World Perspectives

Staying in Lanes; Goodbye Ag; East-West Helps the Poor

Staying in Lanes Under ideal governance, elected legislatures create the principles of public policy. For example, pesticides should be used when proven scientifically safe and banned when proven harmful. Regulators then implement those principles using expertise uniquely held by impartial experts. Politicians come under career ending pressure from activists and voters in a manner not experienced by career scientists. Politics led to a ban on the sweeteners cyclamate and saccharin many decades ago based on junk science and politics, and were subsequently shown to not cause cancer. Now Congressman Bennie Thompson (R-Mississippi) says Republicans will work to allow pesticides banned by the U.S. Environmental protection Agency. Not because Co...

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FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 1 April)

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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May 26 Corn closed at $4.5775/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1625/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.71/bushel, up $0.1125 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $316.4/short ton, up $1.5 from...

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Market Commentary: Grains Rally on USDA Data, Hopes for End to Middle East Conflict

Except for lean hog futures, the CBOT and CME markets were higher on Tuesday in a combination of bullish factors. The day’s strength started after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump told aides he is willing to end hostilities in the Middle East even if the Strait of Hor...

FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 1 April)

WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “How To”...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.5775/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1625/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.71/bushel, up $0.1125 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $316.4/short ton, up $1.5 from...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Grains Rally on USDA Data, Hopes for End to Middle East Conflict

Except for lean hog futures, the CBOT and CME markets were higher on Tuesday in a combination of bullish factors. The day’s strength started after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump told aides he is willing to end hostilities in the Middle East even if the Strait of Hor...

Lots To Do for Congress When They Return to Washington

Congress is in recess this week ahead of the Easter and Passover holidays, with much yet to do, including ending a partial shutdown and considering the “skinny” farm bill. Congress is scheduled to return on 13 April, though that may change, especially if the Homeland Security fundin...

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From WPI Consulting

Illuminating the value of technical research

On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.

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