Later today USDA is expected to announce that corn planting was about 20 percent completed as of last Sunday, 15 April. If so, that would be a record-early pace. It would suggest that corn planting will be more than 50 percent complete on 1 May, which would also be a record. If this proves to be the case, analysts will become euphoric about the potential for a record-high national average corn yield of say, 165 BPA or even higher. After all, early planted corn crops tend to result in above-average yields.If a record-big corn yield were combined with a historically large planted area, the result would be a humongous 2012 U.S. corn production that would quickly swamp any old crop shortages. Moreover, early planting likely will result in an...
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.