World Perspectives
livestock

Livestock Round Up: Slow Start to Cattle Herd Rebuilding

Last week USDA released its Cattle on Feed report; inventory was 95 percent of April 2022, which was the highest total on record for the month of April, but the 1 April 2023 total on-feed inventory was the lowest since 2017. As WPI noted last week, strong marketing numbers at 99 percent of last year, as expected, prevented the report from being bearish from the much larger than anticipated placements and somewhat higher inventories compared to expectations. However, the report did put a lid on the recent rally in fed cattle prices. 

The record high cattle prices in 2014 and 2015 incentivized rapid herd expansion among producers.  

Another USDA report issued last week, however, shows that any herd rebuilding this year i...

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Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins weakened further last week, with estimated net losses widening to -$247/head, extending the deterioration seen through late January. Boxed beef values were firmer last week, but gains failed to offset increases in fed cattle prices, resulting in additional margin compression...

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Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3725/bushel, up $0.09 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.24/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303/short ton, up $2.2 from ye...

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Livestock Industry Margins

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Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3725/bushel, up $0.09 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.24/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303/short ton, up $2.2 from ye...

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WASDE Wheat - Feb 2026

USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. wheat is unchanged for exports and slightly higher ending stocks to 931 million bushels - 9 percent higher than last year and the largest since 2019/20. The projected 2025/26 season-average farm price remains at $4.90 per bushel.  The global outlook fo...

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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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