New Mexico Farmers Pay $200,000 More After USDA Loan Stalls for Months

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 24

$200,000 in extra interest hit Mary and Zachariah Ben after months-long delays on a low-interest Agriculture Department loan forced them to use private lenders to buy 47 acres in Aztec, New Mexico.
The holdup began during a government shutdown and worsened as staff departures left only about six loan specialists in the state able to process claims, leaving the family in limbo.
Their case reflects wider breakdowns at depleted USDA offices, where farmers and rural residents report delays in loans, grants, technical assistance and financing for housing and utilities.
Those staffing losses, driven by resignations and dismissals under the Trump administration's push to shrink government, are colliding with its stated goal of supporting farmers in an already weak farm economy.