World Perspectives
livestock

Arbitraging Energy

Food prices have increased but not as much as energy costs. The latest CPI data shows food at home increased year-on-year in April by 10.8 percent, and by even more for animal proteins. However, the cost of gasoline has jumped from $2.948/gallon in April 2021 to $4.213/gallon last month. U.S. energy costs are a third less than Japan’s, and only half as much as Germany’s. Energy is about 14 percent of U.S. agricultural production costs and likely a larger share in most countries, though it is substantially less a cost burden in Russia. Because shipping water is expensive and even more so when bunker oil prices are high, countries that produce food and extract its water using lower energy costs are more competitive in global mark...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Waiting for Confirmation or Contradiction

The CBOT was mostly in the red to start the week with the bullishness from Friday’s WASDE report failing to trigger enthusiasm from bulls this week. Corn and soybeans both tried to rally and follow Friday’s bullish action, but quickly triggered farmer/hedge selling and profit taking...

Outlook for the Fed Meeting This Week

The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week with the make-up of the committee still up in the air. Governor Lisa Cook is questionable regarding her attendance after President Trump has sought her to ouster her on mortgage frau...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.2325/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.25/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.4275/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $285.7/short ton, down $2.9...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Waiting for Confirmation or Contradiction

The CBOT was mostly in the red to start the week with the bullishness from Friday’s WASDE report failing to trigger enthusiasm from bulls this week. Corn and soybeans both tried to rally and follow Friday’s bullish action, but quickly triggered farmer/hedge selling and profit taking...

Outlook for the Fed Meeting This Week

The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week with the make-up of the committee still up in the air. Governor Lisa Cook is questionable regarding her attendance after President Trump has sought her to ouster her on mortgage frau...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.2325/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.25/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.4275/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $285.7/short ton, down $2.9...

Chemo-phobia on Steroids

Notably, Congressional Republicans followed the demands of farm groups and added a provision in the latest government funding bill that some say would shield pesticide companies from lawsuits. Companies like Bayer have battled lawsuits for selling pesticides lawfully approved for use by regulat...

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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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