Dear National Farmers Union members, As you are well aware, a lapse in funding has caused a government shutdown affecting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and several other federal agencies. Among other consequences, this has shuttered the doors of your county Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.

The morning of Jan. 16, USDA announced that many county FSA offices will reopen to provide select services during normal business hours on Thursday, Jan. 17, Friday, Jan. 18, and Tuesday, Jan. 22. The offices will be closed for the federal Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, Jan. 21.

As such, we’re urging those of you who have business with FSA to take advantage of this temporary reopening before FSA county offices are once again forced to close their doors. Please read further to find out if your local FSA office will be open, and if so, which services they will provide.

Which FSA offices will be open?

USDA published this list of offices to be open during normal business hours on Thursday, Friday and Tuesday.

If your office will remain closed, you are able to visit another nearby office.

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What services will these offices provide?

Open offices will be able to assist producers with existing farm loans and to ensure the agency provides 1099 tax documents to borrowers by the Internal Revenue Service’s deadline.

While staff are available in person during this three-day window, most available services can be handled over the phone. Producers can begin contacting staff on Jan. 17 here.

NFU appreciates USDA’s efforts to service farmers as much as they can amidst this shutdown, and we will continue to call on the president and Congress to open the government. Should you have questions about this reopening, please contact an open FSA county office.  end mark

Sincerely,

Roger Johnson, President
National Farmers Union

—From National Farmers Union letter