Government shutdown leads to lack of ag data

As the federal government shutdown in the U.S. enters its third week, most in the agriculture industry have felt the effects of the closure.

Whether it be analysts who are now without their regular weekly data flow from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or farmers who are unable to contact anyone at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office during the critical harvest period, the shutdown has caused headaches for the ag industry.

From a data standpoint, the flow of information out of the USDA and other related agencies hasn't been halted entirely, but it is nearly so, as there have only been a handful of reports. These...