MARSHALL, Minn.—The U.S. Department of Agriculture will reopen about 2,100 county Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices nationwide on Thursday to ensure farmers and ranchers can access $3 billion in aid, even as the federal government shutdown continues.
Each office will operate with two paid employees to help producers apply for loans, crop insurance, disaster assistance, and other programs. The move aims to maintain critical agricultural support during harvest season while most other federal agencies remain closed or understaffed.
Funding for the reopening will come from the Commodity Credit Corporation, which manages agricultural price support and stabilization efforts.
The decision follows growing frustration in farm country over stalled federal aid and trade-related losses, including concerns about increased beef imports from Argentina and uncertainty surrounding delayed relief from the U.S.–China trade dispute.
Republican lawmakers and farm groups praised the USDA’s action, calling it essential for producers facing tight margins and high costs. Democrats criticized the timing and accused the administration of politicizing the shutdown at the expense of farmers.
The shutdown, which began October 1, has left Congress and the White House at an impasse over government funding.
