Government shutdown puts nearly half of USDA workers on furlough, leaves plenty of uncertainty

WAVERLY, Neb. (KLKN) – Nearly half of those employed at the United States Department of Agriculture have been furloughed due to the government shut down.

Farmers say they are not immediately feeling the consequence of this, but it’s just a matter of time before they do.

“Right now, we’re just getting in the combine and going and going for as long as it stays running,” said Paula Peterson, a Waverly farmer.

Peterson says once her soybean and corn crops are collected, the products go into silos before being sold.

However, its shelf life does not last forever.

“The bin is going to run out and they’re going to end up having to put them in ground piles,” she said.

Those piles eventually break down and become wasted goods.

If the shutdown persists, the wasted products turn into a net loss.

The normal method of international trade would no longer be an option.

Congressman Mike Flood says efforts to keep some vital services are still in tact at the USDA.

“Some of the food safety programs continue,” he said. “We still have food inspectors working at food processing plants.”

Meanwhile, Peterson says part of what motivates her is the global impact that crops have on other nations.

“Soybeans are such a healthy, relatively cheap source of protein for people all over the world,” she said. “If we can be part of providing a fairly inexpensive high nutrition feed when you’re dealing with hunger throughout the entire world, it makes me feel like what we’re doing has that extra connection to the world.”

Congressman Flood said he has some solutions in the works.

“‘I’m calling on the President and congress to pass an economic trade package for farmers, at least $10 billion,” he said. “This is necessary especially on the soybean side of the ledger.”

The congressman also adds that although many farmers may have a bumper crop, “we don’t have the markets right now to sell into.”

Flood says that there are several trade deals currently in the works with Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia and hopes both sides can meet in the middle to create a bipartisan budget together.