The government shutdown stops USDA from administering farm subsidies, raising the specter of growing farm foreclosures. It also delays a bailout President Trump had promised for farmers impacted by tariffs.

Giant pumpkins can top the scales at more than 2,000 pounds – and caring for these behemoths is often a full-time job. But for some growers in the central U.S., the dream of raising a world record-setting pumpkin is a tantalizing prospect.

More than a million low-income mothers and children in the Midwest and Great Plains rely on a national food assistance program. The Trump administration says it will help provide temporary funding to keep the program afloat, but food advocates say it’s a short-term fix.

Farmers rely on the Mississippi River to ship grain and bring them imported fertilizer and other critical inputs. But another year of low river levels means barge travel will be more expensive.