issues were removed, congressional sources said. But it wasn't
                        clear if that will be enough to break the deadlock.
                             The aid package includes $5.5 billion in direct payments to
                        growers as compensation for a second year of depressed commodity
                        prices and additional money for special crops and weather-related
                        losses.
                             "We need to get this assistance out to people and we need to get
                        it out now," said Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.