Milk prices likely to climb in New Year
Lewis DiuguidParents with children have to be looking quite nervously at milk in the refrigerator sections of grocery stores right now.
The price in the New Year is expected to rise from an average of $3.65 a gallon to $6 to $8 a gallon if Congress fails to pass a new farm bill, The New York Times reports.
With the dysfunction we’ve seen in Washington the last few years, don’t bet the farm on lawmakers coming to an agreement on this Truman-era farm policy.
Without action, the government would have to stick with a 1949 farm law that would result in Washington buying milk at inflated prices based on farm production costs 64 years ago. It’s “to maintain a stable milk market.”
But it would be anything but stable for consumers. Pinched by milk prices, people will likely cut back on that commodity.
Other food prices such as cheese, bakery goods and other milk-based products would likely also rise, nickel-and-diming consumers even more. None of it would be good for the staggering U.S. economy.
And then there is that lingering problem of the fiscal cliff with expiring tax cuts and automatic government spending cuts. Consumers will feel deeper slices taken out of their paychecks — those who remain employed.
JR Beillenhouser
5 months, 3 weeks agoIt has already been doing that. Quarter pounder with cheese at McD’s used to be about 4.50 5 years ago. Yesterday, I got one and it cost 6.51. This is due to QE 1-3, the stimulus, and the devaluing of our dollar. Your guys economic ideas don’t work and since congress took consumables out of the inflation index, the average uniformed voter doesn’t know this.
Mark Robertson
5 months, 3 weeks agoLet’s have a true free market by getting farm subsidies out of the picture. That is the real way to get prices down for milk and everything else. Or one could try almond milk or rice milk. I like them. Thank you. Mark Robertson Independence
George Hunsucker
Northland
5 months, 3 weeks agoMerely another problem caused by the bumbling federal government that you libs love sooooooooooooooo much lewis….
Milk producers AND ALL FARMERS, should be independent businesspeople producing what they want and selling to whomever they damm well please.
You libs love the cushy govt. jobs and power too much to ever let this happen… Next stop: Greece in America, brought to you by zero and his Chicago thugs…….