World Perspectives

Power of Phonies; Weakness of Sanctions; Meat with Crossbones

Power of Phonies According to Polish author Tomak Jankowski, the biologist Trofim Lysenko sought to make a name for himself in the early days of the Soviet Union. In 1927, he announced that he had successfully grown peas in the Russian winter and didn’t even use fertilizer. Lysenko proceeded with a series of announced and amazing agricultural accomplishments while charging that skeptics of his work were philosophically tied to the science of the Western bourgeoisie. The Soviet leadership was so impressed that he was named head of the Soviet Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 1935, and those who had criticized him were sent to prison or had ruined careers. Today’s environmental activists contend that biotechnology is dangerous...

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Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.3125/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.525/bushel, up $0.1525 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.3725/bushel, up $0.1325 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $307.9/short ton, up $4.9 fr...

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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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