The year 2019 was difficult for cow-calf producers as a series of unexpected weather events, heavy winter snowstorms that reduced calf survival rates and massive spring flooding, caused challenges for the industry. Following that was weakness in feeder cattle prices through the summer and the sudden market collapse in August due to the Tyson packing plant fire in Kansas. Some of the little good news that producers received was the fall/winter rally in cattle prices that eventually brought value back above pre-August crash levels. In total, however, 2019 handed cow/calf producers their worst financial losses since 2010, with the “average” ranch in Kansas (WPI’s base region for modeling purposes) losing $25/cow unit. ...
What You Need to Know Today: Commodities were mostly lower across the board today after yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting hinted at a potential interest rate hike later in 2026. The dollar index reached its highest level in over a year, and a strong dollar makes U.S. agricultural expor...
Tomorrow is the Juneteenth federal holiday, and the USDA, along with the rest of the federal government and the CME, will be closed, so the monthly Cattle on Feed report was released a day early. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity on 1 June amounted...
From WPI Consulting
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.