The latest partisan faceoff in Congress could result in 8-dollar gallons of milk in the new year if their differences prevent a new farm bill from being passed.
The latest partisan faceoff in Congress could result in 8-dollar gallons of milk in the new year if their differences prevent a new farm bill from being passed.
Much of the debate surrounding it has been focused on the billions of dollars in food stamp benefits attached to it, but the level of government support given to farmers is also on the table.
Subsidies given to dairy farmers under the current bill are close to expiring, and talks about putting together and passing a new five-year farm bill were once again delayed, this time by the shutdown.
Should dairy farmers end up unsubsidized, consumers will be among those feeling the direct and harsh effects of not having an agreement in place.
Several farm, land, and cattle owners have already begun to suffer in the bill’s absence.
An early blizzard in South Dakota recently caused the deaths of over 100 thousand cattle.
As the provision of the bill that protects against such losses had expired on October 1st - days before the disaster and the day of the government shutdown - those affected are left having to cope with millions of dollars in unrecoverable losses.
