The government shutdown, now entering its third week, threatens vulnerable farmers and families. Critical food assistance programs are only fully funded through the end of the month, farm disaster and conservation payments are on pause, and federal farm loan offices are closed. Among the many furloughed USDA offices is one that protects farmers from corporate abuse, the Packers and Stockyards division.
The shutdown is just the latest blow to agriculture antimonopoly enforcement, as the Trump administration quietly dismantles Biden-era projects. Over the past few months, the USDA has canceled several antimonopoly partnerships, including a contract that managed its Farmer Seed Liaison initiative. Ending these programs runs counter to USDA’s recent promise to collaborate with the Department of Justice to improve competition in agricultural input markets. Read more