News
NFU calls for immediate reopening of government
The Board of Directors of the National Farmers Union is
calling for an immediate reopening of the government.
“It is having such a ripple effect all throughout the economy
and out in rural America,” says Rob Larew, NFU’s senior vice president for
policy and communications. He says the board has adopted a resolution (Friday)
calling on both Congress and the President to come to an agreement to end the partial
government shutdown which is affecting trade mitigation payments from going out
to farmers, loan services and important data. Larew says it was a relief that
the USDA opened some FSA offices temporarily but there are reports of problems,
“We’re hearing of challenges even in those where not enough folks were there that
had the authority to do the things that they had expected to do and some
offices that were listed to open simply didn’t open.
Larew says the shutdown threatens the implementation of the 2018 farm bill that was meant to provide certainty, “How ironic it is that we get a farm bill done and the government shuts down?”
