World Perspectives

Government Money is Complicated

President Joe Biden is handing out what could be $600 billion in student loan forgiveness just before an election. Critics argue about its fairness, and it will make some voters happy and others unhappy. There are similar contradictions in the allocation of money to agriculture. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is figuring out how to allocate $3.1 billion in loan forgiveness to farm loan borrowers, but to skew the assistance to farmers of color. An overt attempt at forgiveness based on skin color was struck down by the courts.  The focus is on farm operations that are distressed and at risk, a status that doesn’t depend on skin color. Some of these operations are said to have been at risk before the pandemic, and like the now extended...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Export Sales

Export Sales and Shipments for April 4-10, 2025.  Wheat: Net sales of 76,500 metric tons (MT) for 2024/2025 were down 29 percent from the previous week, but up 2 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 483,500 MT were up 43 percent from the previous week and 11 percent f...

livestock

Cattle on Feed - April 2025

U.S. cattle on Feed totaled totaled 11.6 million head on April 1, 2025 - 2 percent below April 1, 2024.  Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.84 million head, 5 percent above 2024.  Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.73 million head, 1 percent above 2024.  O...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 25 Corn closed at $4.8225/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Wheat closed at $5.4875/bushel, up $0.01 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soybeans closed at $10.365/bushel, down $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soymeal closed at $295.6/short ton, down $1.1...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Export Sales

Export Sales and Shipments for April 4-10, 2025.  Wheat: Net sales of 76,500 metric tons (MT) for 2024/2025 were down 29 percent from the previous week, but up 2 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 483,500 MT were up 43 percent from the previous week and 11 percent f...

livestock

Cattle on Feed - April 2025

U.S. cattle on Feed totaled totaled 11.6 million head on April 1, 2025 - 2 percent below April 1, 2024.  Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.84 million head, 5 percent above 2024.  Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.73 million head, 1 percent above 2024.  O...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 25 Corn closed at $4.8225/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Wheat closed at $5.4875/bushel, up $0.01 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soybeans closed at $10.365/bushel, down $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soymeal closed at $295.6/short ton, down $1.1...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Pre-Holiday Low Volume with Mixed Outcomes

There might be more life on the planet K2-18b than was seen in some of the trading pits today. While some contracts closed higher and others lower, the one consistent thing was lower pre-holiday volume across grains and oilseeds.  Ahead of a three-day market hiatus, all major contracts clo...

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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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