World Perspectives
feed-grains soy-oilseeds

U.S. Trade Policies and Agriculture

During the 2016 presidential campaign, candidate Donald Trump often complained about the large and growing U.S. trade deficit with China. It was, he asserted, clear proof that the U.S. was being taken for a ride by one of its most important trading partners. Since his surprising election victory, President Trump’s trade policies seem to revolve around the assumption that trade deficits are bad by definition and that his administration should do everything possible to eliminate them with every country that trades with the U.S. The largest U.S. trade deficit is with China, which the U.S. Census Bureau indicates was a huge $344 billion in 2017 or almost four times larger than the value of U.S. exports to that country. China counts the de...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.74/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.705/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.7/short ton, up $1.8 from...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Middle East, Mediterranean, and Africa Regional Analysis

Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Africa – MEA Region Turkey’s flour exports in 2025, at 2.36 MMT, were back up close to 2019 levels but well below the five-year average of close to 3.0 MMT. Exports were low due to drought and Turkey’s export restrictions. Shipments of fl...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

European Market Analysis

Regional News  The latest crop update from the EU Commission’s MARS crop monitoring division reported “broadly satisfactory” conditions across much of the bloc through February. Persistent frost in parts of northern and eastern Europe is a concern for the winter crops, pa...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.74/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.705/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.7/short ton, up $1.8 from...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Middle East, Mediterranean, and Africa Regional Analysis

Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Africa – MEA Region Turkey’s flour exports in 2025, at 2.36 MMT, were back up close to 2019 levels but well below the five-year average of close to 3.0 MMT. Exports were low due to drought and Turkey’s export restrictions. Shipments of fl...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

European Market Analysis

Regional News  The latest crop update from the EU Commission’s MARS crop monitoring division reported “broadly satisfactory” conditions across much of the bloc through February. Persistent frost in parts of northern and eastern Europe is a concern for the winter crops, pa...

livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins improved sharply last week but remained deeply negative, with estimated net losses narrowing to -$206/head from the prior week’s extreme levels. The recovery was driven by a stronger boxed beef cutout, which rose to $371.62/cwt, while fed cattle prices moved lower on t...

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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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