Several factors have contributed to Brazil's bullish corn market, squeezing chicken and hog producers. In turn, this is having an impact on wheat prices there due to demand for feed wheat, particularly from the poultry sector.There has been much attention paid to the corn situation in Brazil of late. A weaker-than- expected second harvest, relatively low carryover stocks from an aggressive export campaign, and an Argentine crop running behind schedule due to finishing the soybean harvest (see Ag Perspectives, 25 May) have collectively resulted in a bullish corn market there, squeezing chicken and hog producers between feed costs and a poor domestic economy that has slackened demand. Reports from southern Brazil indicate that the corn price...
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...
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...
Let’s return briefly to the fake meat hype cycle, now sitting somewhere in a dusty corner of your mind, not entirely forgotten. What happened to all those products, known as plant-based alternative proteins? They were supposed to be as good as real meat—cheaper, more environmentally...
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.