Greg Thessan, Director of USDA NASS's Upper Midwest Regional Office, tells us about how they come up with crop planting progress numbers and about the confidential surveying they conduct to put these reports together. Spencer Chase from Agri-Pulse has today's update on policy-making in Washington D.C. including the debt ceiling discussions and how it may delay progress on the farm bill. Jamey Kohake from Paragon Investments wraps up today's showe with a look at markets approaching the close with grains still sharply higher.