World Perspectives
livestock

Cattle Markets Still Screwy

The cattle marketing year is off to a strange start. In the first eight weeks of 2025, weekly carcass weights have averaged 40 pounds more than the same period last year. This component of production is driven by two factors: heavier carcass weights of steers and heifers, and the proportion of steers and heifers in the slaughter mix among cows and bulls.   This increase in market-ready supplies of fed cattle is likely supported in part by feedlots continuing to increase poundage per animal and packers reducing slaughter schedules in February. This improves operational efficiencies on a per-head basis, as packer margins are under pressure from paying much higher prices for fed cattle. As those measures are keeping cattle...

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livestock

Cattle on Feed - June 2025

U.S. Cattle on Feed totaled 11.4 million head on June 1, 2025. This was down 1 percent from June 1, 2024.  Placements in feedlots during May totaled 1.89 million head, 8 percent below 2024.  Marketings of fed cattle during May totaled 1.76 million head, 10 percent below 2024.  Ot...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: A Day and a Week of Surprises

There isn’t always a common theme across markets. Sometimes a session starts amid diverse influences. Sometimes, shorts or longs will dominate an open, then be tested by participants with different ideas. Each jockeying to have their way. Today’s trading opened bearishly for major g...

livestock

Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed

  USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today.  Total cattle on feed amounted to 11.4 million head, 99 percent of last year.      Total placements were down 8 percent and below the average pre-report estimate.  Those lighter placements were partia...

livestock

Cattle on Feed - June 2025

U.S. Cattle on Feed totaled 11.4 million head on June 1, 2025. This was down 1 percent from June 1, 2024.  Placements in feedlots during May totaled 1.89 million head, 8 percent below 2024.  Marketings of fed cattle during May totaled 1.76 million head, 10 percent below 2024.  Ot...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: A Day and a Week of Surprises

There isn’t always a common theme across markets. Sometimes a session starts amid diverse influences. Sometimes, shorts or longs will dominate an open, then be tested by participants with different ideas. Each jockeying to have their way. Today’s trading opened bearishly for major g...

livestock

Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed

  USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today.  Total cattle on feed amounted to 11.4 million head, 99 percent of last year.      Total placements were down 8 percent and below the average pre-report estimate.  Those lighter placements were partia...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 25 Corn closed at $4.2875/bushel, down $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.6775/bushel, down $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soybeans closed at $10.68/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $284.1/short ton, down $...

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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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