World Perspectives
livestock

Cattle Inventory Report: U.S. Cattle Herd Still in Contraction

USDA released its January Cattle Inventory report today. The U.S. cattle herd is still in a contraction phase.  The total inventory of all cattle and calves as of 1 January was 86.7 million head, down 500,000 head from last year. Key numbers from today’s report are: The cattle on feed estimate showed 87.2 percent on feedlots of 1,000 head or more capacity, slightly higher than last year.  The combined total of calves under 500 pounds, other heifers, plus steers over 500 pounds, representing the number of feeder cattle outside of feedlots, was 24.6 million head, just slightly below 1 January 2024. The 1 January number of feeder cattle outside of feedlots is the lowest since 2015. Feeder cattle outside feed lots make up 63 p...

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feed-grains

WASDE Corn - Dec 2025

USDA’s Dec 2025 estimate is that the 2025/26 season-average corn price received by U.S. farmers will remain at $4.00 per bushel. Global corn stocks are down 2.2 million to 279.2 million tons...

wheat

WASDE Wheat - Dec 2025

USDA’s Dec 2025 estimate is that the 2025/26 season-average wheat price received by U.S. farmers will remain at $5.00 per bushel. Global wheat stocks rose 3.4 million tons to 274.9 million, mainly on increases for several exporting countries...

soy-oilseeds

WASDE Soybeans - Dec 2025

USDA’s Dec 2025 estimate is that the 2025/26 season-average prices are presently unchanged for U.S. soybeans at $10.50 per bushel, for soymeal at $300 per short-ton, and for soyoil at 53 cents per pound.  Global soybean ending stocks are increased 0.4 million tons to 122.4 million, m...

feed-grains

WASDE Corn - Dec 2025

USDA’s Dec 2025 estimate is that the 2025/26 season-average corn price received by U.S. farmers will remain at $4.00 per bushel. Global corn stocks are down 2.2 million to 279.2 million tons...

wheat

WASDE Wheat - Dec 2025

USDA’s Dec 2025 estimate is that the 2025/26 season-average wheat price received by U.S. farmers will remain at $5.00 per bushel. Global wheat stocks rose 3.4 million tons to 274.9 million, mainly on increases for several exporting countries...

soy-oilseeds

WASDE Soybeans - Dec 2025

USDA’s Dec 2025 estimate is that the 2025/26 season-average prices are presently unchanged for U.S. soybeans at $10.50 per bushel, for soymeal at $300 per short-ton, and for soyoil at 53 cents per pound.  Global soybean ending stocks are increased 0.4 million tons to 122.4 million, m...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Corn Exports Hit Record; WASDE Little Changed for Soy, Wheat

The CBOT wasn’t expecting much from the December WASDE report and USDA delivered fully on those expectations. The headline numbers were the increase of corn exports to a record-breaking 3.2 Bbu and a commensurate reduction in ending stocks. Soybeans and wheat were left out of the balance...

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From WPI Consulting

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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