STATEMENT: Shutdown Jeopardizes Food, Farmers, and Families in Iowa

October 3, 2025

Shutdown Jeopardizes Food, Farmers, and Families in Iowa

The federal government shutdown has stalled vital work that supports Iowa farmers and communities. Conservation efforts led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) — which help producers protect soil and water — are on hold. Nutrition programs such as the Farmers Market Nutrition Program for WIC and Seniors, which connect local farmers with families in need, are also at risk.

At the center of this shutdown are debates over the Affordable Care Act (ACA).Nationally, around 30% of farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers rely on ACA marketplace insurance. With more than 86,000 farms in Iowa, that translates to tens of thousands of farm families depending on these subsidies. Past Iowa surveys show nearly 4 in 10 farm families buy their insurance on the individual market. If protections are weakened, premiums could double. This is an unnecessary and impossible burden for farmers already working on tight margins.

“This isn’t complicated: people need food, and farmers need USDA open and functioning,” said Chris Schwartz, Executive Director of the Iowa Food System Coalition. “Nutrition programs, conservation work, and food safety are not political bargaining chips. They are critical infrastructure that keeps people alive and our economy growing. Congress must end this shutdown and get back to governing.”

Once the government is reopened, Schwartz emphasized, attention must turn quickly to passing a strong farm bill and restoring programs like LFPA and Local Food for Schools that support farmers and feed communities.

The Iowa Food System Coalition calls on all elected officials to end the shutdown swiftly and protect the critical programs that feed and sustain us all.

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About the Iowa Food System Coalition

The Iowa Food System Coalition (IFSC) is a community of over 50 organizational partners and 600 individuals with professional and lived expertise, united to advance a thriving, sustainable, and equitable food system in Iowa. Through Setting the Table for All Iowans, our strategic roadmap, IFSC is leading efforts to increase local food consumption, build resilient rural communities, create economic opportunities, and improve the health of Iowans.

For more information or to arrange interviews with IFSC and its partners, please visit our News Room.

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