ST. PAUL — U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota said Congress appears unlikely to pass a farm bill by the end of this year.

Peterson said that it may take milk prices going up to put public pressure on Congress to pass a bill.

The farm bill expired at the end of September. Milk prices could rise sharply after Jan. 1 if Congress does not renew price supports.

Differences between Democrats and Republicans, and the House and the Senate, have stalled the legislation.

Peterson said American agriculture may have been too successful at keeping prices low. The Democratic congressman said “people don’t understand what a good deal they got,” and if milk prices start going up, “maybe it will wake them up.”