World Perspectives
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

A Look Backward at 2014

2014 will surely go down as one of the most memorable years in U.S. crop production history. Planted corn acreage in 2014 fell almost 5 percent below the preceding year. Yet, estimated U.S. corn production rose to a record of more than 14.4 billion bushels.A year ago as the New Year of 2014 loomed, grain and soy markets were beginning the transition from a multiyear period of demand-driven dynamics to one of building U.S. and world supplies. This is not to say that demand went away or lost the capacity to affect markets or that the transition was smooth and easy. In 2013, the U.S. produced substantially larger corn and soybean crops than in 2012 when production was cut by a severe summer drought. World production of corn and soybeans for th...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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Transportation and Export Report - 13 February 2026

U.S. grain transportation markets are slowly recovering from the shocks of bitter cold weather and low water levels on the Mississippi River System and from the surge in export demand. The latter is also causing strong rallies in ocean freight markets, particularly in the Atlantic basin. With g...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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livestock

Livestock Round Up: Cattle Margins and Distribution

The recent February World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report forecast beef production to increase in 2026 due to greater slaughter of steers and heifers, increased cow slaughter, and heavier dressed weights, all of which will provide some relief to the beef market. Also, th...

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From WPI Consulting

Infrastructure investment due diligence

On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.

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