Payments from the federal government to farmers hardest hit by America’s ongoing trade dispute with China are in danger of drying up amid the partial government shutdown, which stretched into its seventh day on Friday.
The Associated Press reports that Department of Agriculture (USDA) payments to U.S. farmers hit by Chinese tariffs on soybeans, sorghum and other crops were only scheduled to last through one week of a federal shutdown, and are set to discontinue within days if President Trump and Congress are unable to reach a deal on a spending bill.
The USDA payments, along with farm loans and disaster assistance programs, are set to be put on hold starting next week unless funding is authorized, the AP reports.
The agency has appropriated more than $9 billion to pay out to farmers who are unable to certify production, of which payments began in September. The deadline to sign up for another round of payments from USDA is Jan. 15.
Other USDA programs including the federal food stamp system are guaranteed to be funded through January.
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Shutdown could prevent farmers hurt by Trump's trade war from getting their aid: report https://t.co/ppsgHCDAnx pic.twitter.com/uFjJf0UPvo
— The Hill (@thehill) December 28, 2018
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