World Perspectives

Market Commentary: Soymeal Pulls Back, Bullish Cattle on Feed

What You Need to Know Today:  The September Cattle on Feed report was strongly bullish, with both the 1 September on-feed inventory and August placements coming in well below average expectations and below the bottom of their respective pre-report estimate ranges. China continues to buy U...

Today’s Top insights
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 26 Corn closed at $5.275/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Wheat closed at $7.1425/bushel, down $0.1275 from yesterday's close.  Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $13.035/bushel, down $0.1625 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $358.6/short ton, down $1...

feed-grains livestock

U.S. Goat Meat Market: Import Growth Outpaces a Slowly Rebuilding Domestic Herd

Key Takeaways: The U.S. herd is stabilizing, but growth remains modest. Total goat inventory rose 1 percent in 2026, while meat-goat numbers increased 2 percent, which is not enough to materially reduce import dependence. Domestic slaughter is rising from a low base. Commercial slaughter incre...

farm-inputs energy

Fertilizer Shock: Concentration, Competition and the Cartel Question

What You Need to Know: U.S. fertilizer production is highly concentrated, but concentration alone does not establish that producers are operating as a cartel. Imports introduce competition unevenly: they supply nearly all U.S. potash consumption but play much smaller roles in domestic ammonia...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 26 Corn closed at $5.275/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Wheat closed at $7.1425/bushel, down $0.1275 from yesterday's close.  Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $13.035/bushel, down $0.1625 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $358.6/short ton, down $1...

feed-grains livestock

U.S. Goat Meat Market: Import Growth Outpaces a Slowly Rebuilding Domestic Herd

Key Takeaways: The U.S. herd is stabilizing, but growth remains modest. Total goat inventory rose 1 percent in 2026, while meat-goat numbers increased 2 percent, which is not enough to materially reduce import dependence. Domestic slaughter is rising from a low base. Commercial slaughter incre...

farm-inputs energy

Fertilizer Shock: Concentration, Competition and the Cartel Question

What You Need to Know: U.S. fertilizer production is highly concentrated, but concentration alone does not establish that producers are operating as a cartel. Imports introduce competition unevenly: they supply nearly all U.S. potash consumption but play much smaller roles in domestic ammonia...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 26 Corn closed at $5.305/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Wheat closed at $7.27/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $13.1975/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $371.3/short ton, up $5...

Cattle on Feed Report: Lowest August Placements and Marketings on Record

USDA’s September cattle on feed report was released Friday, with the total number of cattle in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounting to 11.2 million head, 101 percent of last year. Placements dropped in August to their lowest total for the month since records began in 1996...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 26 Corn closed at $5.305/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Wheat closed at $7.27/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $13.1975/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $371.3/short ton, up $5...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: The Dust Settles

Given yesterday’s headlines, today’s market action may not be what many expected. The dollar is little changed, crude oil is pulling back and stocks are trading higher. Crude may be the biggest piece of today’s reversal. Saudi Arabia is offering additional crude to Asian buyer...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds

Managed Money Makes a Record Bullish Bet on Agriculture

Key Takeaways: Managed money is holding more than one million net-long contracts across agricultural markets, with corn, soybeans, and soymeal all reaching record net-long positions in September. Fundamental concerns surrounding yields, supplies, and global availability have helped justify the...

livestock farm-inputs

Livestock Round Up: USDA Plans to Expand Small and Very Small Beef Processors

Under an Executive Order on 4 September, USDA announced $50 million in new funding to help states establish or expand meat and poultry inspection programs as part of an effort to increase processing options for livestock producers. It’s called the Stand-Up Program, which will help states...

farm-inputs

Another Try at Ag Labor Legislation

What You Need to Know: H-2A has become a principal agricultural labor channel: certifications increased from fewer than 117,000 in 2014 to 398,258 in 2025 and continued to rise in 2026. The proposed Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act (SAWA) would open H-2A to year-round operations and...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 26 Corn closed at $5.3425/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Wheat closed at $7.3075/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $13.205/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close.  Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $365.6/short ton, up $0.2 f...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Markets Digest Fed Hike as Trade Takes Center Stage

What You Need to Know Today:  As was widely expected, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points to a target range of 3.75–4.00 percent, its first rate increase since 2023, as policymakers respond to persistent inflation pressures. The Fed also signaled that additi...

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