As the federal government shutdown drags on, farmers across the country are feeling the squeeze—and they’re not shy about speaking up. From North Carolina to Iowa to the U.S. Virgin Islands, many say they’re scrambling to keep their farms afloat while essential federal support is cut off.
“It’s really tough,” said Patrick Brown, a North Carolina farmer who runs Brown Family Farms in Warren County. “If I wanted to apply for an operating loan through my local farm service agency supported by the USDA, I’m not able to apply for those programs.” Brown, who just finished harvesting corn, says he’s now taking speaking gigs at universities to help cover costs and keep the farm running.
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Brown isn’t alone. Hundreds of farmers gathered recently in Raleigh for the annual Harvest Ball, a major networking event focused on agriculture. It’s a place to share ideas but also vent about the mounting challenges—especially for Black and brown farmers who face steep systemic barriers.
“One of the biggest issues affecting Black and brown farmers is a lack of access to capital. It’s a lack of understanding of farm operations,” said Darrell Tennie, founder and chairman of the Harvest Ball.
Many farmers told ABC11 News they’ve stopped receiving federal subsidies and technical assistance due to the shutdown. That funding is often what allows them to pay contractors and keep their farms moving.
“They don’t want to work unless they get paid and right now, they don’t know if they will get paid,” said Willis Nelson, a farmer from Louisiana.
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Todd Western, a sixth-generation farmer in Iowa, says the shutdown is just one more stressor on top of weather, equipment failures, and market fluctuations. “We already have all the other stresses like weather, mechanics, and prices. If you add this one, it’s something you don’t anticipate,” he said.
Farmers say the uncertainty is making it nearly impossible to plan future operations. Yvette Brown, who farms in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is watching her shipping costs climb—and she’s not sure how much longer small operations like hers can last.
“Shipping stuff out and shipping stuff in,” Brown said. “It’s continuing to grow.”
Even with these setbacks, the message from the farming community is clear—they’ll keep going as long as they possibly can. But without action to resolve the shutdown and get support flowing again, they’re warning the situation could go from tough to impossible very quickly.