World Perspectives
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Worsening Food Prices

Key agricultural commodity prices have risen sharply over the past two years, some reaching their highest level in a decade (see graph below). Now the UN says that climate change could cause production to fall 30 percent at the same time food demand is forecast to rise by 50 percent. The caution with this prognostication is that it was made by two of the worst professions at forecasting: economists and meteorologists! Nonetheless, any price increases will be further compounded by the policy decisions that are being made.  Restrictions on inputs such as land, fertilizer, water, and biotechnology. Disincentives for fossil energy development. Initiatives such as local/food sovereignty. Prohibiting products from certain geographies (...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Friday’s Ends a Tough Week Except for Soyoil and Dollar

There was a glimmer of hope for bulls on Friday, but it was just a glimmer. Soybeans, meal and HRW closed higher, but the rest of the players fell off the merry-go-round. There was generally lower volume but the trend is clear – there is an over abundance of grain on world markets and U.S...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.255/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3975/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.25/bushel, up $0.025 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $319.2/short ton, up $1.6 from...

Parsing Newly Resumed Macro Data

With the longest government shutdown in history now over, the flow of economic data has resumed.  Two key items of market interest are the September employment report and the August’s trade numbers. But they tell an uncertain story. especially when coupled with the Consumer Price Rep...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Friday’s Ends a Tough Week Except for Soyoil and Dollar

There was a glimmer of hope for bulls on Friday, but it was just a glimmer. Soybeans, meal and HRW closed higher, but the rest of the players fell off the merry-go-round. There was generally lower volume but the trend is clear – there is an over abundance of grain on world markets and U.S...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.255/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3975/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.25/bushel, up $0.025 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $319.2/short ton, up $1.6 from...

Parsing Newly Resumed Macro Data

With the longest government shutdown in history now over, the flow of economic data has resumed.  Two key items of market interest are the September employment report and the August’s trade numbers. But they tell an uncertain story. especially when coupled with the Consumer Price Rep...

livestock

Despite Futures Pullback, Cow-Calf Profits Hit Records

With November and the fall calf run almost over, the U.S. beef industry now has its first truly solid estimates of the realized profitability of many cow-calf operations. Most operations wean and market calves in the fall, starting in September or early October and running through December, whi...

Image
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.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up