World Perspectives

S&D Effort Breaks Model

The Trump Administration’s approach to trade policy can be characterized as power politics. It has withdrawn the benefit of accessing the large American market to coerce improved terms of trade. In its current effort to reform the use of special and differential (S&D) treatment in the WTO, it has used the more traditional approach of intellectual persuasion. USTR Robert Lighthizer is personally meeting with beneficiary countries and asking them to forgo S&D treatment in future negotiations (not past agreements). Since the poorest of countries have defended S&D for all including advanced economies, one would have expected a threat to deny S&D to all countries unless the smaller subset of more advanced countries agrees t...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.07/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Sep 25 Wheat closed at $5.1675/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $9.945/bushel, up $0.0525 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $285/short ton, up $4.5 from yeste...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Steady Eddie Back to Work

It was a contrast of a mostly higher day but with new contract lows for corn and all three wheats. Corn wilted from private forecasts of big yields, and expectations of good crop conditions in contrast with slowed export inspections.  It was mostly steady on the first day of a new week wit...

Politics of Tariffs; Tariffs as a Tax

Politics of Tariffs The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington heard legal arguments last week regarding Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to circumvent Congress’s power to levy tariffs. The reported reaction of the co...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.07/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Sep 25 Wheat closed at $5.1675/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $9.945/bushel, up $0.0525 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $285/short ton, up $4.5 from yeste...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Steady Eddie Back to Work

It was a contrast of a mostly higher day but with new contract lows for corn and all three wheats. Corn wilted from private forecasts of big yields, and expectations of good crop conditions in contrast with slowed export inspections.  It was mostly steady on the first day of a new week wit...

Politics of Tariffs; Tariffs as a Tax

Politics of Tariffs The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington heard legal arguments last week regarding Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to circumvent Congress’s power to levy tariffs. The reported reaction of the co...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Mercosur Regional Analysis

Weather Disrupts Argentine Corn Harvest  Heavy rains have compounded weeks of high humidity in Buenos Aires province, marking July as the wettest in the core region in 40 years. While the improved soil moisture will be beneficial for corn planting that’s set to begin in about a month...

Image
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.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up