Government Shutdown Ends, Farm Bill Programs Extended

President Donald Trump signed into law a measure to end the longest-ever government shutdown after 43 days, fully funding USDA and FDA for fiscal 2026, and ending a bitter legal battle over this month's SNAP benefits.

The measure, approved by the House 222-209 after passing the Senate on a 60 to 40 vote, also extends farm bill programs whose authorization expired September 30, 2025, after prior extensions. The language included the Conservation Reserve Program.

By getting full-year funding in the legislation, USDA and FDA are effectively insulated from any further shutdowns until the fiscal year ends next September 30, 2026. 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. “The bill delivers on our promise to our veterans, our farmers and our taxpayers,” said Representative Michelle Fischbach, R-MN.

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 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."

"The resumed SNAP payments are a big 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," Politico’s Grace Yarrow reported. "The program lapsed for the first time on November 1, leaving food banks and state officials scrambling to meet rising hunger needs just ahead of the holiday season."

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 received $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)," said Clayton. "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 (NASS), 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."

EDITOR’S TAKE:

Ending the longest government shutdown in American history was welcome news to nearly every citizen. Obviously, SNAP recipients were among those most affected, especially with the upcoming holiday season. Similarly, farmers/ranchers will now have normal funding and programs from USDA with the budget approved for the entire fiscal year. Plus, several key programs were funded after threats to severely cut or eliminate them were on the discussion block. Thankfully farmers/ranchers can rest easier now that USDA is back in business.

One thing to be aware of is that USDA will now be sending billions of dollars to the mailboxes of farmers and ranchers across the nation. That can help relieve some of the financial pressure they have experienced during the trade wars with China and the shutdown. Make sure you have your inventory on AgTruckTrader.com®. Not only are checks arriving soon, but tax time is upon us as well. Remind farmers/ranchers contemplating a new or qualified used vehicle about the tax depreciation benefits passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year.