Records are being set in lots of places and not in a good way if you are a bull. There will be record wheat in Canada and India and projected record corn and soybean crops next season in Brazil. Farmers not selling now to clean out bins are ignoring the fact that seasonal lows may not yet be hit. It is a gamble that the 12 August WASDE and its survey of farmers is somehow going to be bullish. However, a private survey of farmers deduced an impending second largest corn crop ever and the largest carryover since 1987. One analysis shows that price-wise, it is closer to 1987 than ever. Government artifices like the ethanol mandate worked their magic for many years but concurrently simulated competitor production. The world is awash in grain a...
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.