If we knew what was going to happen, you would be the first to know.

As the partial federal government shutdown entered its second week, both parties dug in deeper. Republicans in the House of Representatives continued to call for negotiations on unsettled issues while also passing a series of partial funding bills to restart portions of the government not in dispute. The president and Senate democrats, however, continued to insist that there is nothing to negotiate until the House yields on a comprehensive fiscal year 2014 funding package and the debt limit. As we go to press, neither side is signaling a change.

Meanwhile, work continues. Despite highly publicized shutdowns of national parks, monuments, and memorials, federal employees deemed “essential” by their agencies remain on the job, and many basic government functions continue. There are, however, interruptions that pose new challenges. As reported last week, the U.S. Grains Council is currently engaged in a critical issue affecting implementation of the U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement, and the furlough of relevant USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in Panama and U.S. Trade Representative staff is a serious impediment to resolution.

Closer to home, the Council last week hosted high-level teams from Mexico and Korea. While those visits were productive and the teams expressed appreciation for the information provided about the U.S. production and export systems, schedules had to be revised on the fly due to closure of congressional and other federal offices which we had planned to visit. Since the regulatory and policy environments are important to trade promotion, an important perspective on the U.S. system was unavoidably missed.

Around the world, Council staff is fielding inquiries about the implications of the current situation from concerned buyers. While the Council is assuring buyers that the U.S. remains open for business and that grains sales are continuing unimpeded, uncertainty creates doubt — exactly what we do not need as U.S. exports are poised to bounce back strong from a tough, drought-impacted year. And last but not least, the Council’s operations are affected as the shutdown prevents the processing of routine reimbursement claims and program amendments with FAS, which reduces the Council’s ability to respond rapidly to market developments.

The Council will continue to work around these problems. As we do, we urge all stakeholders to continue to remind policymakers of the importance of a quick resolution to the budget impasse and speedy reauthorization of a new Farm Bill. Agriculture is a U.S. trade champion. U.S. agricultural exports improve lives abroad, as well as create jobs and opportunities at home. The Council is constantly at work around the world to develop markets and enable trade, and uncertainty is an impediment.