World Perspectives

Extreme is Necessary

While most economists and mainstream media outlets are criticizing the Trump tariff war, none are professing that free trade is fair. To quote Bloomberg’s Tyler Cowen, the world trading order is “weighted against the exporting interests of the U.S.” Moreover, it is growing worse. Some argue that a scalpel would have been better than the sledgehammer being used, but the government’s trade policy specialists have tried for year to reconcile foreign trade barriers with only modest success at best. The U.S. president’s goal is to be taken seriously and anything less will only worsen his instincts. This will no doubt mean hard times ahead in agricultural trade. For example, U.S. – EU agrifood trade is lopsided...

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Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.3525/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.5475/bushel, up $0.045 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.3425/bushel, up $0.1275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $324.8/short ton, up $7.4 fr...

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FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 5 November)

WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “How To”...

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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.

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