But Australians' concerns go far beyond the specific issue of wheat subsidies.

From FY 2003 to FY 2004, wheat subsidies increased by 17.2 percent, reaching a record of US$1.5 billion.

Like European wheat subsidies, government loans to Airbus hurt the United States by breaking Boeing's virtual monopoly of the global aircraft industry.

Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister recently called the wheat subsidies "the act of a hostile power."

The government reacted by allowing the rupee to depreciate, by proposing a cut in wheat subsidies and by cutting public expenditure programmes.

But the wheat subsidy for China is bound to raise questions among those who have contended that American policy is inconsistent.

The Agriculture Department is authorized to spend up to $800 million on the wheat subsidy in the current fiscal year.

They are among the 10 biggest recipients of wheat subsidies in Cheyenne County, which is the state's top wheat county.

Australia's wheat subsidy is 4 percent.

But wheat subsidies have not been adjusted much to account for the larger yields farmers obtain with corn through better seed technology.