Farm Service Agency offices in Arkansas to reopen for three days

WASHINGTON — The federal government will reopen more than two dozen Farm Service Agency offices in Arkansas for three days, recalling furloughed employees to open the mail and to assist farmers with existing loans, among other things.

Applications for new direct or facility loans, marketing assistance loans and farm loan guarantees will not be accepted, officials said.

Nationwide, the shutdown is being briefly lifted at hundreds of FSA locations, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Wednesday morning. Roughly 2,500 FSA employees have been called back temporarily.

The opening is scheduled to begin Thursday, with work to continue on Friday and Tuesday. The offices will remain closed on Monday due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

FSA offices will open in Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Searcy, Hamburg, Mountain Home, Harrison, Berryville, Arkadelphia, Heber Springs, Morrilton, Wynne, Ozark, Paragould, Hope, Marianna, Star City, Ashdown, Lonoke, Huntsville, Helena, Harrisburg, Hazen, De Queen, Ash Flat and Mountain View, USDA officials said.

A partial federal government shutdown began Dec. 22 after President Donald Trump and congressional leaders were unable to agree on funding legislation.

Trump is demanding $5.7 billion for his border wall project. Democrats in Congress oppose the expenditure.

The longest-ever U.S. government shutdown has left roughly 800,000 federal employees without pay. Many of them have been furloughed; essential employees are continuing to work, but are no longer receiving pay.

Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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