Soybean futures were modestly higher overnight; the USDA is expected to release over $3 billion in farm aid.

The Trump administration is moving forward with distributing commodity program payments due to farmers this month.

The government shutdown is creating financial heartburn for farmers across the country, stalling the delivery of farm loans, the release of critical market reports, and the Trump administration’s plans for cash bailouts.

The government shutdown must end before the Trump administration will move forward with emergency payments to producers who are struggling with low commodity prices, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Thursday.

“While the lapse in federal funding has ended, NASS has not been able to engage in the necessary data collection and analysis over the past few weeks,” the USDA explained at the time.