This week's Export Sales report from USDA offers insight into the grain market's likely price pattern going forward. Based on historic export patterns, U.S. exporters are facing a situation different from last year. Similarly, soybean sales point to changing opportunities for those in the oilseed industry. There appears to be little doubt the USDA will have to increase the corn and soybean export sales estimates in next Thursday's (10 May) WASDE revisions. Export sales to China have continued to pour in over the past few weeks. The table below is an update on China's corn and soybean purchases from the U.S. for the current marketing year. There are two important numbers here:
Even though total old crop soybean sales commitments to Chin...
Key Takeaways: President Trump announced $8 billion in additional agricultural assistance through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, as USDA projects farm fuel and oil expenses will increase 28.8 percent in 2026. The package follows $12 billion in earlier relief, while government farm payments w...
Key Takeaways: A student group from the University of Chicago is protesting to bring back onion futures trading. Trading in onion futures was banned in 1958 following a spectacular bout of market manipulation that resulted in a corner of the physical market. The ban on onion futures led t...
Beef packer margins deteriorated to $141/head last week, down $55 from the prior week as fed cattle prices strengthened while the Choice cutout remained nearly unchanged. The cutout held near $373/cwt while fed cattle prices climbed $4/cwt to $224/cwt, narrowing processor profits. Despite the d...