There’s still more information to digest among the details of Tuesday’s January Cattle Report (see WPI’s coverage here). Cattle on feed for 1 January for feedlots with 1,000 head-plus were down 3 percent per the monthly USDA report; this week’s semi-annual cattle inventory report estimates all cattle on feed on all size feed yards. Netting out the large feed yards, cattle being fed at smaller farmer/feeder operations were down about 7 percent compared to January 2022. Perhaps a combination of drought and high feed costs. The beef cow herd at 28.918 million head is down 4 percent from last year and hit its lowest since 1962 (28.691 million head) which is an attention grabber in and of itself, not to ment...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
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.