World Perspectives
feed-grains softs

Healthcare as a Paradigm for Food

The debate in Congress last year over Obamacare and in the GOP primary this year over Romneycare, and the Supreme Court's consideration of the federal healthcare law can provide an interesting debate for food and agricultural policy. Right now Congress is trying to draft a farm bill, which includes food and nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). When it comes to SNAP, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) has said that the social safety net is at risk of becoming a "hammock." And that is one of the arguments against the new federal healthcare law. Indeed, one of tenets in the Supreme Court oral arguments on the healthcare law is whether healthcare is so important and unique...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Mostly a Low Volume, Higher Close Day

It was the lowest trading volume day of the week for grains and soybeans. It started with soyoil the only major contract trading lower, but by mid-session it had been joined by old crop corn. New crop corn joined all three wheats and soybeans with a higher close. Hogs opened lower but then reve...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 25 Corn closed at $4.69/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.43/bushel, up $0.12 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soybeans closed at $10.58/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $296.9/short ton, up $2.6 from ye...

softs

Cocoa Market Outlook: Prices Set to Cool as Production Increases

The outlook for the last half of the 2024/25 cocoa market is dominated by generally favorable weather and upward revisions to production estimates. Demand remains a major focal point as well with the U.S. tariffs and recession risk likely to upend consumption in the world’s second biggest...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Mostly a Low Volume, Higher Close Day

It was the lowest trading volume day of the week for grains and soybeans. It started with soyoil the only major contract trading lower, but by mid-session it had been joined by old crop corn. New crop corn joined all three wheats and soybeans with a higher close. Hogs opened lower but then reve...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 25 Corn closed at $4.69/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.43/bushel, up $0.12 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soybeans closed at $10.58/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $296.9/short ton, up $2.6 from ye...

softs

Cocoa Market Outlook: Prices Set to Cool as Production Increases

The outlook for the last half of the 2024/25 cocoa market is dominated by generally favorable weather and upward revisions to production estimates. Demand remains a major focal point as well with the U.S. tariffs and recession risk likely to upend consumption in the world’s second biggest...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Export Sales

Export Sales and Shipments for April 18-24, 2025. Wheat: Net sales of 72,000 metric tons (MT) for 2024/2025 were down noticeably from the previous week and down 24 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 491,700 MT were up 3 percent from the previous week and 9 percent from t...

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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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