After three down days in a row, the corn market finally managed a positive close even if only by a penny or so as the market awaits tomorrow's report. The trade guess is that ending 2014/15 U.S. corn will be estimated at more than 2 billion bushels. General Comments With slow trade and only minor price movements, grain and soy markets acted as though there would be a government report tomorrow, which of course is exactly the case. USDA will release the September WASDE at noon EDT Thursday, and interested parties have been debating how much larger the USDA/NASS corn and soybean estimates will be compared with the August numbers. To recap the August report: Based on its first survey of the season, NASS used a 2014 corn yield of 167.4 bushel...
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.