WASHINGTON - Newly installed Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, the former governor of North Dakota, indicates he will not fight the Bush administration's opposition to a permanent fund for weather-related disaster aid, despite the idea's popularity in his region.

Schafer did not directly say that he opposed the idea, which is included in the Senate-passed version of the farm bill. But he said his new job is different than when he was governor of the state.

"This is a national-scope stage now, and the president came to a proper conclusion" in terms of budget and how a new farm bill will affect global trade talks, Schafer told reporters Wednesday.

"All those things are different on my desk than they were when I was governor," he said.

Schafer said farmers need a safety net when disaster strikes, but much of that can be taken care of through crop insurance, subsidies and emergency disaster relief. He added that he is not certain what the right mix is, and the issue "is trying to be sorted out."

"I haven't weighed in," he concluded.

The Bush administration has threatened to veto both the House and Senate versions of the farm bill passed last year, saying the bills use gimmicks and tax increases to fund more farm programs.

Among their objections is to the $5 billion fund for disaster relief included in the Senate version, and has strong support from Democrats and Republicans in the Dakotas delegations. The administration says a permanent pot of money could lead to false expectations among farmers.

Disaster aid has been a top priority for current North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven, who said in a statement that he will continue to push for it.

Administration officials have shown little willingness to negotiate over their opposition to the extra money for programs, and Schafer confirmed that, saying there would be no compromise.