Government Shutdown Deepens Challenges for Farmers and Rural Families

By Andi Anderson

The recent government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, created widespread challenges for farmers, families, and rural communities that rely heavily on federal support.

Although the government reopened after the House voted on a spending bill and the President approved it, the impacts of the shutdown continue to ripple across the nation’s food system.

One of the most significant impacts was on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). During the shutdown, changes to SNAP created confusion and delays for low-income households that depend on benefits to purchase food.

SNAP already faced cuts after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which reduced the program by nearly 20%. More than 40 million Americans, including over 15 million children, rely on this assistance to access regular meals.

The shutdown also exposed deeper issues within a food system influenced by large corporations and industrial farming practices. While the country produces large quantities of commodity crops, these operations often have environmental impacts such as soil depletion, water stress, and pollution.

In contrast, many small farmers aim to produce food in ways that support healthy ecosystems. However, they face challenges like land access and limited support. USDA conservation programs—such as EQIP, the Conservation Reserve Program, and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program—help farmers adopt soil-building practices and manage land sustainably. Yet, the shutdown halted many of these programs, delaying payments and eroding confidence.

“The issue that I see is trust and whether it’s being built or broken,” said Michael Happ of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Farmers with active NRCS contracts were placed in financial limbo. For example, rancher Molly Sowash was unable to receive the $4,000 owed through her conservation contract. “We could have used that cash, especially during this time,” Sowash said.

Grace Moore, a beginning farmer in Indiana, also faced delays. She shared concerns about relying on future programs, stating, “More than ever, I think [it’s] a risk to be relying on programs like EQIP and other NRCS programs.”

For many small farmers, these delays affected equipment purchases, conservation work, and daily operations. The shutdown also closed Farm Services Agencies, making it difficult for farmers to meet important deadlines.

“It never feels good to be at the mercy of any of that,” Moore said.

Happ added that rural communities felt abandoned, noting, “I think there’s been this realization that the government has turned their backs on them.”

Despite these challenges, rural communities continue supporting one another, demonstrating resilience even as federal systems falter.

Photo Credit: usda