(SPRINGFIELD) The USDA is today reopening some 2,100 Farm Service Agency offices around the nation, mostly for critical services and to release more than $3 billion in farm funding delayed amid the ongoing government shutdown. This will include both PLC and ARC payments for the 2024 crop year, along with a few other key services. Officials say the reopened offices will operate five days a week with reduced staffing levels until current funding sources are exhausted or until the federal budget stalemate in resolved. Farmers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office to confirm hours of operation and obtain details about available programs and payment timelines. The USDA announcement did not include an update about a potential farmer payment program to help with 2025 losses.
