Lyng also said there were no plans to restrict exports because of shortages or high prices in this country, nor would there be any embargoes.

The agriculture secretary is co-chairman of the Interagency Drought Committee, set up last month by the president, which is supposed to deliver its final report in two weeks.

The preliminary report Friday mainly described the situation in parched areas of the country, calling the drought "the worst on record for the central United States at this stage of the growing season." But it did not recommend any major new federal aid.

It did note, however, that "a continuation of the drought would increase income losses for farmers and cause disruption in other sectors, particularly those reliant on inland waterway transportation. Moderat-ing the economic and social stress in severe drought areas would likely require additional measures."

The report also said that more than a dozen pieces of drought legislation have been introduced in Congress and several of them could each cost "at least several billion dollars, depending on drought severity."