WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Monday it wants to see more cuts to agriculture subsidies in a massive farm bill moving through the Senate this week.

The bill would cost almost $100 billion a year over five years and would set policy for farm programs and food aid. The legislation would cut about $2.4 billion annually from overall farm spending and would eliminate a controversial subsidy that is paid to farmers whether they farm or not. But it would still expand federally subsidized crop insurance and raise subsidies for rice and peanut farmers.

In a statement, the White House said it supports the legislation but would like to see more savings in the crop insurance and farm subsidy programs. It did not specify how large a cut it was seeking.

Almost $80 billion of the annual cost of the bill is for domestic food aid, with most of the rest of the money split between farm subsidies, crop insurance and programs to protect environmentally sensitive land.

The Senate began debating the bill Monday afternoon, with Senate Agriculture Committee chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., saying she expects several amendments to be offered on the crop insurance program. Stabenow and other farm-state senators have argued that crop insurance should be maintained and even expanded because it protects farmers when they need it most and farmers contribute to the program.

Critics say federal contributions to crop insurance are too generous and subsidize big business.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., offered the first crop insurance amendment Monday, proposing an end to $33 million a year in insurance policies for tobacco farmers.