World Perspectives

Nudge versus Cudgel; New Japanese PM; Pesticide Restrictions

Nudge versus Cudgel The Biden Administration has achieved some market openings in various countries, the most recent being obtaining agreement from Chile to accept American cheese products marked with European origin names like gouda, cheddar, and provolone. Chief Agricultural Negotiator Doug McKalip was in the presidential election battleground state of Wisconsin talking up the accomplishment. He characterized the accomplishments by USTR as “huge” wins. The technical gains are appreciated but nudging trading partners on smaller issues ignores the sector’s desire for free trade agreements. American farmers are losing by not being a part of major agreements like CPTPP. It also ignores the adverse impact of various retalia...

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livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins deteriorated further last week, extending their move into negative territory after early December’s strong profits. Margins fell another $65/head to –$140 as fed cattle prices held firm while the Choice cutout slipped nearly $2/cwt. The tightening spread reflects...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Bounces on Short-Covering and Positive Export Data

The CBOT turned higher on Monday with positive export data from USDA and a healthy dose of bottom-picking and pre-holiday short covering driving the upside action. Corn was the upside leader for the day as export shipments remain strong with foreign buyers and end-users picking up the purchase...

livestock

Cattle on Feed for Dec 2025

USDA reports U.S. Cattle on Feed down 2 percent in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head to total 11.7 million head on December 1, 2025.  Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.60 million head, 11 percent below 2024.  Marketings of during November totaled 1.52 million...

livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins deteriorated further last week, extending their move into negative territory after early December’s strong profits. Margins fell another $65/head to –$140 as fed cattle prices held firm while the Choice cutout slipped nearly $2/cwt. The tightening spread reflects...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Bounces on Short-Covering and Positive Export Data

The CBOT turned higher on Monday with positive export data from USDA and a healthy dose of bottom-picking and pre-holiday short covering driving the upside action. Corn was the upside leader for the day as export shipments remain strong with foreign buyers and end-users picking up the purchase...

livestock

Cattle on Feed for Dec 2025

USDA reports U.S. Cattle on Feed down 2 percent in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head to total 11.7 million head on December 1, 2025.  Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.60 million head, 11 percent below 2024.  Marketings of during November totaled 1.52 million...

WTO Gets Trumped; Novel Remains Unusual; Cheese Diversion

WTO Gets Trumped The WTO was thrown out back on 2 April when President Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs. The tariffs totally violated U.S. obligations under the WTO but the signal was clear that the U.S. would no longer be constrained by any agreements at the WTO. Still, the Administratio...

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From WPI Consulting

Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming

WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.

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