'An unnecessary consequence': Federal shutdown now hitting Key GOP voting bloc

A high-ranking Republican who represents an agriculture-heavy state says the government shutdown is hitting a key GOP voting bloc — farmers — in an "unnecessary consequence."

The USDA's Farm Service Agency offices are closed and currently only available for "emergency scenarios," Politico reports. Thousands of these offices support the agriculture industry and give producers access to loans and other services.

“FSA employees are important to the farmers that we all represent. Again, that’s an unnecessary consequence of the Schumer shutdown,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told Politico on Thursday.

Republicans continue to argue that Democrats are responsible for the shutdown. Democrats have pushed back, saying Republicans refuse to negotiate over extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that will expire and insurance premiums that are expected to double.

Thune told Politico that the Trump administration will "try as best they can" to help farmers.

But he said the circumstances are not ideal.

“They’re being put into a situation where they’re going to have to make decisions that are not good for some of the constituencies that people represent out there,” he said.

American farmers are hitting a major pain point as the shutdown continues in its second day and harvest approaches, all while the tariff backlash looms. So far, farmers have received zero soybean orders from China.

“I hope that they can find ways to keep the FSA offices open and certainly encourage that. But you know, the quickest way to end any conversation about that is to reopen the government,” Thune said.