Only a few Progressive Cattleman readers’ operations were affected by the government shutdown earlier this year.

President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law on Dec. 20, 2018, much to the relief of lawmakers and agriculture interest groups alike.

While the partial government shutdown remains in force, market reports are no longer happening, but some market experts are able to give some insight as to what 2019 might have in store for the U.S. cattle market.

As the partial government shutdown completes its fourth week, the gaps left by many government agencies whose responsibilities are left unattended until further notice are starting to show. One of the most far-reaching concerns is the livestock market reports usually provided by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

President Donald Trump’s heated debate with Congress over the inclusion of $5.7 billion in funding to build his border wall with Mexico led to a government shutdown that began at midnight on Dec. 21 and has since stretched past two weeks with no end in sight.