Effects of Government Shutdown Ripple Through the Ag Sector

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.

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