After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in American history has ended. By a 222-209 vote, the House of Representatives approved a Senate bill passed earlier this week to end the government shutdown. All but six House Democrats opposed the bill. Two Republicans voted against it as well.
President Trump officially signed the bill into law late Wednesday night.
The bill also extended the 2018 Farm Bill another year, though many of the original provisions had already been updated in the July budget reconciliation package. In a statement released shortly after the vote, House Ag Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., said now that government operations are being restored, lawmakers can turn their focus back to delivering “real solutions.”
“Extending the current farm bill gives us the time needed to finalize Farm Bill 2.0, a bipartisan package that builds on the success of the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Thompson said.
While noting that reopening the government comes “as a relief” to the American people, he said there’s also no question that the shutdown inflicted unnecessary pain on farm families, rural communities and those dependent on USDA for critical services.
“From delayed farm loans to nutrition assistance uncertainty, the full scope of the disruption will take time to assess,” Thompson said. “However, it is clear that this damage was entirely avoidable.”
What’s in the bill?
The deal to end the shutdown extends the 2025 fiscal budget until Jan. 30, giving lawmakers a little more than two months to finalize a fiscal year 2026 budget. However, funding for the Department of Agriculture was extended for a full year, as was funding for FDA, the Department of Veterans Affairs and congressional operations.
The farm bill extension gives lawmakers until Sept. 30, 2026 to draft a new farm bill. USDA can now resume normal operations. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments are expected to resume almost immediately, though it remains unclear how quickly recipients will receive their funds. As expected, the Grain Standards Act was also extended.
Notably, the deal to end the shutdown does not address Affordable Care Act tax breaks set to expire in December. Democrats had hoped to have an extension of those tax credits included in the bill.
Ag groups react
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall applauded the budget deal, expressing hope that it will allow Congress to focus on policies to improve the farm economy and expand opportunities for farm families.
“Farmers and ranchers rely on critical USDA services and disaster relief programs during these tough economic times, as do Americans who need access to food assistance programs and other services,” Duvall said in a public statement.
National Farmers Union president Rob Larew said his group was also relieved that Congress was reopening the government and extending the farm bill, though he categorized those efforts as the “bare minimum.”
“We’ve already lost too much time. The farm safety net is outdated and can’t keep up with today’s economic realities,” Larew said in a Wednesday night press release. “Input costs remain high, trade relationships are uncertain, access to affordable healthcare is in danger, and the stress on rural communities continues to grow.”
National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Sem Kieffer offered a similar assessment. While noting that the vote will allow funding for USDA operations to resume, he said there is more work left to be done.
“While this is a positive step, America’s wheat growers call on Congress to turn toward a long-term, bipartisan farm bill that provides clarity and certainty in turbulent times with low commodity prices and high input costs,” Kieffer said. “In addition, Congress must prioritize fully reauthorizing the U.S. Grain Standards Act to facilitate market stability and confidence in U.S. wheat exports.”