More Shutdown Fallout

U.S. efforts to promote farm trade are taking a hit during the government shutdown. President Obama cancelled his Asia trip last month - even as Trans Pacific Partnership talks are moving toward a preliminary agreement - and key APEC talks were held. Lost opportunities to push trade ties with some of the world's fastest growing economies is the way White House Press Secretary Jay Carney put it. American Farm Bureau Federation Executive Director Dale Moore.

MOORE: We're sitting on the side of the road idling because the goal is to try and wrap up at least hit a major milestone on TPP by the end of the year. From my perspective having the Secretary of State or U.S. Trade Representative there would seem to provide for some opportunity to discuss, negotiate, etc. but I think from what has been reported to us, that's not the way the other countries are looking at it.

They're of course looking for Obama's presence. And then there's the shutdown's impact - shutting down any farm bill negotiations and reauthorization of key trade promotion programs.

MOORE: FMD and MAP kind of suffering from a double whammy with the Farm BIll expiring and with the fact we have the government shutdown that means that anything that could get plugged into or typically would be plugged into a continuing resolution is not covering those programs either.

Meantime - Moore says the shutdown is depriving the livestock sectors of crucial multiple-times-each-day USDA reports that help determine prices producers receive from packing plants.

That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.