Closing puts farmers' loyalty to the test as Trump goes to their annual convention

Of the other key programs of the Department of Ag on Ice, including rural housing loans, the USDA data reports that can influence commodity trade, the implementation of new farm billing initiatives and trade relief payments for farmers who have not already sought help. At the same time, Trump's commercial turmoil does not help farmers either.

"We have farmers who have loans with the FSA," said Randy Poskin, a central Illinois corn and soybean farmer who voted for Trump. "If they can not do this business, it will create problems."

Poskin said that the record of the administration had been up to here "a mix of things". He cited the reshuffle of the Republican tax code and Obama's overthrow of Trump- The water regulations of the so-called US Water Times is a big win for the industry.

But he was skeptical as to whether Trump's efforts to secure funding for a border wall were worth closing the government.

"I know there are problems at the border," he said. cross-border drug trafficking. "But yet, a border wall through all this? I do not see it.

The USDA has tried to postpone the most serious consequences of this closure. It has extended the deadline for commodity producers to be able to apply for trade relief payments and is considering taking unprecedented steps to pay billions of dollars in food stamp benefits in February for weeks to come. 39; advance.

Billy Rochelle, a farmer who grows corn and soy. , beef cattle and butchers near Centerville, Tenn., said he had not yet asked for the aid program and that he would have had a big deal head problems if the USDA had not pushed back the deadline for registration, initially set at Tuesday.

Rochelle said he was broadly supportive of the president's agenda, even with respect to trade, despite the fact that farmers and ranchers were hard hit, while China, Mexico and others Major trading partners have imposed retaliatory tariffs on US agricultural products.

"I know he's supporting rural America," he said. "We have had better years. […] We adapt accordingly and try to survive, like everyone else.

Despite the growing consequences of Trump's closure and trade wars, Rochelle, Poskin and other farmers at the event said they remained behind the President – and hoped that It receives a warm welcome from the public of the Farm Bureau.

"In this world, it's very popular," Poskin said.