World Perspectives
livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Livestock industry margins were mostly steady/higher last week, with the notable exception of beef packer margins. Beef processing profits fell $20/head last week as fed cattle prices rose more than beef prices and a dip in slaughter weights reduced packers’ sales volume. Feedlot margins surged last week on a break in feeder cattle costs and reductions in the cost of gain. The pork industry saw largely steady margins with processer profits decreasing slightly on a weaker pork cutout and gains in hog purchase prices. Forward-looking hog producer margins were steady with the prior week for both farrow-to-finish and wean-to-finish operations but closeout profits for both types of operations fell due to weaker basis levels. ...

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Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Lower as Slow Export News Overrides Black Sea Tensions

The CBOT was mostly lower at mid-week with the threat of Russian attacks on Ukrainian vessels and ag infrastructure taking a backseat to the lack of export news, particularly from China. Corn, wheat, and soybeans all settled in the red for the day with soybeans leading the downside move on anot...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, down $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3825/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1575/bushel, down $0.09 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $311.3/short ton, down $0...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Lower as Slow Export News Overrides Black Sea Tensions

The CBOT was mostly lower at mid-week with the threat of Russian attacks on Ukrainian vessels and ag infrastructure taking a backseat to the lack of export news, particularly from China. Corn, wheat, and soybeans all settled in the red for the day with soybeans leading the downside move on anot...

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Waste Energy The cudgel held over agriculture-based feedstocks has typically been indirect land use. The U.S. biofuel industry is currently battling with California regulators over its calculation. Works in Progress editor Samuel Hughes identifies land use restrictions as newly common across al...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, down $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3825/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1575/bushel, down $0.09 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $311.3/short ton, down $0...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

CFTC COT Report Analysis

The following tables/charts reflect the CFTC's latest data release, which covers traders' positions through 21 October. The data are, obviously, delayed due to the 40-day 2025 U.S. government shutdown. While the positions below likely have little influence on today's markets or fund positioning...

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From WPI Consulting

Illuminating the value of technical research

On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.

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