World Perspectives

Input Costs and Planting Intentions

As of early February, U.S. farmers are facing decade high fertilizer prices going into the spring planting season. Moreover, the overall fertilizer price index calculated by Green Markets North America jumped by the highest margin since the first week in September. There have been many factors impacting the market. In addition to increased demand for fertilizers, issues on the supply side, such as natural gas prices, fertilizer production disruptions resulting from Hurricane Ida, supply chain challenges, and transportation problems have helped push up prices. Of course, general inflationary pressures have had an impact as well.   Another key factor, however, is tariffs and sanctions. Potash is affected by Western sanctions on...

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Summary of Futures

Sep 25 Corn closed at $4.0925/bushel, down $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Sep 25 Wheat closed at $5.3825/bushel, down $0.025 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.27/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Aug 25 Soymeal closed at $275.8/short ton, up $0.2...

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From WPI Consulting

Illuminating the value of technical research

On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.

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