The federal government remained in a partial shutdown Friday as Congress continues to work toward an agreement with President Trump regarding funding initiatives going into the new year. The House and Senate were back in DC this week, but as of press time, the partial shutdown remained in place. A news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture detailed which functions will remain available at the present time. “During a shutdown, we will leverage our existing resources as best we can to continue to provide the top-notch service people expect,” USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue said in the release. Cotton classing will continue because ...