Consider This from NPR Farmers already had it bad. The shutdown made it worse.
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Oct 17, 2025 Joe Maxwell, a fourth-generation Missouri farmer and advocate for farmers with Farm Action, sheds light on the devastating impacts of the federal government shutdown. He explains how farmers are missing vital USDA data and loans, disrupting their planning and marketing. The ongoing trade war is also a major concern, sharply hitting soybean and corn prices. Moreover, Maxwell highlights the precarious reliance on ACA subsidies, warning that rising healthcare costs and potential subsidy expirations could threaten farm viability.
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USDA Data Is Central To Farm Decisions
- The USDA provides essential data and services that farmers use to plan planting, marketing, and harvest timing.
- When USDA offices close, farmers lose real-time crop reports and accurate market information that guide major decisions.
Loans Frozen During Shutdown
- John Hansen (Joe Maxwell) describes farmers unable to access FSA loans during the shutdown when they need cash to sell grain and pay interest.
- Farmers face delays in hauling and selling corn and soybeans because FSA offices are closed.
Trade War Slashed Export Demand
- The trade war with China removed a historically large buyer of U.S. soybeans and corn, shrinking export demand abruptly.
- That loss has driven substantial per-acre losses for many producers, worsening already tight finances.