Walz warns shutdown could disrupt services; USDA furloughs threaten farmers and SNAP
Governor Tim Walz warned a prolonged federal shutdown would disrupt key services Minnesotans rely on as congressional leaders failed to advance spending bills and White House talks produced no deal, even as the OMB directed agencies to draft contingency mass‑firing plans. The shutdown has shuttered local USDA and related offices and prompted deep furloughs—about half of USDA, roughly 67% of Farm Service Agency staff and most Rural Development workers—hindering farm operations (including needed FSA co‑signatures) and putting SNAP and WIC at risk, with nutrition benefits likely funded only through October and potentially lapsing thereafter.
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📌 Key Facts
- The U.S. Senate failed to advance a spending bill on Sept. 19, 2025, leaders met with President Trump multiple times (Sept. 22 and Sept. 29) and left the White House meeting without a deal, with participants warning 'we’re headed to a shutdown'; House and Senate negotiations featured Republicans proposing a short-term stopgap to Nov. 21 while Democrats sought reversals of Medicaid cuts and extensions of ACA premium tax credits.
- The White House Office of Management and Budget directed federal agencies to draft contingency plans for mass firings and threatened reduction‑in‑force notices for programs whose funding expired Oct. 1, an executive-branch step beyond congressional negotiations.
- The federal government officially shut down after the funding deadline passed (Oct. 1); immediate impacts included closures of many national parks, monuments and museums, scaled‑back IRS processing and assistance, reduced HHS and environmental/food inspections, and large furloughs of federal staff while TSA and the military continued to operate (potentially without immediate pay); USPS was not affected.
- Nationwide furlough estimates ranged in the hundreds of thousands (reports cite roughly 750,000 historically at similar shutdowns); Minnesota is home to roughly 20,000 federal employees (about 35,000 including military), and some Minnesota federal sites — including the Mississippi River Visitor Center in St. Paul — closed as operations went dark.
- Governor Tim Walz warned a prolonged shutdown could disrupt key services Minnesotans rely on, publicly urged action to avoid prolonged disruption, and criticized the White House for what he described as vindictive funding cuts; the administration also announced cuts to specific funding lines (including about $8 billion in climate funding) as pressure tactics during the shutdown.
- USDA furloughs hit operations hard: roughly half of USDA staff were furloughed, the Farm Service Agency furloughed about two‑thirds of employees and nearly all Rural Development staff were furloughed, leading local USDA/FSA offices (including in St. Paul) to close and preventing in‑person services such as FSA co‑signatures needed for farm loan and grain‑sale transactions.
- Food‑assistance programs faced near‑term funding uncertainty: state officials said SNAP and WIC funds likely would be available through October but could lapse in November; the White House warned WIC could run out in days, Minnesota health officials said the state had funds for 'a few weeks,' and Minnesota WIC serves more than 100,000 people per month (covering nearly 38% of infants born in 2023).
- Furloughed federal employees are legally guaranteed to receive back pay once funding is restored under a 2019 law.
📚 Contextual Background
- A 2019 law requires furloughed federal employees to receive back pay after a government shutdown ends.
- Essential federal functions generally continue during a shutdown, including border protection, law enforcement, air traffic control and power grid maintenance.
- Programs such as Social Security and Medicare are not terminated by a government shutdown, though new applications and some services may experience delays.
- Minnesota is home to about 18,000 federal workers, with the majority employed at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Starting Oct. 1, the new maximum monthly SNAP allotments for Minnesota households are: 1 person $298, 2 people $546, 3 people $785, 4 people $994, 5 people $1,183, 6 people $1,421, 7 people $1,571, 8 people $1,789, and each additional person $218.
📰 Sources (14)
Government shutdown: When will WIC run out of funds in MN?
New information:
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explicitly warned the WIC program could run out of funds in coming days amid the shutdown.
- Minnesota Department of Health says the state has enough funding to keep WIC services going for 'a few weeks.'
- Program usage figures: Minnesota WIC served more than 100,000 people per month in 2024 and covered nearly 38% of infants born in 2023.
Minnesota farmers first in waves of impact from government shutdown
New information:
- Quantified operational furloughs: USDA furloughing about half its workforce; Farm Services Agency furloughing about 67% of employees; 'nearly everyone' in Rural Development furloughed.
- Local office impact: USDA and related offices in St. Paul are locked/closed, preventing in-person FSA services.
- SNAP/WIC timeline: State budget director Ahna Minge said SNAP and WIC funds appear likely to be available through October but may not be available in November.
- Scale estimate: Report cites roughly 600,000 Minnesotans could have less to eat in about a month if funding lapses; Minnesota has about 18,000 federal workers (mostly VA and USDA).
- First-hand impact example: Farmer Anne Schwagerl described needing FSA co-signatures to deposit grain-sale checks and pay bills, which are unavailable while FSA offices are closed.
Gov. Walz says he won't 'bend the knee' to Pres. Trump amid funding cuts concerns
New information:
- Direct, colorful quotes from Gov. Tim Walz refusing to "bend the knee," "kiss the ring," or acquiesce to the president.
- Reporting that the Trump administration has cut specific funding including $8 billion in climate funding affecting states such as Minnesota (and $18 billion for a NYC transportation project) as part of pressure tactics during the shutdown.
- Walz’s explicit accusation of "vindictiveness" by the White House and his saying the administration threatened investigations and "jail time" over trivial incidents (quoted language).
Walz says prolonged government shutdown could disrupt key services in Minnesota
New information:
- Governor Tim Walz publicly warned that a prolonged federal government shutdown could disrupt key services in Minnesota.
- Walz framed the shutdown as a risk to state residents who depend on federally funded services (per Star Tribune report).
- The governor made a public statement urging action to avoid prolonged disruption (reported by the Star Tribune).
Minnesota impact: Government shutdown politics and economics
New information:
- National Park Service closed the Mississippi River Visitor Center in St. Paul as operations went dark due to the shutdown.
- The FOX 9 report cites roughly 750,000 federal employees being furloughed nationally (context for Minnesota impact).
- The story uses the CBO's $11 billion cost for the 2018–19 shutdown and frames that as about $2.2 billion per week, giving an immediate economic scale.
- Direct quotes from Minnesota officials: Rep. Tom Emmer and Sen. Tina Smith, and a quote from Minnesota Farmers Union official Gary Wertish about farm-level impacts.
Federal shutdown could affect thousands of Minnesota workers
New information:
- Minnesota is home to roughly 20,000 federal employees; the total rises to about 35,000 if military personnel are included.
- Many Minnesota federal workers will be expected to continue working during the shutdown but could face interrupted paychecks.
- The article is Minnesota-focused, providing state-level context and counts not present in the broader national coverage.
Government shutdown starts: Here's what closes during a shutdown
New information:
- The federal government officially shut down overnight after the funding deadline passed (shutdown now in effect).
- Immediate operational impacts: national parks, monuments and many museums will close; IRS will scale back processing and assistance; some HHS programs and environmental/food inspections will scale back.
- Staffing/benefits details: hundreds of thousands of federal employees are likely to be furloughed (historically up to ~850,000); Social Security and Medicare continue but may experience delays; TSA and military remain working but may not be paid until funding is restored; USPS is not affected as an independent entity.
- Cited sources and context: reporting cites the Office of Management and Budget, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and notes a 2019 law requiring furloughed employees eventually receive back pay.
Government Shutdown 2025: What could be affected and when could it start?
New information:
- Republicans are proposing a short-term funding bill through Nov. 21; Democrats seek reversing Medicaid cuts and extending ACA premium tax credits.
- House is not expected to hold any votes this week, dimming chances for a last-minute deal.
- Clarifies which services continue: Social Security and Medicare continue, VA health care and burials proceed, and USPS is unaffected.
- Confirms furloughed federal employees are guaranteed back pay under a 2019 law.
- Details that OMB has threatened potential reduction-in-force notices for programs whose funding expires Oct. 1 and lack alternatives.
‘We’re headed to a shutdown’: White House meeting ends with no deal as deadline nears
New information:
- After a Sept. 29, 2025 White House meeting with congressional leaders, no agreement was reached to avert a federal shutdown.
- Participants signaled pessimism about averting a shutdown, summarized by the post‑meeting quote 'We’re headed to a shutdown.'
- This is the first official readout of the Sept. 29 leaders’ meeting outcome, following earlier scheduling of the meeting.
Government shutdown draws closer as congressional leaders head to the White House
New information:
- Top congressional leaders are heading to the White House on September 29 for talks with President Trump as a possible shutdown nears.
- The article frames the shutdown risk as escalating immediately ahead of the federal funding deadline.
White House budget office tells agencies to draft mass firing plans ahead of potential shutdown
New information:
- The White House Office of Management and Budget directed federal agencies to draft plans for mass firings ahead of a potential government shutdown.
- The directive represents an executive-branch contingency action beyond congressional negotiations previously reported.
- Reported Sept. 25, 2025, as shutdown risk persists.
Trump to meet with Schumer and Jeffries as government shutdown risk looms
New information:
- President Donald Trump will meet with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss averting a government shutdown.
- The meeting was announced September 22, 2025, as the shutdown deadline approaches.
Chance of government shutdown rises as US Senate fails to advance spending bill
New information:
- The U.S. Senate failed to advance a spending bill on September 19, 2025.
- This action increases the likelihood of a partial federal government shutdown absent further congressional action.