by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois’ FarmDoc project
Urbana. IL — Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher and Steve Davies reported that “President Donald Trump late Wednesday signed into law a measure to end the longest-ever government shutdown after 43 days, fully fund USDA and FDA for fiscal 2026, and end a bitter legal battle over this month’s SNAP benefits.”
“The measure, approved by the House 222-209 Wednesday night after passing the Senate on Monday, also extends farm bill programs whose authorization expired Sept. 30, including the Conservation Reserve Program,” Brasher and Davies reported. “Six Democrats crossed party lines to support the bill; two Republicans opposed it.”
“By getting full-year funding in the legislation, USDA and FDA are effectively insulated from any further shutdowns until the fiscal year ends next Sept. 30. Three annual appropriations bills were wrapped into the legislation – Agriculture, which funds USDA and FDA; Legislative Branch, which funds congressional operations, and Military Construction-VA, which funds the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects,” Brasher and Davies reported. “The bill ‘delivers on our promise to our veterans, our farmers and our taxpayers,’ said Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn.”
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “farmers should expect full services to return at local Farm Service Agency offices, including processing for loan applications for farm ownership or home loans that have been frozen since the shutdown began. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) should also reopen for business.”
“In the past, USDA has announced extended enrollment for programs that were affected by shutdowns. Producers will be waiting to see when USDA provides specific information,” Clayton reported. “Agricultural groups, by and large, indicated they were pleased to see the shutdown end. Other groups called for USDA to immediately fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to low-income Americans that have been frozen since the beginning of November.”
SNAP Funding to be Released Within 24 Hours
Politico’s Grace Yarrow reported that “millions of low-income Americans should receive full food aid benefits within a day of President Donald Trump signing Congress’ shutdown-ending deal into law, the administration said. Once the government is open, most states will get the funds to distribute benefits ‘within 24 hours,’ USDA spokesperson Alec Varsamis said in a statement Wednesday.”
“The resumed SNAP payments would be a relief for the nearly 42 million people who have experienced major disruptions to their typical monthly benefits during the record-breaking shutdown, as the Trump administration has battled states, nonprofits and cities in court over how much money to release,” Yarrow reported. “The program lapsed for the first time on Nov. 1, leaving food banks and state officials scrambling to meet rising hunger needs just ahead of the holiday season.”
“Even after the government reopens, however, some states could see delays in returning SNAP benefit issuances to normal levels, given that they’ve paused their typical processes for readying the funds due to the shutdown, anti-hunger groups argue,” Yarrow reported.
USDA Funding Details
Clayton reported that “under the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the bill includes $10 billion for farm loans ‘to ensure that our producers have access to necessary capital.’ The bill also includes language preventing USDA from closing any FSA county offices. FSA would also receive $15 million to hire new employees to fill vacancies and anticipated vacancies at county offices.”
“The bill also includes funding for USDA to better track foreign-owned farmland and provide the secretary of Agriculture with a position on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS),” Clayton reported. “Agricultural groups and farm-state lawmakers have pressed for years to give USDA a permanent seat on the committee, which decides whether foreign acquisitions create national security risks.”
“In conservation, the bill provides $850 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide technical assistance, despite the administration’s budget proposal to eliminate technical assistance appropriations. The bill decreases funding for urban agricultural offices and programs,” Clayton reported. “Under the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA must continue all activities and reports, including the July Cattle report and the county estimates for crops and livestock. Both reports were cut for one year under the Biden administration because of cuts to NASS.”
