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.
Key signs of the U.S. beef herd’s recovery are improved pasture conditions, lower feed costs, and increased regulatory alignment and support for producers to implement targeted grazing practices.
October 07, 2025 12:35 PM
·
Dr. Mark Svoboda with the National Drought Mitigation Center discusses a new global drought report and resources to help operations increase drought resilience.
October 07, 2025 11:58 AM
·
Treat financial stress as a health risk—know the warning signs, normalize conversations, and connect farm families to local and national support early.
October 07, 2025 11:29 AM
·
Congress has just over a month of working days left for the year. Plan for uneven USDA service until funding is restored, and closely monitor Farm Bill talks, as avoiding Permanent Law before January 1 is the single biggest risk to markets and milk prices.
October 07, 2025 11:09 AM
·
Focus on home radon testing—not changing your diet—because background sources vastly outweigh any exposure from naturally radioactive foods.
October 06, 2025 01:29 PM
·
Despite tariffs having a less significant impact on exports, corn producers struggle with tariff-related increases on inputs, which complicates their bottom line.
October 06, 2025 01:13 PM
·
Jack Daniel’s will end its Cow Feeder Program, which served around 100 livestock operations near the distillery, and redirect spent grains to its anaerobic digester.
October 06, 2025 12:33 PM
·
October 06, 2025 12:11 PM
Prepare for acute UAN risk and a brief urea shock; maintain steady ammonia and phosphate plans, and monitor potash basis on the coasts.
October 06, 2025 11:56 AM
·
