The government shutdown could cause a ripple effect across the federal government for years, according to former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Vilsack recently told Politico that the effects could take years to realize, like the ramifications of pausing some Forest Service efforts to reduce fire hazards. Specifically, Vilsack said, “You may not see the consequences of this until August of next year, when there is a worse fire than we would have had.”
The shutdown is prompting many sectors of the U.S. economy, from real estate to agriculture, to brace for years of setbacks that include the pause in government loans and permitting processes.
Vilsack served as Agriculture Secretary from 2009 to 2017 under the Obama administration. He now serves as President and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
The Department of Agriculture last week opened select Farm Service Agency offices for three days to serve farmers. However, the offices were reported to be near overwhelmed from the workload.
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasters