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...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

CFTC COT Report Analysis

Friday’s CFTC report showed the effects of USDA’s bearish January WADSE as managed money traders expanded short positions across the ag space for the fourth straight week. Funds shed 99,000 contracts from their all-ags position last week, with selling in corn accounting for 77,000 c...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Some Rebound from WASDE Lows

By today’s close, losses in soybeans and wheat were down to fractions but corn could not fight its way back from USDA’s surprise bigger supply numbers in Monday’s WASDE. Volumes were generally light on this last day of trading ahead of Monday’s MLK holiday. Only the catt...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2475/bushel, up $0.045 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.18/bushel, up $0.075 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.5775/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $290/short ton, up $0.8 from ye...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

CFTC COT Report Analysis

Friday’s CFTC report showed the effects of USDA’s bearish January WADSE as managed money traders expanded short positions across the ag space for the fourth straight week. Funds shed 99,000 contracts from their all-ags position last week, with selling in corn accounting for 77,000 c...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Some Rebound from WASDE Lows

By today’s close, losses in soybeans and wheat were down to fractions but corn could not fight its way back from USDA’s surprise bigger supply numbers in Monday’s WASDE. Volumes were generally light on this last day of trading ahead of Monday’s MLK holiday. Only the catt...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2475/bushel, up $0.045 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.18/bushel, up $0.075 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.5775/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $290/short ton, up $0.8 from ye...

livestock

Cattle Inventory Expectations: Beef and Dairy Expansion

With the USDA’s semi-annual Cattle Inventory report just two weeks away now, many in the industry are sharpening their pencils to forecast what the inventory numbers will be. Perhaps more so than any other year past, this year’s forecasting effort is complicated by several unusual f...

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From WPI Consulting

Weighing in on strategic realignment

WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.

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