New trade disruptions, such as the 25 percent tariffs on Canadian feeder cattle, could possibly lead to more cattle being kept on pasture in Canada, which may lead to lower prices due to the retained, larger cattle population. Conversely, less beef being processed in the U.S. from Canadian cattle might result in higher U.S. beef prices than would normally have occurred. However, the potential for lower prices for Canadian cattle could be a disincentive for the Canadian cattle industry to stabilize or increase production. According to Kansas State University’s “Focus on Feedlots” monthly data, feed costs for steers and heifers have dropped from last year’s levels. The KSU data shows that average feeding costs are the...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. launches naval escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran attacks UAE oil infrastructure, escalating geopolitical risk and supporting energy and broader commodity markets Biofuel demand entering uncharted territory, with soyoil valuation increasingly di...
The Middle East is said to be undergoing a transformation as economic priorities transcend security concerns. This is evidenced by diversification away from oil and the UAE’s departure from OPEC. Meanwhile, the Palestine issue has been deprioritized, and Iran has emerged as more destabili...
All eyes are shifting to the Senate following the House passage of a farm bill last Thursday. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) is targeting the end of May or early June for a bill markup. According to Boozman, the House “going ahead and passing something was re...
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.