Cattle and Beef Outlook USDA revised its 2018 beef production forecast to 26.9 billion pounds, a decrease of 30 million pounds, as fewer fed cattle are expected to go to slaughter in the fourth quarter. The production estimate for 2019 is 27.8 billion pounds, down 100 million on lower-than-trend feedlot placements in the third quarter. Thus, the revisions to USDA’s earlier trends come from lower numbers in back-to back-quarters. 4.7 percent fewer cattle were placed in feedlots, but there were also 3.6 percent fewer cattle marketed than the previous year, which would still result in increased beef production. Strong marketing in the first half of 2019 can be expected as a result. Exports have been supportive of beef prices throughout...
What You Need to Know Today: USDA reports are delayed until Tuesday due to the federal holiday on Monday. Over the weekend, President Trump announced a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Russia warmly welcomed and confirmed this ceasefire by conducting more strikes against Ukraine. Specific...
On Saturday, 10 October, at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, President Trump said that the U.S. and Mexico would come to terms on a new trade deal, and he said Canada does not need to be part of the deal. Trump called the coming agreement with Mexico “great” but gave no d...
Key Takeaways: The United States has steadily lost global wheat export market share since the 1970s, falling from the world's leading exporter to a projected fifth place in 2026/27. The rapid expansion of Black Sea wheat exports, driven by improved productivity and export infrastructure, has r...
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.