With the release this morning of the USDA/FAS export sales report for the week ending 21 February, these reports are back to their regular schedule for the first time since the partial government shutdown. Last week’s report contained sales for the week ending 14 February, but it also lumped together sales data for the preceding five weeks in one big catch-up effort. Cash and futures traders have always sought up-to-date information about U.S. grain and soy complex export sales (how much and to whom) because of their market-moving potential. Typically, exports have been the largest category of demand for U.S. wheat and soybeans, accounting for roughly half of each year’s production, and they are obviously of great importance fo...
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.