USDA
Shutdown risks food aid for millions as USDA halts hunger survey
Reported by AI
The U.S. government shutdown, now in its second week, endangers food benefits for nearly 7 million women and children reliant on the WIC program. Compounding the crisis, the Department of Agriculture recently terminated the nation's key survey on food insecurity. Experts warn this move obscures rising hunger amid economic pressures.
Iowa ranch faces closure due to flood and shutdown delays
Reported by AI
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.