There are 56 days until the 2020 elections. In addition to the Presidential election, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for consideration, and 33 Senate seats plus one special election in Georgia. (Due to the resignation of Senator Johnny Isakson, both of Georgia’s Senate seats are contested this year). Regardless of the election outcome, there will be changes in the leadership of the Congressional Agriculture Committees. Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) and House Agriculture Committee ranking Republican Mike Conaway (R-Texas) are both retiring. If Democrats win control of the Senate, Committee Ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) would again become chairperson as she was from 2...
What You Need to Know Today: President Trump claimed the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was over, as both sides accused one another of violating the terms of the agreement. Commercial vessels are increasingly steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz as security risks escalate following Iran...
Key Takeaways: The CME Group is launching new 90 percent Lean Beef and 50 percent Lean Beef futures and options contracts in July. There are five key factors that must be present in physical markets and futures contract specifications for futures contracts to become successful. The two l...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.