It can’t be said that the increased prospects of a Fed interest rate hike in June had any real impact on grain and soy markets today. Prices were slightly lower in quiet overnight trading and wound up the day session in mixed fashion. General Comments The minutes of the Fed’s April meeting were released today, and (to the surprise of many Fed watchers) they reveal a stronger-than-expected sentiment for raising the interest rate in June. That plus recent statements by various Fed officials appear to substantially increase chances of a rate hike next month, which heretofore analysts had called about 10 percent at best. The minutes show considerable support for the increase, assuming the economy has picked up during the second quarter and in...
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.
What You Need to Know Today: Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans continued to accelerate, with USDA reporting another 558 KMT sold to China and 236 KMT to unknown destinations. Combined with sales announced Wednesday and Thursday, the latest purchases bring the three-day total to approximately...
As fall begins, wild migratory birds are starting their seasonal migration. That has the industry and government officials worried about the potential spread, again, of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Some members of Congress have called for the United States to be prepared for a pote...