A week of government-free fall harvest

The combines are still rolling, and the government's still shut down. They're both huge stories in agriculture this week. See what else is happening here!

Corn yields continue to surprise many farmers around the Midwest as soybean harvest gets going in major growing states this week. But, the harvest progress is also creating some truck bottlenecks in some spots.

• - Strong yields
• - Talk: 'A cluster of immense proportions'

On top of it being the busiest time of the year for many farmers, the federal government shutdown continues, axing all USDA reports, including many on which some markets greatly depend.

• - Ag 'building gaps' post-shutdown
• - Also: Will data stay free?

The shutdown's hit ranchers in South Dakota hardest. That's where a major blizzard hit last weekend, dropping feet of snow and killing thousands of cattle. Now, ranchers are struggling to document losses that they'd ordinarily report to their local FSA offices. Lawmakers are working to restore those services for the affected ranchers.

• - Read more

Weather like that freak snowstorm in the northern Plains is indicative of a unique set of circumstances unfolding this fall: With no clear indication whether we'll see La Nina or El Nino, it's a difficult year to get a clear view of how the winter weather will unfold, one expert said this week.

• - Read more

It's not the weather moving forward, but conditions in the last few months that make this year a good year to avoid much -- if any -- fall tillage, one expert said this week. What are your fall tillage plans?

• - See more & add your thoughts

Though farmers are working hard to get this year's crops in the bin, it's never too early to start looking ahead to next year. But, like many things right now, that's complicated. "Anticipating acreage for 2014 is complicated by unfinished business with respect to 2013 acreage estimates," one economist said this week.

• - Looking ahead to 2014

A recent report shows a lot of signs point to a slide in farm income levels in the next 2 years. Here, farmers & Agriculture.com Farm Business Talk members share their ideas on how to cut back on expenses to ease the blow of less income.

• - Slideshow: 8 ways to trim your budget

There is one bright spot in the crop balance sheet moving forward; diesel prices may be on their way down, according to one economist's recent estimate. So, will you cash in and buy at the low, or stick to your usual buying habits?

• - Read more & discuss

Another way to possibly get more bang for your crop buck in the coming year is through the soil benefits you can glean from raising a cover crop. Here are the latest ideas from farmers and agronomists.

• - Fine-tune your cover crop plans
• - Go back to Agriculture.com