Despite federal shutdown, farm offices reopen in Louisiana at critical moment as harvest wraps

Offices that farmers count on for low-interest loans and disaster relief programs have reopened, even as the federal government shutdown drags on.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the reopening of 2,100 offices of the Farm Service Agency across the country at a crucial time for row crop farmers who are wrapping up the harvest, deciding whether to sell or store and planning for the next growing season.

"It's absolutely critical," said Mike Strain, Louisiana's commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, citing the agency's many services, including crop insurance and bridge loans. "When you look at the Farm Services Agency, they're an integral partner in the business of agriculture."

Strain added that the agency is especially important at this time o