World Perspectives
softs

Dairy Trade Expands Despite Hurdles

Concerns about faltering U.S. dairy exports last year have now subsided as growth has returned to the sector. This despite: production growth leveling off as increases in milk per cow do not offset the fall in the number of dairy farms; an 18 percent rise in dairy futures over the past year; and the USDA/Economic Research Service (ERS) trade-weighted exchange rate for dairy products running higher at 113-114 for the past three years.  ERS shows milk and dairy product prices rising in 2024, with just dry whey and butter prices softening in 2025. Cumulatively, U.S. dairy exports have not only kept pace with competitors but have had a slightly higher CAGR over the past decade, resulting in the share of global trade ris...

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livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins fell over $100/head for the second straight week to hit - $151/head, which is among the worst margins in the past decade. The culprit for weaker margins was an $11/cwt pullback in the Choice cutout and other beef values while fed cattle prices were steady/slightly higher. Pa...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Grains and Livestock Take Diverging Paths

Grain and oilseed markets pulled back to start the week after favorable showers fell across the U.S. over the weekend. The moisture revived crop prospects and offered a meaningful buffer ahead of some heat that will build over parts of the Midwest this week. The weather outlook was enough to st...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

WPI Crop Progress and Conditions App (Updated 21 July)

Update for 28 April 2025: Last year, users pointed out differences between the 5-year averages reported in this app and what USDA estimates in its weekly report. The difference exists because WPI calculates average based on the last 5 years of observations for the current week. In cases where o...

livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins fell over $100/head for the second straight week to hit - $151/head, which is among the worst margins in the past decade. The culprit for weaker margins was an $11/cwt pullback in the Choice cutout and other beef values while fed cattle prices were steady/slightly higher. Pa...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Grains and Livestock Take Diverging Paths

Grain and oilseed markets pulled back to start the week after favorable showers fell across the U.S. over the weekend. The moisture revived crop prospects and offered a meaningful buffer ahead of some heat that will build over parts of the Midwest this week. The weather outlook was enough to st...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

WPI Crop Progress and Conditions App (Updated 21 July)

Update for 28 April 2025: Last year, users pointed out differences between the 5-year averages reported in this app and what USDA estimates in its weekly report. The difference exists because WPI calculates average based on the last 5 years of observations for the current week. In cases where o...

Ten Days and Counting

Outside markets are counting on trade deals or another TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) come 1 August. Since the 7 July announcement of the small window to negotiate trade deals with Washington, The Dow is down 0.17 percent, but the S&P 500 is up 1.22 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq has...

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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.

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