The coronavirus is a disease affecting humans and impacting agricultural commodity markets. Three-plus decades ago there was a major disease impacting animals and impacting agricultural commodity markets. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as Mad Cow disease spread through the British cattle herd (and elsewhere in the world) and permanently changed the global beef market. Although not analogous, it is important to note that the UK’s cattle industry has leveled off from the initial contraction caused by the disease. The more important change, however, was in the protocols for cattle production. The coronavirus has spread more fear than BSE because simply avoiding beef prevented human infection. Stopping BSE required th...
What You Need to Know Today: President Trump claimed the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was over, as both sides accused one another of violating the terms of the agreement. Commercial vessels are increasingly steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz as security risks escalate following Iran...
Key Takeaways: The CME Group is launching new 90 percent Lean Beef and 50 percent Lean Beef futures and options contracts in July. There are five key factors that must be present in physical markets and futures contract specifications for futures contracts to become successful. The two l...
WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “...
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.