The Senate Appropriations Committee not only ignored the agricultural budget cuts recommended by the White House, but it ordered USDA Secretary Sonny Purdue to restore a position he had cancelled. Cotton War The Senate Appropriations Committee responded to the whining of the U.S. cotton industry and may give it a new $1 billion program on top of the $300 million ginning cost share program added last year. The proposal has at least three problems: By designating cottonseed eligible for the oilseeds provision of the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) subsidy program in addition to the lint insurance subsidy program in the 2014 Farm Bill, other groups will be encouraged to seek similar double-dipping in the future. For example, corn could propose th...
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.