Standstill on Farm Bill May Revive 1949 Rules

Pressure is mounting on lawmakers working on a farm bill to come up with a deal before the end of the month, when the Agriculture Department is to begin enforcing a series of decades-old laws that could cause the price of milk and other agricultural products to double.

In the nearly two-year effort to pass the $1 trillion bill, lawmakers have been able to reach a compromise on most of the farm and nutrition programs it covers, including what was expected to be the most contentious issue: cuts to the food stamp program. A deal was reached to cut about $9 billion from the program over 10 years, but was held up when Speaker John A. Boehner objected to a measure to help dairy farmers by limiting milk production to stabilize prices.