As the Farm Bill continues to languish in Congress, concern is mounting from farmers and food producers to economists and consumer advocates over the potential impacts if no new legislation is signed before the beginning of 2014. For example, did you know that the price of milk could skyrocket to $7 a gallon on January 1, as a 65-year-old federal law kicks in, doubling the current federal subsidy for dairy products and greatly distorting the consumer market for dairy? As Dean Boor recently explained, this is only one of a series of potential consequences that will hit American consumers still reeling from the Great Recession squarely in the wallet. From rising prices for beef and grains, to drastic cuts in food stamps and support for food banks, the results of continued Congressional inaction could prove dire for millions of American families.
“The inability to get a Farm Bill in place will touch every household in the U.S., starting with ramping up the price of our milk to eventually increasing the sticker prices on a variety of foods,” said Dean Boor. “It’s time to put politics behind us and focus on the things that matter: improving the quality of life for our citizens.”
