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U.S. Senate most likely to stop a shutdown

The head of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives says he’s keeping a close eye on what’s happening in Congress as the deadline to fund the federal government nears. 

Chuck Conner tells Brownfield, “The effort that I’m watching is what the Senate may come up with in terms of an omnibus funding bill that has the support of the President that they can then get over to the House and at least keep the doors of government open through mid-November.”

He says some appropriation amendments proposed in the U.S. House have little chance to pass in the Senate and slow down the legislative process, including one that would stop sugar growers from accessing USDA marketing assistance loans.

“You have to take it seriously because you know this is an important program that really provides stability for many, many growers out there to supply the US market with safe and affordable product,” he says.  “You just don’t want to disrupt that.”

Connor says while food safety and meat inspectors were exempt from the last shutdown, which happened during the Trump administration, Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service loans would be disrupted.