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WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) – The U.S. federal government shutdown that began Wednesday will halt some payments to farmers and delay access to federal farm loans, the latest blow for producers already facing low crop prices, record-high debts and a trade war at the height of the fall harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The shutdown began at midnight after Republican and Democratic lawmakers could not agree<\/u><\/a> on a plan to fund federal government operations. It will last until one party gets enough votes for its funding plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Wednesday, the scope of the shutdown’s potential impact to U.S. farmers was beginning to emerge. Even short interruptions in payments could deepen farmers’ economic turmoil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It costs money to run those combines,” said Chad Hart, agricultural economist with Iowa State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During shutdowns, significant numbers of federal employees are furloughed<\/u><\/a> and many operations temporarily stop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture furloughed about half of its 85,907-person staff, according to agency shutdown plans<\/u><\/a> posted on its website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The plans show the USDA will continue some operations deemed mission-critical, like administration of nutrition programs and food inspections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But much of its other work will cease, such as processing of farm loans and making payments to farmers, including billions of dollars in disaster aid contained in President Donald Trump’s tax-cut and spending bill.<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tim Wells, who raises sheep in Paragould, Arkansas, was planning to apply this month for disaster aid for losses from recent weather events, but new applications are not being accepted during the shutdown. He also worries about payment delays for a USDA conservation project that he installed as a contractor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The way the farm economy\u2019s been, nobody needs to wait because it takes so much just to operate,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Trump administration and the USDA have blamed the shutdown on Democrats. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins posted on social media: “billions in disaster aid blocked from reaching farmers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Democrats have said Republicans are to blame<\/u><\/a> because they control both chambers of Congress and the White House.TRADE WAR, LOW PRICES<\/p>\n\n\n\n Farmers have significant economic concerns this autumn. Trump’s trade war with China<\/u><\/a> has prompted the world’s top soybean buyer to shun U.S. shipments for rival Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n