Arizona farmers are upset with Congress for not approving an extension to the Farm Bill before the government shutdown. Some farmers are now worried about getting government loans for next year’s crops. The Farm Bill expired at the end of the fiscal year on Monday, and then the federal shutdown started on Tuesday. That leaves the nation’s farmers without many of the federal programs they depend on.
Arizona Farm Bureau Federation President Kevin Rogers said local growers do not have crop insurance rates they need now to secure loans for harvests next spring.
“Right now we are in limbo, because without the Farm Bill we are not sure what that price is going to be, and so that can affect our banks deciding, 'am I going to loan money to this person or not,'” said Rogers.
He said farmers want Congress to pass a five-year Farm Bill instead of another temporary measure like the one approved a few months ago.