WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — The Senate has approved a continuing resolution to reopen the federal government and fund several key departments — including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) — through next September. However, the plan still requires House passage and President Donald Trump’s signature to take effect.
The measure would end the shutdown once enacted, restoring full USDA operations from farm-program offices to market reporting, inspections, and nutrition programs after weeks of scaled-down service. It also guarantees back pay for federal employees and stabilizes agency budgets that producers depend on year-round.
For agriculture, the bill’s structure matters: it provides full fiscal-year funding for USDA rather than a short rolling extension, giving FSA, NRCS, AMS, and RMA clearer financial direction through harvest and into 2026. Loan servicing, disaster assistance, market reports, and grading and inspection programs would resume immediately after enactment. Nutrition programs like WIC and SNAP — which have been operating under court-directed contingency funding — would also regain secure appropriations.
Markets are watching for House action, where timing and amendments could still affect final passage. If the House clears the bill and the President signs it, USDA will return to normal operations and begin working through backlogs in payments, data releases, and delayed sign-ups. Until then, agencies remain in limited-service mode as producers wait for the final steps.
Farm-Level Takeaway: The Senate has cleared a path to reopen USDA, but full restoration of services depends on House approval and the President’s signature.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Specialist
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What can these facilities do to protect themselves? I wrote about this issue last spring, and since that time, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has issued a significant opinion. That makes an update in order.
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