Trade-Aid Payment Deadline May Need To Be Extended

The majority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture hasn’t been disrupted by the partial government shutdown yet.  But what happens if that changes?

If the dispute between Congress and the White House drags on, it could potentially affect how quickly the second round of trade aid payments get to farmers.  Farm Service Agency offices remain open through Friday.  That’s when money appropriated in previous years runs out.

Farm Journal said if the standoff continues into January, it will more than likely affect the timing of at least a portion of the MFP payments.  The article said if the dispute does drag on into early January, FSA will likely have to extend the application deadline for those payments, which is currently January 15^th.

That would be one consequence of any potential work stoppage at USDA. There are also some major reports that could be disrupted if the shutdown drags on. USDA would not get to issue some major reports, including the daily export sales numbers. That means it will have an impact on some major agricultural data.

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