The government of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and now the social justice warrior class in the U.S. are framing the impending ban on GMO corn imports as fulfilling their right to food sovereignty. U.S. corn exports to Mexico are around 17 MMT worth about $3.3 billion. Overall agricultural trade between the two countries is growing rapidly, though Mexico sells nearly 60 percent more to the U.S. than it imports from America, which makes the food sovereignty argument specious at best. While 45 percent of Mexico’s corn consumption is imported, 60 percent of American fresh fruit consumption is imported and nearly 40 percent of its fresh vegetables. Importantly for Mexico, more than 88 percent of Mexico...
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.
Key Takeaways: Demand and capacity decide where milk growth lands. Italian cheese is up 4.2 percent in 2026, and milk output is growing fastest in Kansas, South Dakota and Texas, where the new plants are located. Price spreads decide where the marginal milk goes. The Class IV premium over Clas...
Markets are caught between reasons to keep selling and reasons to take another look. Fund liquidation and renewed peace talks are pressuring grains, while fresh export business and some diesel relief offer encouragement. Corn recovered nearly 10 cents from its low to finish higher, while soybea...
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...