State officials in Iowa say if there is a prolonged shutdown of federal agencies like the U-S-D-A, they may shore up state programs run in conjunction with the federal government. Governor Kim Reynolds spoke at a statehouse forum organized by The Associated Press.

Reynolds says her budget director checks every day with state agencies that may be impacted by a federal government shutdown to ensure “essential services” are provided to Iowans.

The State of Iowa ended the last budgeting year with a surplus. Estimates indicate there’s a 200-million-dollar cushion in the current year’s state budget. That’s in addition to the state’s economic emergency funds.