A family farm in Rock Valley, Iowa, is on the brink of insolvency after last June's devastating flood, compounded by delays in USDA aid due to the ongoing government shutdown. Owner Chelsie Ver Mulm applied for a critical grant in April but has heard nothing back as federal services halt. The shutdown exacerbates challenges for small farmers already strained by weather disasters and policy changes.
Last June, record flooding inundated Rock Valley, Iowa, destroying much of Chelsie Ver Mulm's 10-acre Orange Creek Farms, including equipment and pasture. Ver Mulm urgently evacuated the family's cows, sheep, chickens, pigs, horses, and goats to higher ground, but over a dozen animals later died from stress and flood-related diseases. The disaster also led to lost customers in the surrounding area, who faced their own damages and could no longer afford local food.
Recovery costs mounted, forcing the farm to fall behind on bills. From 40 cattle, the herd shrank to just four due to expenses. Ver Mulm repeatedly applied for emergency USDA loans and disaster relief but was denied over burdensome applications and eligibility issues. In April, nearly a year after the flood, she submitted a USDA Rural Development grant application as a last effort to offset losses and sustain the business. The flood left the operation in a “really, really bad spot,” Ver Mulm said.
The government shutdown, starting over a month ago, furloughed most USDA staff, halting services and leaving Ver Mulm's application in limbo. As the shutdown approaches a historic length, the Congressional Budget Office estimates at least $7 billion in U.S. economic losses. About 20,000 USDA staffers have lost jobs this year amid administrative changes, including a reorganization plan by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that could further reduce workforce.
Last week, the USDA announced reopening approximately 2,100 county-level Farm Service Agency offices starting October 23, with two staffers per office to access $3 billion in existing aid programs, though details on resumed services remain unclear. Small farmers like Ver Mulm face mounting pressures in a volatile economy, with delays hindering planning for seeds, resources, and winter reserves.
Broader impacts include threats to SNAP benefits for 42 million Americans, set for suspension November 1 without emergency funding. Over two dozen states sued the USDA, and two federal courts ruled Friday that contingency funds must cover some November benefits; the administration plans to appeal. Secretary Rollins blamed Democrats and called SNAP “so corrupt” under prior leadership.
Ver Mulm has drained savings and relied on credit cards, damaging her credit score. “We’ve exhausted all of our options,” she said. “This grant is our last chance to keep the farm going. It’s our last lifeline.” Even if the shutdown ends soon, backlogs could prolong delays for her second-generation farm.