The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Jan. 4 that it would not be releasing key agricultural reports that were scheduled for release on Jan. 11, even if funding is restored before then.

Due to a lapse in federal funding, work on National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Office of the Chief Economist/World Agricultural Outlook Board (OCE-WAOB) reports have been suspended since Dec. 22, 2018, and remain suspended.

“Given the lead time required for the analysis and compilation of 'Crop Production,' 'Crop Production-Annual,' 'World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates' (WASDE), 'Grain Stocks,' 'Rice Stocks,' 'Winter Wheat & Canola Seedings' and 'Cotton Ginnings' reports, those reports will not be released on Jan. 11, 2019, as originally scheduled, even if funding is restored before that date. The date of all NASS and OCE-WAOB releases will be determined and made public once funding has been restored,” USDA said in a statement.

On Thursday, House Democrats passed a plan to reopen the U.S. government without funding President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall. However, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said the proposal was dead on arrival in the Senate.

Trump met with Democrat and Republican leaders again on Friday afternoon and said talks would continue into the weekend. The major stumbling block remains Trump’s request for $5.6 billion to build a wall to add security between Mexico and the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said he entered the weekend discussions “hopeful” not to just end the government shutdown but to address the shortfalls in border security.

Related:Government shutdown brings partial USDA functions

In addition, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices have not been operating since Dec. 28, 2018, due to the lapse in appropriation.

Market Facilitation Program payments for producers that have already certified production with FSA will continue beyond Jan. 1, 2019. Signup for the Market Facilitation Program ends on Jan. 15, 2019. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will determine if the deadline should be extended. FSA said in a notice to farmers they do not need to be finished with harvest to sign up. Farmers have until May 1, 2019, to certify production.

Due to the lapse in federal government funding, all commodity loan activity has ceased as of Jan. 3, 2019.

In a Dec. 28 notice, USDA detailed several activities that will continue beyond Jan. 1, 2019. These include meat, poultry and processed egg inspection services; grain and other commodity inspection, weighing, grading and information technology support services funded by user fees; care for animals, plants and associated infrastructure to preserve agricultural research; USDA’s Market News Service, and trade mitigation purchases made by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Also, Natural Resources Conservation Service offices will remain open to support conservation technical and financial assistance (such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and easement programs).

For additional information on what is and isn’t operating under the partial government shutdown, click here.