As the federal shut down continues, plains states could be affected in unexpected ways.
Thousands of federal employees have stopped working, while thousands of others are working without pay—at least temporarily.
In some parts of Texas, U.S. Department of Agriculture offices have already closed their doors due to lack of funding.
The USDA says it plans to “shutter every local and state farm service center across the U.S.”
The impasse could make things difficult for farmers and ranchers hoping to access the $12 billion set aside for producers hurt by federal tariffs. The USDA has said that those payments will soon be put on hold if the shutdown continues, as will farm loans and disaster assistance.
On Wednesday the Democrats put forward a plan to end the shutdown, but the White House declared the plan a “nonstarter.”
