BILLINGS— Montana farmers have had trouble accessing federal aid after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reopened 2,100 offices to provide farmer aid last Thursday.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices provide Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments for farmers, among other services.
The offices had been closed for three weeks due to the government shutdown.
Watch to see how the shutdown has affected Montana farmers:
According to Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer, farmers have experienced delays accessing services in these offices.
“I would be surprised if any farmers have actually been paid. There's probably been farmers that have been filling out the paperwork to get prepared to be paid. And the staff is probably trying to get prepared to process it,” said Schweitzer.
“There's always a bit of time for the system to go through and then the checks to be printed and to be mailed,” he added.
Related: Montana farmer reacts after USDA announces reopening offices amid government shutdown
Each office that reopened has two workers, which has limited the number of services.
Schweitzer said these services include the ARC and PLC programs, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and marketing assistance loans.
“The FSA offices, they're only bringing two people back for each office. Now because of the furloughs, because of the layoffs, and because they've been short on staff for years, there's some offices that have nobody they're bringing back,” said Schweitzer.
The limited service has led to farmers going unpaid.
“They are stuck with a couple hundred thousand dollars of money that they're trying to get in a bank that is just a piece of paper for them right now,” said Schweitzer.
The union president said he is ready for the government shutdown to end.
“They need to get back to work so that we can continue. Farmers, we're struggling, but it's everyone who is struggling. These payments are being frozen across the board. There are thousands of people here in Montana that have been furloughed until this shutdown is over,” said Schweitzer.
“All of the constituents here in the state of Montana should reach out, especially to their congressional delegation, the congressman, and tell them, ‘Get back to work,’” he added.
USDA officials have not responded to multiple MTN News requests for comment.
