World Perspectives
livestock

Bye Bye Black Sheep

New Zealand famously is a country with more sheep than people, but the competition is slipping in favor of humans. The problem is the economics of wool, which is no longer an economically supportive coproduct. Wool is less needed in a warming world with many man-made alternative fibers, and landowners make more money converting grasslands to carbon credit paying forests.   Wool production in New Zealand and in the rest of the world is in decline. While sheep meat output in New Zealand declines along with that of wool, global sheep meat has been expanding. However, it is falling behind the expansion rate of competing animal proteins such as poultry meat. Lamb consumption has always had a smaller group of fans, based on historic ge...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Stable Policy, Conditional Demand, Weather Emerging as the Next Risk

Key Market Developments While tariffs were not addressed directly in the State of the Union, trade policy remains steady. Reports during today’s session confirmed that U.S. tariffs on China will remain in the 35 percent–50 percent range, signaling limited escalation ahead of upcomin...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.42/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6975/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.65/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $321.8/short ton, up $7.4 from...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Soybeans Rally on PNW Export Rumors; Grains Ease on Profit Taking

The soy complex was the upside leader again on rumors of Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans from the PNW, as well as some harvest and quality issues in Brazil. Soyoil continued to find support from hopes that the EPA will release its biofuel policy obligations in the coming few days, though no...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Stable Policy, Conditional Demand, Weather Emerging as the Next Risk

Key Market Developments While tariffs were not addressed directly in the State of the Union, trade policy remains steady. Reports during today’s session confirmed that U.S. tariffs on China will remain in the 35 percent–50 percent range, signaling limited escalation ahead of upcomin...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.42/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6975/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.65/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $321.8/short ton, up $7.4 from...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Soybeans Rally on PNW Export Rumors; Grains Ease on Profit Taking

The soy complex was the upside leader again on rumors of Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans from the PNW, as well as some harvest and quality issues in Brazil. Soyoil continued to find support from hopes that the EPA will release its biofuel policy obligations in the coming few days, though no...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2775/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.7325/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5525/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.4/short ton, up $1.9 f...

Image
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.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up