Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack welcomes an employee back to work on the steps of the Agriculture Department’s South Building this morning. At left is Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. (USDA/Thomas Witham)

The Agriculture Department has reopened following President Barack Obama’s signing early today of the continuing resolution to fund the government through January 15.

USDA’s website , which was closed during the 16 days shutown, is up, but with a warning that it will take time to bring it up to date. The website also gains guidance for USDA employees on how to handle various shutdown issues.

Office of Management and Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell sent federal agencies guidance “to resume operations in a prompt and orderly manner.”

Burwell added, “This has been a particularly challenging time for federal employees and I want to thank our nation’s dedicated civil servants for their continued commitment to serving the American people.“

DTN, an Omaha-based satellite news service, said today that USDA will be expected to update farmers on the status of delayed direct payment and Conservation Reserve Program checks.

USDA will also have to determine how to update market data that was not gathered during the shutdown.