If Congress doesn’t avoid ‘dairy cliff,’ milk prices could double

[xchrom]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/if-congress-doesnt-avoid-dairy-cliff-milk-prices-could-double/2012/12/27/11908108-505f-11e2-8b49-64675006147f_story.html

Add another, more prosaic item to the list of things Congress has left until the last minute to resolve this year: the price of milk.

Distracted by dealing with the Bush tax cuts, lawmakers are running out of time to pass the latest version of the country’s sweeping farm bill and avoid what’s become known as the “dairy cliff.” If Congress misses the Jan. 1 deadline, the price of milk could rise significantly — some say by more than $3 a gallon — as the country’s farm policy reverts back to laws dating from 1949.

The Department of Agriculture said prices would not jump immediately in 2013 and that the agency is exploring all options for heading off a mess. But hopes are diminishing that lawmakers will deal with the farm bill in time to avoid throwing the nation’s farm policy back more than six decades.

“The best outcome would be for Congress to do its job and pass a five-year bill,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said last week. “The worst outcome is for us to continue to see Congress do nothing and for permanent law to come into effect.”

[Major Nikon]

1. I guess the silver lining is that big milk won't be subsidized

...and we might see a resurgence of local dairy products.

[Berlum]

5. Wouldn't that be something...

[quakerboy]

2. Odd. Why is this done on a temporary basis

Why don't we have a long term plan in effect, with minor tweaks every few years? Apparently its just been a series of temporary bills since 1949?

Also, what exactly has the current farm bill been doing that drops the price of milk by half or more? And what else does it effect, given I am sure its not just a dairy industry specific legislation?

[xchrom]

3. i think there has a been a 5 year plan floating around.

but it's the usual stupid stuff going on so nothing, nothing moves.

[madrchsod]

4. while people were focused on the debt ceiling bullshit shit

this is the real issue that will directly effect tens of millions of people across every district across the country. if they do`t pass it by january first the bill could take over a month or more to be finalized in the house and given to the president to sign.

price supports ,food stamps,nutrition programs and other services could be cut or underfunded. this is the real failure of the republican party in the house not the mythical cliff.

[Chico Man]

6. Good

Dairy milk was not meant for human consumption.