Congressional earmarking is in full swing as the 2010 appropriations bills make their way to conference, and ultimately, to President Obama's desk.

There's pork aplenty in the Agriculture-Rural Development-Food and Drug Administration appropriations bill - 481 congressional requests totaling $370.4 million, according to the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense. A "Swine and Other Animal Waste Management" project in North Carolina will receive $349,000. (Isn't that a by-product of pork?) Other, more cryptic earmarking includes a "wool research" project in Montana, Texas and Wyoming ($206,000) and $4.8 million for "wood utilization" - requested by 28 members. (See the group's earmarks database here)

West Virginia Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd has been busy delivering the bacon to his constituents in West Virginia. In the 2010 Homeland Security appropriations bill, he has earmarked $39.7 million for an "advanced training center" and another $3.6 million for an "operations systems center." And scores of small towns - undoubtedly the epicenter of possible future terrorist attacks - received handouts. They include Shelter Island, NY ($200,000), Winthrop, Mass. ($500,000) and Pelham, NY ($563,000).

While presidents invariably rail against unauthorized appropriations, they too get their finger in the pie. Obama alone earmarked four projects totaling $21 million in the Homeland Security bill. His requests in the Agriculture appropriations measure were more numerous - 14 earmarks totaling $101.4 million.

Members often join the president in requesting earmarks that land in their states or districts. The practice provides some political cover, as presidential requests tend to be less parochial than money steered by a lawmaker alone, said Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense.