Regulated Competition The global pig meat surplus has been building at nearly 3 percent per year and EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has a plan to stop it. He wants to reduce intensive pig farming in member states like Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands. These countries produce pigs at six times the volume per 100 hectares as his native Poland. According to Euractiv, the Commissioner’s comments about intensive pig farming “were well received at home [Poland].” They were also well-received in the United States. Although the rationale is environmental, the effort will be appreciated by American hog farmers who have an annual pork meat overhang of 260,000 tons while the EU has been selling all its s...
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.