Chemical Wars Falling in line with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s order to end the use of glyphosate in 2024, Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) has advised halving the maximum import quota to 8.26 kilograms of the herbicide in formulated form and 628,616 kg in concentrated form. The agency said there are alternative herbicides but did not add that they are generally more toxic. President Obrador wants production without the use of toxic chemicals but he may wish to note that Brazil’s soybean growers (Aprosoja) have asked for an emergency release of herbicides as crops are threatened in central and northern Brazil. Separately, a study by Wageningen University released today looks at pro...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
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.