The eastern Corn Belt struggled early with cool temperatures and wet conditions that delayed planting progress. May has been drier, though, and parts of the western Corn Belt planted crops quickly. However, those areas have now been impacted by too much rain.The current shift from the super strong El Nino to a La Nina is supposed to result in a hot, dry finish to the growing season across the Corn Belt. The degree of the heat and dryness is dependent on how quickly this change in weather patterns occurs. The faster the change, the greater the potential problem and of course the larger the threat to crop yields.In discussions of weather and long-term weather forecasts, it must be noted that this is all far from certain science. There continu...
What You Need to Know Today: After a period of limited activity, USDA reported a sizeable 613 KMT in soybean export sales, including 330 KMT to China and 283 KMT to unknown destinations, potentially also China. The purchases represent a meaningful pickup in demand and bring China closer to ful...
Key Takeaways: Consumer spending is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the latest retail sales data indicate that spending remains robust despite inflation. In September, total retail and food service sales rose more than 6 percent year-over-year, with food service spending up 7 percent and...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
From WPI Consulting
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.