The market is facing many knowns and unknowns. How President Trump’s tariff war will proceed is top among the unknowns, though it cannot be good until it is over. Now the President is threatening 200 percent tariffs on EU wines and liquor if Brussels does not drop its retaliatory duty on whisky. This is going to heat up fast. And it isn’t just U.S. agriculture feeling the impact. Europe’s FEFAC fears that the EU’s retaliatory tariffs on American grain and oilseeds will increase feed costs. Becoming clearer is the scale of South America’s production. The Rosario Grains Exchange adjusted its estimates for Argentine corn and soybeans lower, but Conab increased its outlook for Brazil’s production. Back...
Last week, the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised the federal funds rate by 0.25 percentage point to a target range of 3.75 to 4 percent. That was the first rate hike since mid-2023, and the vote was unanimous. President Trump, who nominated Kevin Warsh in March...
Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Africa – MEA Region Egypt is reported to be facing shipping delays for grain from Ukraine through Danube ports — delays could be as much as 26 days, according to reports. Ukraine has three ports on the Danube, but all vessels must transit the S...
What You Need to Know Today: Grain markets were sharply higher overnight and through the day session as the concerning wet weather pattern persists over the Midwest. Grain traders – and soybean market players in particular – will be closely parsing both what is said and unsaid from...
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.