News

Shutdown causing hardships for farmers

A Minnesota farmer is seeing a lot of pain caused by the government shutdown.

Brian Ryberg of Buffalo Lake says with the temporary reopening, he and many others will be attempting to get into their local FSA offices.

“I’m going to try to get in there these next couple days, but I’ve heard a lot of hardships for people depending on putting some grain under loan after the first of the year. They wanted the income in 2019, and with the shutdown they’re not able to get in and do that.”

He tells Brownfield the shutdown could not come at a worse time for some producers.

“Some guys were maxed out on their operating lines at the bank and depending on that money to help pay down some loans or fund some other input purchasing, and all of a sudden they have to be creative at their bank to come up with some money. So it’s definitely created some hardships.”

Ryberg says he’s anticipating an overwhelming response from farmers anxious to visit with FSA officials about existing farm loans.