World Perspectives

Bogus Problem; Radicalism Backlash

Bogus Problem Reinforcing the problem asserted by USDA’s political leadership, the Economic Research Service highlighted Census of Agriculture data showing that most losses of farms over the past decade have been small operations, while there was an increase in the largest sized farms. Secretary Tom Vilsack views this as wrong and seeks a policy solution so that all sized operations can survive. But three-quarters of the farms that failed had $10,000 or less in annual sales, and the bulk of the rest had less than $250,000 in sales.  Even the average nonfarm business with no employees has four times the sales of the small farms that are failing. And the average nonfarm business with four employees has $387,000 in annual sales. T...

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Ham-Handed; Existential WTO Questions; Miscellany; Stove Piped Regs

Ham-Handed U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Administration will make “substantial announcements” about tariffs on coffee and other commodities not grown domestically “over the next couple of days.” The move is being made because food inflation has prov...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.3525/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.36/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.3375/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $321/short ton, up $4.1 from yester...

FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 12 November)

WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “How To”...

Ham-Handed; Existential WTO Questions; Miscellany; Stove Piped Regs

Ham-Handed U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Administration will make “substantial announcements” about tariffs on coffee and other commodities not grown domestically “over the next couple of days.” The move is being made because food inflation has prov...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.3525/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.36/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.3375/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $321/short ton, up $4.1 from yester...

FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 12 November)

WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “How To”...

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...

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Illuminating the value of technical research

On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.

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