DES MOINES, Iowa —

As Congress moves to end the government shutdown, Iowa farmers are breathing a cautious sigh of relief. The deal to reopen the government includes new federal funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but farm leaders say it’s only a temporary fix to much bigger challenges.

With most of the harvest complete across Iowa, farmers are already planning for next year.

“That means trying to buy inputs at a reasonable price. It means trying to secure our seed and chemicals,” said Aaron Lehman, who leads the Iowa Farmers Union.

Lehman says many farmers are struggling to stay afloat.

“Most farmers are losing money on every acre that they’re growing corn, every acre that they’re growing soybeans right now,” Lehman said. “With all this uncertainty, it’s important for far

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