The inability of farmers to use neonicotinoid insecticides along with poor weather in some areas resulted in EU rapeseed production falling 10.6 percent from last year to an estimated 19.95 MMT in 2016. Because of the resulting smaller rapeseed crush, Europe's demand for two by-products of a different oilseed has grown. USDA’s U.S. Soybean Plantings Forecast USDA today released its long-range projections for major crops through 2026/27. The report indicates U.S. farmers will plant 85.5 million acres of soybeans in 2017, up from 83.7 million acres this year, and forecasts the total at 85 million acres in 2026. The average soybean yield is projected to fall to 47.9 bushels/acre next year from 52.5 bushels/acre in 2016, a record that the age...
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...
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.