A deal in Washington made at the eleventh hour will likely keep the government from shutting down for another week. The stopgap measure delays two deadlines in appropriations including the deadline to fund USDA until March 8.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack shared that his major concern over a shutdown would be farmers unable able to receive their ARC and PLC payments or get access to disaster assistance or their contract for conservation programs signed. Secretary Vilsack also commented on SNAP recipients being unable to get grocery items. He reminded lawmakers last week that this is the fourth time the delegation has had to make plans in the event of a shutdown – an event the Secretary considers an “extraordinary” waste of time.

Read more on efforts to avert a government shutdown here.