Source: NATIONAL ASSOC. OF STATE DEPTS. OF AGRICULTURE, 1/14/19

The partial government shutdown is having immediate and cascading effects on our nation’s farms and ranches. Therefore, NASDA calls on Congress and the Administration to swiftly reach an agreement that re-opens the government. While some USDA staff continue to operate a limited number of programs, we know that all hands on deck are required to successfully direct every program American farmers, ranchers and communities depend on, including implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill. “The impacts of this shutdown are real. Not only are farmers and ranchers unable to use a host of existing USDA programs they depend on, they also can’t use important programs they need now from the recently enacted Farm Bill,” said NASDA President and New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte. “Without them, the financial stress and challenges farmers are facing will keep accumulating.”

NASDA members across the nation echoed Secretary Witte’s statement. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said that farmers and ranchers are hoping to have loans approved by early spring, which impacts decisions about land leases, cropping intentions, and crop and livestock inputs. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency typically issues and processes these loans. “Some producers are dependent on FSA loans, and it is vital that they are processed in a timely manner,” Goehring said. Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse stated that Delaware dairies are already hurting from a poor year, and the shutdown is only compounding the challenges. The 2018 Farm Bill created a new program to alleviate the economic strain dairy farmers have been under. Until the government reopens, the USDA’s Dairy Margin Coverage Program cannot move forward, and dairies are left without a safety net. “I lost one of my larger dairy farmers last month, so the sooner the new Margin Coverage Program can be implemented, the better off it’s going to be for dairy farmers in Delaware and across the nation,” Scuse said. NASDA CEO, Dr. Barb Glenn reiterated members’ concerns “The governmental programs that serve our farmers and ranchers greatly contribute to our nation’s safe and secure food supply,” she said. “As we urge Congress and the Administration to reach a resolution, NASDA will continue to work closely with USDA leadership to address the repercussions the shutdown has had on farmers nationwide.”