The Department of Agriculture will extend the deadline for farmers to apply for federal aid to help offset losses from foreign tariffs and trade tensions.
Applications for the Market Facilitation Program were originally due Jan. 15. But thanks to the partial government shutdown, the USDA's Farm Service Agency, which runs the program, had to close up shop on Dec. 28 after it ran out of funds. Farmers haven't been able to apply online since then.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the deadline will be extended "for a period of time equal to the number of business days FSA offices were closed, once the government shutdown ends."
Back in July, the USDA said up to $12 billion in emergency relief would be used to help farmers hurt by retaliatory tariffs from China. President Donald Trump authorized a second and final round of trade mitigation payments in December.
