AFBF: Government Shutdown Starting To Impact Farmers

As if farmers didn’t have enough problems with years of low-prices, trade and other troubles.  Now, the partial government shutdown, in its second week, is unnerving producers.

“It’s always a challenge to implement a farm bill, but when the department doesn’t have funding, that’s certainly something that, we’re all holding our breath to see, A, how quickly that can get resolved, and B, how that helps the Secretary and his team get started on implementing this new farm bill," said American Farm Bureau Executive Director Dale Moore.  "This, certainly, is going to be a challenge, and one we hope gets resolved very soon.”

Some programs, including Market Facilitation payments, continue, uninterrupted.  But, Moore said farmers need to know soon, what combination of regular farm programs they'll use to manage risk.

“One thing that we have heard a lot about in the lead-up to getting the farm bill done in Congress, and the president getting it signed, was the assurances that farmers are going to have an opportunity to make new decisions on whether they’re signed up for ARC or PLC.”

Moore warns timing is key for producers and their lenders, and ideally issues in D.C. will be resolved by this spring.  He added the “missing piece” right now is whether producers can get into their local FSA office and figure out their 2019 plans.

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