The National Pork Producers Council and American Farm Bureau Federation, together with a number of other groups, said that they are likely to oppose the entire deal if Japan does not agree to comprehensive trade liberalization. Pork Pushes TPP – With or Without Japan Looking forward to significant gains in the growing Asian market, a bipartisan group of 32 senators representing the pork industry wrote a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging them to place a priority on removing barriers to pork trade via the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). The letter was initiated by Senators Joe Donnelly (R-Indiana) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). The TPP is a regional trade negotiation ini...
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...
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.