By Jamie Martin
When tough times strike, farmers and ranchers don’t stop working—they fix problems head-on. That same determination, they say, is what Congress now needs to bring to ending the federal government shutdown.
The shutdown has far-reaching impacts on agriculture. USDA offices nationwide are operating with limited staff, delaying vital services like crop loans, acreage reporting, and disaster assistance. These delays make it difficult for producers to plan for the next growing season or recover from weather-related losses. Many federal employees who live in rural areas are also facing missed paychecks and financial uncertainty.
For small and medium-sized producers, the lack of timely market data from USDA’s Market News makes it harder to make informed selling and planting decisions. Farming cycles can’t pause for politics—every delay affects yields, income, and future investments.
This shutdown comes at a difficult time for farmers already challenged by high input costs, low market prices, and global trade tensions. Without government-backed support and reports, their ability to manage risk and maintain stability weakens.
Food security and sustainability are also on the line. With over 160,000 family farms lost since 2017, the nation risks losing valuable agricultural land to non-farming development. Meanwhile, conservation initiatives that protect natural resources are halted.
Farmers continue to feed America despite hardships. Now they are asking lawmakers to return the favor—work together, end the shutdown, and keep the country’s farms, families, and food supply moving forward.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: National