USDA confirms november release of key reports despite ongoing government shutdown

Despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will still publish several key reports in November. The decision surprised analysts, as much of the agency’s staff remains furloughed, raising questions about how NASS will manage to compile and verify the data on time.

The prolonged shutdown has already become a serious issue for farmers and market participants. With no weekly export sales updates, livestock data, or other official statistics, producers and traders are left in the dark. Economists from Kansas State University warn that this “data blackout” is disrupting business planning and creating uncertainty across the agricultural economy.

According to USDA, the following reports are now scheduled for release in November, some with adjusted dates:

• Milk Production – November 10 (previously scheduled for October 22)

• Crop Production – November 14 (previously scheduled for November 10)

• Cattle on Feed – November 21 (unchanged)

• Milk Production – November 21 (unchanged)

• WASDE (World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates) – November 14, to be released alongside Crop Production

However, several reports remain missing, including daily flash sales and weekly export sales data. Even with the partial restoration of reporting, analysts say the ongoing lack of regular market updates will continue to challenge U.S. agriculture and commodity trading in the weeks ahead.

Tags: grain, oilseeds, USDA Report, USA, crop forecast