ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. -- If Congress doesn't reach the deadline next week, the “dairy cliff” is something that could raise the price of milk dramatically.

The current farm bill is set to expire in a few days on January 1st. That bill sets the minimum price of which milk can be sold.

Without a new farm bill, the minimum price would be set by a law from 1949, which means that the price of milk would increase maybe even double.

Dan Meyers, a farmer in the Valley, said he hopes Congress will avoid the dairy cliff.

“When you double the price of something as important as the nutritional value in dairy products, that's a hardship that we don't need to be a part of,” said Meyers.

Meyers said farmers would see a short term benefit for the first month or two from the higher milk prices, but demand for dairy would eventually fall because of the high cost to the consumer.

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