Farmers may find it difficult to access federal aid programs due to the government shutdown as Maine endures its worst drought in more than 20 years.
The Farm Service Agency, which is under the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, declared an extreme drought disaster in 10 Maine counties a week before the shutdown. The relief programs include compensation for lost livestock, cost shares for transporting water and low-interest loans.
Farmers were urged to report drought-related crop or livestock losses to their local Farm Service office, but some say they're having trouble getting information.
Currently displayed on the USDA website is a banner that says:
"Due to the radical left Democrat shutdown, this government website will not be updated during the funding lapse. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people."
As of Oct. 9, a search function on the government website does not display any contact information for Maine service centers.
Andy Smith is a dairy farmer in Kennebec County. He said relief programs would have helped offset extra costs for feed.
"It's frustrating that the government shut down and people aren't able to access important services," Smith said. "At the same time, I recognize the politics of the situation are pretty complicated — and I find a lot of what the current administration is doing pretty alarming."
The shutdown began on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass funding items — Democrats and Republicans are divided on whether or not to extend health care tax credits.
Smith said, even when federal employees return to work, he expects there will be a delay in processing applications for aid.
"We're writing check after check to buy feed from out of state and pay for trucking and all of that," he said. "We're putting a ton of debt on our line of credit right now, and it certainly would be helpful to get whatever small amount of disaster assistance we're eligible for."
Drought triggered previous rounds of federal assistance annually between 2020-2022 and in 2016. The Farm Service Agency estimated it might provide $290,000 in assistance this year to producers across affected counties to pay for water and grazing loss.
A series of high-pressure systems this summer brought warm, humid weather that dried out the region, according to National Weather Service senior hydrologist Sarah Jamison. Plus, dry conditions over a large section of the U.S. created an air mass that sucked moisture out of potential rainstorms before they reached northern New England and worsened the drought, she added.
“One of the expressions that we use is ‘drought begets drought,’” Jamison said. “Once you get into drought condition it is very hard to get yourself out of it.”
Jamison said to escape drought most of the state needs far above average rainfall, about 19 inches, between now and when the ground freezes. Seasonal changes could help — as the growing season winds down, plants and trees stop absorbing so much water and leave more to recharge dwindling natural reserves.
“So every drop of rain we are going to be getting from now on is going to be absorbed into our groundwater or held in our lakes much easier, much more effectively,” Jamison said.
More than 365,000 people in Maine now live in extreme drought conditions in a widening band from the western Maine mountains to Down East Washington County. Extreme drought is characterized by potential crop losses, dry wells and streams and heightened wildfire danger. The last time extreme drought was this widespread in Maine was 2002.
