World Perspectives
livestock

Hog Market’s Bearish Outlook

The world’s largest pork market, China, may be experiencing a more than 50 percent decline in production and yet U.S. hog prices are softening. Part of the problem is that hog slaughter as a percent of packing capacity is well above year-ago levels (see graph below). The ratio of slaughter to packing capacity is running at 89.6 percent, versus 86.6 percent in 2018. As this ratio increases, prices tend to decrease since packers don’t want to buy hogs when their hook space is full.  The increase in slaughter to packing ratio is occurring at the same time there is a seasonal downturn in hog and pork prices. Prices this year began to soften a month or two earlier.  Some analysts this week highlighted how U.S. pork expo...

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farm-inputs

Phosphate and Potash Added to Critical Minerals List

The Department of the Interior has added phosphate and potash, two key fertilizer ingredients, to the official Critical Minerals List. They are part of 60 minerals deemed vital to the U.S. economy and national security, with 10 of those being newly listed, that face potential risks from disrupt...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Pre-Weekend Bounce on a Mixed Week

Outside markets continued their downbeat on Friday but ag futures had a few recoveries from yesterday’s trouncing.  Corn closed lower for the day and the week.  The soy complex closed optimistically for the day but had a mixed week. Winter wheat closed lower on the day and the...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.2725/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.2775/bushel, down $0.0775 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.17/bushel, up $0.095 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $317.1/short ton, up $4.4 f...

farm-inputs

Phosphate and Potash Added to Critical Minerals List

The Department of the Interior has added phosphate and potash, two key fertilizer ingredients, to the official Critical Minerals List. They are part of 60 minerals deemed vital to the U.S. economy and national security, with 10 of those being newly listed, that face potential risks from disrupt...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Pre-Weekend Bounce on a Mixed Week

Outside markets continued their downbeat on Friday but ag futures had a few recoveries from yesterday’s trouncing.  Corn closed lower for the day and the week.  The soy complex closed optimistically for the day but had a mixed week. Winter wheat closed lower on the day and the...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.2725/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.2775/bushel, down $0.0775 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.17/bushel, up $0.095 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $317.1/short ton, up $4.4 f...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

WPI Crop Balance Sheet Forecasts

Ahead of next week’s USDA’s Crop Production and WASDE reports, WPI offers our latest projections for the corn, soybean, and wheat balance sheets. The key findings from this effort are that corn and soybean supplies are set to expand on upward yield revisions. Too, demand for corn an...

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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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