World Perspectives
biofuel farm-inputs energy

Understanding the U.S. Crude Oil Market

The boom in U.S. crude oil production has been a game changer in terms of handling and refining crude oil as well as supply. This is impacting the market as are several other factors.There are many type of crude oil produced around the world with differing quality characteristics. The two most important qualities that define crude oil are density and sulfur content. Density is described as heavy or light and from high to low. Sulfur content is described as sour or sweet and also from high to low. Over the years, U.S. refineries have been built to handle a certain type of oil, much of it imported and heavy. Then came the U.S. oil boom with a lighter and sweeter type than the kind that the U.S. refining capacity (built up over decades with bi...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Volume Gives Way as Bearish Slide Moderates

There was lower volume in the grain pits today, with perhaps some stronger interest in the last few days of holiday shopping. Traders were not buying corn or soybeans for their loved ones today, but maybe a wee bit of HRS, which closed up today and uniquely was higher for the week. There were...

livestock

Cattle on Feed Report: Record Low Placements, Second Lowest Marketings

USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report was released today. Total cattle on feed amounted to 11.7 million head, 98 percent of last year.    Placements were the lowest for the month of November since the series began in 1996, dropping 11 percent on the year due to a tight cattle su...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.4375/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.0975/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.4925/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $297.6/short ton, down $0.8...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Volume Gives Way as Bearish Slide Moderates

There was lower volume in the grain pits today, with perhaps some stronger interest in the last few days of holiday shopping. Traders were not buying corn or soybeans for their loved ones today, but maybe a wee bit of HRS, which closed up today and uniquely was higher for the week. There were...

livestock

Cattle on Feed Report: Record Low Placements, Second Lowest Marketings

USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report was released today. Total cattle on feed amounted to 11.7 million head, 98 percent of last year.    Placements were the lowest for the month of November since the series began in 1996, dropping 11 percent on the year due to a tight cattle su...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.4375/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.0975/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.4925/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $297.6/short ton, down $0.8...

livestock

It’s Official, Cow-Calf Profits Hit Record for 2025

December is upon us and the fall calf run all but ended, the beef industry is finalizing its estimates of 2025 profitability and market performance. For cow-calf producers, the results from all but the last two weeks of the year indicate profits easily hit a record high, even on an inflation-ad...

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From WPI Consulting

Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming

WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.

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