Food regulators are trying to keep pace with market changes in the context of public ignorance and political opposition. Argentina – Dead Ahead In an interview on future Argentine agricultural policy, Minister Carlos Casamiquela reflected on the populist leaning of his government. It likely makes sense to place less significance on soybeans and more on corn and wheat with the goal of exporting value-added products such as meat to China. However, the goal of competitiveness has to be squeezed into an emphasis on social policy of inclusion and equity. The effort to achieve equity by constricting the profit of the nation's most efficient producers is why the current government has so many opponents in the productive ag sector. Moreover, it i...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Key Market Insights Macro markets delivered a full whipsaw today. Early in the session, crude oil had rallied back above $100/barrel as traders priced renewed concern over the U.S.-Iran standoff and potential supply risk through the Strait of Hormuz. That strength helped pull grains off their o...
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.