USDA will release its June WASDE and winter wheat production updates at 7:30 a.m. CT tomorrow morning. Few major changes are expected, but the biggest change will be that the markets will be open and trading when the reports are released. The open outcry session will open at 7:20 a.m. to accommodate the report. The computer servers at USDA should be humming as well, since they are involved in electronic trading. We sense a real reluctance by USDA to make any significant changes to the U.S. supply and demand numbers tomorrow. Weather has been far from perfect, but not bad enough to believe that they will lower yield estimates for corn and soybeans. The really important reports, the quarterly stocks and planted acreage estimates, are just t...
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...
From WPI Consulting
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.