, La. —

Farmers in Louisiana are grateful Friday after much-needed funding was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture amid an ongoing federal government shutdown.

Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, was in Amite Friday and announced that processed payments for farmers and paid employees are currently underway. Advertisement

A total of $3 billion owed to farmers is being processed.

Farmers say the news is welcome, but only a short-term fix.

"For us to really benefit, we need the whole Government open," Nichole Liuzza, a Tangipahoa Parish farmer.

Liuzza is the co-owner of Liuzza Family Farm in Independence, which grows strawberries, squash, and other vegetables.

She says farmers rely on timely funding to adhere to their schedules.

"Farmers are so time sensitiv

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