U.S. flour exports were down slightly for the first quarter of the year, but that is generally par for the industry. Turkey produces one-third the volume of wheat as the U.S. but exports three times the volume of flour. Some suspect subsidies are a determinant of this outcome. Of course, a large portion of U.S. flour exports are via food aid, a form of subsidy. The U.S. was a major exporter of wheat flour in the aftermath of WWII, but many recipient countries realized that flour mills were an affordable way to create value-added jobs and began building their own capacity. U.S. flour exports have stabilized but with increased attention to cash in lieu of commodities in international food aid, the trade may face further contraction. This mea...
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...
Russian Grain Markets: 29 June-3 July 2026 The new marketing season has officially begun in Russia, although bearish sentiment has been concentrated in the southern regions closest to the Black Sea ports, where export demand has been weakest. Delays in grain deliveries to inland elevators have...
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.