AGRICULTURE/GOVERNMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WALL: “President Donald Trump’s visit to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention comes at an awkward time as farmers and ranchers begin to feel the pinch of the partial government shutdown. The president delivered remarks Monday afternoon before an overwhelmingly friendly audience of members of the country’s largest farm group. But with the longest shutdown in U.S. history now in its 24th day, local Farm Service Agency offices have been shuttered for weeks, locking out farmers from getting loans and other help with their operations. Trump received a warm welcome and spent much of the speech defending his demand for border wall funds that prompted the shutdown. He also thanked farmers for their ‘support and patriotism’ while he fights for the wall.”
–Ryan McCrimmon, “Shutdown tests farmers’ loyalty as Trump visits their annual convention,” Politico, January 14, 2019 4:36 pm