Farmers who were promised funding through the federal Regional Food Business Centers have been left in limbo after the Trump administration shut down the program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will honor grants the program already approved, but it’s unclear when.

Karen Bottary sells basil as fast as she can grow it.

Right now, her plants are confined to a 60-by-120-foot barn near her home outside Kansas City. She felt she needed to expand her business to make it sustainable long-term.

So Bottary, a disabled veteran, applied for a grant through the Regional Food Business Centers , a U.S. Department of Agriculture program designed to support smaller food-related businesses through training, grants and technical assistance.

She was approved for $41,301 earlier this ye

See Full Page