World Perspectives
livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Livestock industry margins were decidedly mixed last week with diverging trends developing across the industry. Beef packer margins gained for the second straight week thanks to stronger beef prices that offset higher fed cattle prices, while feedlot margins dipped for both placements and closeouts Higher expected feed costs were the primary driver of the fourth straight week of declining feedlot placement margins with returns being negative for the third straight week. Closeout margins for feedlots fell from the prior week due to higher estimated feeder cattle purchase costs and greater cost of gain.  For the hog and pork industry, packer margins weakened slightly last week as hog prices rose slightly and the drop value dipped, both o...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Low Holiday Cheer

Grain markets traded without conviction today, see-sawing around unchanged and with modest volume. Aggies had WASDE day and outside markets had Fed day, and both events this week were kind of a bust. Some might consider it a positive to lack drama interrupting the holiday period, and that is th...

livestock

Livestock Round Up: WASDE Livestock

USDA’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report was released yesterday. The WASDE forecast corn exports for MY 2025-26 hitting a record high, topping the previous record of last year. The net change in the export forecast from a month ago was 125 million bushels, or a...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.335/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.935/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $302.1/short ton, up $0.9 from y...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Low Holiday Cheer

Grain markets traded without conviction today, see-sawing around unchanged and with modest volume. Aggies had WASDE day and outside markets had Fed day, and both events this week were kind of a bust. Some might consider it a positive to lack drama interrupting the holiday period, and that is th...

livestock

Livestock Round Up: WASDE Livestock

USDA’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report was released yesterday. The WASDE forecast corn exports for MY 2025-26 hitting a record high, topping the previous record of last year. The net change in the export forecast from a month ago was 125 million bushels, or a...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.335/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.935/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $302.1/short ton, up $0.9 from y...

No Trade Bailout; Statements Betray USMCA

No Trade Bailout The Trump Administration’s $12 billion economic assistance package to farmers is being framed by the media as a “bailout” for the adverse impact of the President’s tariffs and trade wars. But there is no adverse impact in most instances. Wheat prices hav...

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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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