In a dramatic twist of political defections and contentious concessions, the longest ever federal shutdown came to a close late last Wednesday as Congress finally managed to agree on a deal to reopen the government. Government agencies are now beginning to resume operations, employees are returning to work, and federal payments are beginning to flow once again.

Experts say, though, that the shutdown has left behind fractures on the nation’s food system that are only beginning to appear. These cracks will only widen with time as they join with all of the other major food and farming policy changes enacted by the Trump administration — which altogether are affecting who eats what, where that food comes from, and which communities get left behind.