government shutdown

Despite the ongoing government shutdown, the USDA announced Tuesday Farm Service Agency offices will reopen this week.  Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has recalled all of the more than 9,700 FSA employees nationwide.   “We've persuaded OMB, through them working with us and our attorneys and our budget people working with them over finding the funds to get all of our people back to allow them t

The government shutdown could cause a ripple effect across the federal government for years, according to former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.  Vilsack recently told Politico that the effects could take years to realize, like the ramifications of pausing some Forest Service efforts to reduce fire hazards.   ...

December 22nd.   That’s when the partial federal government shutdown begin, and according to the National Farmers Union, the pressure is starting to impact growers nationwide.  In response, the NFU Board of directors adopted a resolution Friday, calling for an immediate reopening of the federal government.  NFU President...

Farm credit lenders say the partial government shutdown is adding to their concerns over the general down state of the farm economy.  Farm Credit Council leaders are pleased Secretary Perdue has brought back some 2,500 FSA county staffers to help producers with existing loans and tax documents, through Tuesday.  Ho...

The USDA announced Wednesday it will reopen some FSA offices around the nation to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers.  Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said unfortunately they won’t be able to reopen to normal operations.   “We will call back about 2,500 FSA employees to serve our customer’s needs.  That’s going to be in abo...

Could the support of the farming community, which voted overwhelmingly in favor of President Trump in 2016, be melting away?   With the trade war with China, the closure of FSA offices nationwide and so many questions remaining, many in the Ag community feel the White House has made recent years more challenging then necessary.  Re...

Could the support of the farming community, which voted overwhelmingly in favor of President Trump in 2016, be melting away?   With the trade war with China, the closure of FSA offices nationwide and so many questions remaining, many in the Ag community feel the White House has made recent years more challenging then necessary.  Re...

Because of the impact the partial government shutdown is having on American farmers and ranchers, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture is calling on Congress and the Administration to rapidly get to a settlement and end the shutdown as soon as possible...

House approval of bills to reopen USDA and other largely-shuttered federal agencies, has put on display how far apart the two sides are when it comes to ending the partial government shutdown, which now the longest in American history.  Roughly 800,000 federal workers failed to get paid this weekend, which many say has let to missed car payments, cell phone payments and additional stresses on the

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, has so far refused to say how the ongoing partial government shutdown will affect operations.  Politico sources in the administration and industry sources all say the office likely starts furloughing employees as early as Monday.   ...