USDA Reopens 2,100 County Offices to Dispense $3B Aid Amid Shutdown

President Trump has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reopen about 2,100 Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices nationwide despite the ongoing government shutdown, enabling farmers and ranchers to access over $3 billion in aid from existing programs such as farm loans, crop insurance, and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized that these payments are critical for farmers to manage expenses like heavy equipment and land rent during difficult economic conditions exacerbated by trade tensions, high input costs, and low commodity prices. The FSA offices will operate with limited staff—two employees per office—to maintain core functions funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation while accepting applications for other programs. This move reflects President Trump's commitment to supporting the agricultural sector, which remains a key political base despite some dissatisfaction among farmers over policies like proposed beef imports from Argentina and trade issues involving China and soybeans. Republican lawmakers and farm groups have praised the reopening, while Democrats have criticized the administration for using farmers as political leverage amid the shutdown stalemate. The reopening aims to alleviate the cash flow challenges farmers face and help them continue business planning amid the federal funding impasse.