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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Market Commentary: More Wheat Weather Premium, but Weakness Elsewhere

There was generally modest volume today, with the exception of wheat, which was also uniquely higher on the day. New highs for the calendar year were printed in HRW as the fledgling crop is about to have the double-whammy of freezing temperatures added to drought as the welcoming committee for...

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Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview

USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for 1 April will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 99.3 percent of last year. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.6 million head. The big line item to watch agai...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.485/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6375/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $332.7/short ton, down $1...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: More Wheat Weather Premium, but Weakness Elsewhere

There was generally modest volume today, with the exception of wheat, which was also uniquely higher on the day. New highs for the calendar year were printed in HRW as the fledgling crop is about to have the double-whammy of freezing temperatures added to drought as the welcoming committee for...

livestock

Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview

USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for 1 April will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 99.3 percent of last year. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.6 million head. The big line item to watch agai...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.485/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6375/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $332.7/short ton, down $1...

Transportation Perspectives - 16 April

WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...

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From WPI Consulting

Infrastructure investment due diligence

On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.

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