Beef and Beans With a surfeit of cheap soybeans (thanks to Chinese tariffs) coinciding with record cattle on feed inventories and strong domestic/export beef demand, there is an opportunity for some whole bean substitution in feed rations as a supplement for both protein and energy. The inclusion rate is limited to around 5 percent at a maximum because of oil content and other nutritional issues. Based on the latest WASDE, this year’s beef production is projected to total approximately 27.09 billion pounds, which would equate to a maximum fed cattle live weight total of 44.8 billion pounds. This implies an upper limit of 9-10 million bushels for soybean feed use. There is also the possibility that more soymeal may be fed in the form...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
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.