Most crude oil, ethanol and biodiesel rail shipments in the United States originate in the Midwest (PADD 2). While only a relatively small percentage of crude oil is shipped in this manner, the overall volume has increased as domestic production exceeded pipeline takeaway capacity.As previously reported (see Ag Perspectives, 8 April 2016), The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has added data on rail movements of ethanol and biodiesel to its Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) report. The database, going back to January 2010, is now complete. Only data and estimates on net receipts by Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD) were available in the past, but the EIA currently tracks both shipments out and receipts in. PADDs a...
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
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.