Shutdown already hurting export opportunities
Is the government shutdown affecting your business? Some people would probably say “NO!” with some ridiculous line like, “what do we need those ...
continue readingNews
October 1st has come and Americans are left without a farm bill and the government has shutdown.
Congress has been working on a new 5-year farm bill for over two years and has ultimately come up short once again. While representatives shared nothing but optimism with farmers and taxpayers during their time spent back home, they did not finish the job on the farm bill. The can was kicked down the road with a nine-month extension that passed last December 31st during the last government shutdown scare to provide Congress with some extra time. While the Senate has passed a version in June each of the past two years, the House continued to make plenty of noise, only to come up empty handed providing no certainty for those who grow the food and everyone who eats it.
What does an expired farm bill mean? Crop insurance and nutrition will stay intact, as they are mandatory programs. Conservation remains in place but new enrollments will not be accepted. MAP funding, key for export market relations, ends, meaning that deals in place and foreign buyer relationships are entirely at risk. Dairy prices are likely to rise at the end of the year and commodity programs revert back to 1949 law. To get more in depth, you can read this Congressional Research Report.
As for the government shutdown, our good friends over at Minnesota Corn have concisely summed up what it means for farmers.
USDA has its contingency plans posted here, but as of this morning, clicking on each link brings you to a white screen with the USDA logo on top and this message:
Due to the lapse in federal government funding, this website is not available. We sincerely regret this inconvenience.
Subscribe to receive information that impacts South Dakota farmers.
Is the government shutdown affecting your business? Some people would probably say “NO!” with some ridiculous line like, “what do we need those ...
continue readingGMO’s. What are they? Are they safe? Why do we need them? Are they in my food? Why aren’t they labeled? There are so many questions surrounding the world ...
continue reading