The federal government shutdown is being felt locally in some small but mighty ways.The standoff between President Donald Trump and Congressional Democrats has been ongoing since Dec. 22 but Knox County Farm Bureau Director Hailey Weyhrich says the biggest date farmers are watching is Jan. 15. That’s the deadline for submitting applications for a one-time direct payment program, designed to offset losses felt by some producers during the U.S.’s ongoing trade dispute with China. The Farm Service Agency office on Soangateha Road is shutdown, and its staff furloughed, frustrating the process, when farmers already might be stressed to turn in papers on time. “Some of them are still in the fields, they still have some acres left,” Weyhrich said. “This weather has been just kind of crazy. So most noticeably that’s what we’re seeing as farmers are trying to go in and turn in their information but no one’s there to do that for them.” Weyhrich says the Farm Bureau would hope for an extension of the deadline if possible. Also, a major report was scheduled to be released on Jan. 11 that’s crucial for informing farmers risk and development strategies. The USDA announced Friday that even if the shutdown ended immediately they wouldn’t have time to release the reports on time. President Trump said Friday afternoon he’s prepared for the shutdown to go on for “years”, although he added he doesn’t think it will.
