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Farm Bill: Politics and Sugar

In one week of farm bill consideration, 247 amendments have been drafted and the Senate has now voted on two. Both were voted down: one to turn the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) into a block grant that would allow states to run the program, and the other to repeal the sugar program. The sugar program vote is very interesting; more discussion on that later.Amendments are the key to the farm bill. The House Republican Majority leadership is in a tricky spot; it has to balance having rural members with Tea Party and farm bill constituencies from having to take tough votes that will put them on the wrong side of either one of these groups. So far, it seems as though the Senate Republican Minority leadership's strategy is to...

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CFTC COT Report Analysis

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

CFTC COT Report Analysis

Friday’s CFTC report was consistent with expectations in that it showed managed money traders becoming dedicated net buyers across nearly every major ag market, with the notable exception of cattle futures. The buying was most notable in soybeans where, despite the trade war, funds flippe...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

CFTC COT Report Analysis

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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.

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