WATCH: Davids Speaks with Kansas Farmers Impacted by Government Shutdown

Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a press conference with Kansas farmers who have been impacted by the federal government shutdown. The shutdown has halted key agricultural services — from farm subsidies to crop reports and rural support offices — at a time when producers are already struggling with rising costs due to reckless tariff policies. Davids has repeatedly advocated for a bipartisan solution to reopen the government and safeguard the livelihoods of Kansans. 

“The government shutdown is hurting Kansas families and farmers every day,” said Davids. “Critical programs that keep our food supply strong, grocery costs low, and rural communities thriving are frozen, leaving hardworking Kansans in the lurch. This isn’t just a political negotiation — it’s creating real problems for real people at home. I am ready to work with anyone, in either party, to reopen the government and ensure rural communities have the support and security they deserve.”

WATCH: Davids is joined by Kansas farmers and agriculture experts who are impacted by the government shutdown 

At today’s press conference, Davids was joined by Adam Phelon, a corn and soybean farmer from Garnett; Steve Bowlin, a produce farmer from Olathe; Nick Levendofsky, Executive Director of the Kansas Farmers Union; and Mike Beam, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Together, they discussed the real-world consequences of the shutdown on farming operations, market stability, and rural communities across Kansas.

The shutdown is having serious consequences for rural communities across Kansas. USDA programs that provide farm subsidies, short-term operating loans, and conservation support have been paused, leaving many farmers without access to critical funding and information. Crop reports and market data are delayed, making it harder to plan and make financial decisions. Combined with rising costs for fertilizer, equipment, and other inputs, these disruptions increase the risk of financial strain and foreclosures for farms, threatening both local economies and the broader food supply.

Davids is pushing for a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government and protect Kansans from the consequences of partisan gridlock in D.C. She recently announced her support for two bills: one to guarantee pay for aviation workers and another to ensure active-duty service members continue receiving their paychecks. Kansas is home to more than 25,000 federal employees and more than 21,000 active-duty service members.

A shutdown has serious impacts on Kansas families and the overall U.S. economy. Americans now face disruptions to important benefits, service members are not being compensated, many small businesses have altered their operations, and federal workers have been furloughed without pay. Specifically: 

• It’s estimated the five-week partial government shutdown in 2018-2019 reduced economic output by $11 billion in the following two quarters, and the 2013 full government shutdown reduced GDP growth by $20 billion.
• Kansans receiving Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits are experiencing service delays, including disruptions to verifying benefits and the issuance of new cards.
• There are currently more than 25,000 federal workers in Kansas who may have been furloughed.
  • A bipartisan report found that the last three government shutdowns led to the equivalent of 56,940 years in lost productivity from federal workers.
• The distribution of important food assistance programs, including SNAP, has been disrupted, leaving some Kansans — including women, children, and the elderly — without nutritious food.
• Small businesses are dealing with delays in receiving loans from the federal government.
  • Moody’s Analytics estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown delayed more than $2 billion in loans to small businesses.
• Travelers are seeing longer lines at airport security checkpoints and flight delays. They’re also dealing with delayed passport processing times.

While Davids works to reopen the government, Kansans impacted by the shutdown can visit her shutdown webpage for resources that may help during this time.