About the only thing we can say for certain these days is that USDA/NASS will release the “final” U.S. spring planted acreage numbers and the 1 June quarterly stocks numbers next Tuesday, 30 June. What those reports will reveal is, of course, not certain today, but expectations are that the stocks of soybeans and corn will be large while stocks of wheat will be adequate. Most observers expect that planted corn acreage will fall a million or more acres below last March’s initial planting intentions of 97 million acres. Based on a soy/corn price ratio that has favored soybeans the last few months, planted soybean acres are expected to pick up most of corn’s decline and come in around 84.5 to 85.0 million acres. Growin...
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.