World Perspectives

Deep Bench to Fight RFK; China Market Risk; Thankless Job

Deep Bench to Fight RFKBeing the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture is usually a pretty good job. It involves doling out billions of dollars, the constituency is dominated by courteous country people, and controversies tend to be minor. The person serving the longest in any Cabinet position was James “Tama Jim” Wilson at USDA for 16 years. Current USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack will have served in the position for 12 years. Henry A. Wallace served as USDA chief for eight years before being elevated to Vice President. Officially, the position is mid-tier in the presidential line of succession. But it is technically oriented, and the weakest secretaries have been those ill-suited to the job. Per Dave Juday’s discussion of who might be the next US...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Lower as Slow Export News Overrides Black Sea Tensions

The CBOT was mostly lower at mid-week with the threat of Russian attacks on Ukrainian vessels and ag infrastructure taking a backseat to the lack of export news, particularly from China. Corn, wheat, and soybeans all settled in the red for the day with soybeans leading the downside move on anot...

Waste Energy; Selective Protectionism

Waste Energy The cudgel held over agriculture-based feedstocks has typically been indirect land use. The U.S. biofuel industry is currently battling with California regulators over its calculation. Works in Progress editor Samuel Hughes identifies land use restrictions as newly common across al...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, down $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3825/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1575/bushel, down $0.09 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $311.3/short ton, down $0...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Lower as Slow Export News Overrides Black Sea Tensions

The CBOT was mostly lower at mid-week with the threat of Russian attacks on Ukrainian vessels and ag infrastructure taking a backseat to the lack of export news, particularly from China. Corn, wheat, and soybeans all settled in the red for the day with soybeans leading the downside move on anot...

Waste Energy; Selective Protectionism

Waste Energy The cudgel held over agriculture-based feedstocks has typically been indirect land use. The U.S. biofuel industry is currently battling with California regulators over its calculation. Works in Progress editor Samuel Hughes identifies land use restrictions as newly common across al...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, down $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3825/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1575/bushel, down $0.09 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $311.3/short ton, down $0...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

CFTC COT Report Analysis

The following tables/charts reflect the CFTC's latest data release, which covers traders' positions through 21 October. The data are, obviously, delayed due to the 40-day 2025 U.S. government shutdown. While the positions below likely have little influence on today's markets or fund positioning...

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From WPI Consulting

Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming

WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.

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