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Policy Roundup

Dissecting BSE Barriers: South Korea and Japan have domestic policies far more driven to close off their respective import markets in the event of BSE cases, yet they remain open. By contrast, Thailand and Indonesia are blocking imports. Given that Thailand ranks as the 65th largest market for U.S. beef (only $1.2 million), this has more to do with Bangkok being kept out of the TPP, and U.S. SPS barriers against some of Thailand's specialty fruits and other products. Indonesia was hardly a better market with $2 million in beef purchases last year. USTR Ron Kirk said last week in Singapore that the goal is to get all ASEAN countries, which includes Thailand, into a trading arrangement like TPP and Bangkok is adding pressure to make it happ...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Mixed on Planting Pace, Weather, South American Outlook

The CBOT ended mixed on Tuesday as traders parsed through a slew of different data points. Perhaps the most influential news for the day was private crop analysts’ upward revisions to the Brazilian and Argentine corn crops, which combined with a strong start to planting the U.S. 2025 crop...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 25 Corn closed at $4.7575/bushel, down $0.06 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.5025/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soybeans closed at $10.35/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $299.5/short ton, down $0.8 fr...

livestock

HPAI Waning This Spring

In 2022 and 2023, most HPAI cases affected producers during the spring and fall. The years 2024 and 2025 were different, however. The bulk of cases occurred during the winter months. Between December 2024 and February 2025, approximately 53.7 million egg layers, turkeys, and broilers were culle...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Mixed on Planting Pace, Weather, South American Outlook

The CBOT ended mixed on Tuesday as traders parsed through a slew of different data points. Perhaps the most influential news for the day was private crop analysts’ upward revisions to the Brazilian and Argentine corn crops, which combined with a strong start to planting the U.S. 2025 crop...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 25 Corn closed at $4.7575/bushel, down $0.06 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.5025/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soybeans closed at $10.35/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $299.5/short ton, down $0.8 fr...

livestock

HPAI Waning This Spring

In 2022 and 2023, most HPAI cases affected producers during the spring and fall. The years 2024 and 2025 were different, however. The bulk of cases occurred during the winter months. Between December 2024 and February 2025, approximately 53.7 million egg layers, turkeys, and broilers were culle...

The Future of the U.S. – China Trade War

The Washington International Trade Association held a conference today entitled, Phase 2: The Art of the Deal with China. Experts included former USTR officials, the former head of the U.S.-China Business Council, a former Obama Administration trade official, and the illustrious Asia expert Wen...

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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.

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