December corn opened 1 cent lower at 591 and established an early range of 588 to 596 1/4. Prices traded on both sides of yesterday's close in the early going with floor traders reporting that the market was focusing initially on the lower crude oil market. Volume was said to be moderate, and floor traders reported a lack of selling by funds. This helped firm prices somewhat going into mid session although corn continued to lose to wheat on the day. A Federal judge ruled yesterday that the CRP could only release 1.8 million acres for haying and grazing out of the 24 million acres proposed for that purpose in May. The USDA has also announced plans to release a total of 34 million acres for various purposes including crop production later this summer, but those plans are now in doubt. The House Agriculture Committee has crafted a bill that would greatly increase the power of the CFTC to set position limits and regulate non-exchange markets. It is being sent to the House floor. Basis levels are steady to firm in the interior on continued light selling by farmers. At the Gulf, basis levels are steady.