NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — While the ongoing government shutdown has furloughed nearly half of the staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and paused the release of weekly harvest progress numbers, farmers across the country continue making strides in the fields.
Lewis Williamson, with HTS Commodities, joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report to share insight on what he is hearing from producers during harvest and how the shutdown could ripple through the ag sector.
In his interview with RFD-TV News, Williamson discussed the progress farmers are reporting despite the lack of official data, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the Trump Administration’s expected relief package aimed at supporting soybean growers still grappling with China’s absence from the market.
He also provided an update on Mississippi River levels and the potential implications for grain movement during this critical harvest window.
In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader John Thune is asking that farmers be allowed to use marketing assistance loans to help stay afloat.
October 21, 2025 11:57 AM
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Beef industry groups seem to agree — market-based pricing, not federal intervention, best supports rancher livelihoods and long-term beef supply stability.
October 21, 2025 11:22 AM
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Cattle groups say additional imports would offer little relief for consumers but could erode rancher confidence as the industry begins to rebuild herds.
October 21, 2025 11:06 AM
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Lyndsey Smith with Real Ag Radio joined RFD-TV to share a Canadian perspective on the discussions.
October 20, 2025 03:30 PM
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Ryan Dunsbergen, soybean product manager for Golden Harvest, shares an overview of their new soybean seed lineup and what growers can expect in 2026.
October 20, 2025 02:48 PM
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Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
October 20, 2025 01:32 PM
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The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
October 20, 2025 12:46 PM
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With China halting U.S. soybean purchases and talks tied to broader strategic issues, growers face renewed export uncertainty.
October 20, 2025 11:52 AM
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Talks highlight the widening role of agriculture in U.S.–India trade policy, though neither side appears ready for major concessions before tariff issues and oil imports are resolved.
October 20, 2025 11:28 AM
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