World Perspectives

Besmirch Strategy Fails; More Quid Pro Quo; Prospects for Biden and 2021

Besmirch Strategy Fails Activists called it an acute health threat, orchestrated petitions and demanded that institutions only serve domestic pork. Despite a well-organized campaign of opposition to importing U.S. pork raised with the beta-agonist growth promoter ractopamine, Taiwan's parliament this week approved legislation approving it. Denigrating the reputation of an imported product as a means of blocking competition is not new. In 1962, U.S. chicken had captured a significant share of the French and West German poultry markets. A Time magazine article that year noted that in response, the French government banned imports of U.S. chicken with complaints that the use of hormones could affect male virility. German farmers' associations...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Mixed as Shutdown End Begins

The CBOT was mixed with Monday’s strength in various markets fading quickly and giving way to a “turnaround Tuesday”. Corn and soyoil were the two holdouts from the turnaround pattern as both markets saw demand-side factors boost values to modest gains. Beyond that, traders we...

Pandorra’s Tariff Box

This is not a defense of tariffs or the tariff war, but a discussion about strategy and asymmetry. Since Mr. Trump announced his reciprocal tariff plan (trade war) in April, most news articles have focused on the adverse impacts to Americans. Consumers would pay the cost and speculation was rif...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.32/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.36/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.2725/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $316.9/short ton, down $3.1 f...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Mixed as Shutdown End Begins

The CBOT was mixed with Monday’s strength in various markets fading quickly and giving way to a “turnaround Tuesday”. Corn and soyoil were the two holdouts from the turnaround pattern as both markets saw demand-side factors boost values to modest gains. Beyond that, traders we...

Pandorra’s Tariff Box

This is not a defense of tariffs or the tariff war, but a discussion about strategy and asymmetry. Since Mr. Trump announced his reciprocal tariff plan (trade war) in April, most news articles have focused on the adverse impacts to Americans. Consumers would pay the cost and speculation was rif...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.32/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.36/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.2725/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $316.9/short ton, down $3.1 f...

Agreement to End Government Shutdown Reached in Senate, Ag Highlights

As Matt Herrington wrote yesterday, the 41-day government shutdown appears to be coming to an end. The Senate has taken a major step toward it by passing a package that includes full funding for a year for three appropriations bills, including Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, the Legisla...

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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.

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