While cattle supplies remain tight, broilers are continuing to expand in both numbers and in heavier weights. Pork production is also expected to increase due to fewer losses from Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) and slaughter weights above historic averages. Broiler/Pork Expansion Impact on Beef Cattle supplies remain tight, driving cattle prices faster than retail prices. That is likely to be pressured by seasonal trends, which will keep cattle supplies relatively tighter in the last quarter of 2014 and first half of 2015.More cattle are expected to come to slaughter in the second half of 2015. However, in addition to the price pressure from light supplies of cattle, packers' margins will continue to be squeezed because of reduced...
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.