As discussed in Tuesday’s post, the Farm Bill also expired Tuesday.  What does that mean for farmers and ranchers?

We know that most USDA offices are closed during the shutdown.  This means you cannot seek assistance from, for example, the Farm Service Agency or National Resources Conservation Service because the offices are closed.  In pragmatic terms, this means items such as loan applications are not being processed by the Farm Service Agency.  Direct payments may also be impacted.  A list of programs that expired on October 1st and the implications is here.

Also, conferees have been appointed from the Senate to discuss the Farm Bill.  The House has not yet appointed conferees.  Conferees would allow the House and Senate to hold a conference committee in an attempt to resolve differences between the Farm Bills passed in the House and Senate respectively.  When more information is available, we will update you.