WASHINGTON —

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will partially reopen roughly 2,100 field offices to help farmers access $3 billion in aid from existing programs, despite the ongoing government shutdown .

Starting on Thursday, USDA will resume Farm Service Agency "core operations," including farm loan processing and disaster relief payments. Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments will also resume, according to an agency spokesperson.

USDA said each office will operate with two county employees, five days a week. Services will be limited for programs not funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), though applications will still be accepted.

Duane Simpson, President and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, said the reopening i

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