30 days from today, E15 will no longer be marketable for most automobiles and light-duty vehicles. Without an exemption from the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) limits imposed on motor fuel by the Clean Air Act, it cannot be sold during the summer period of 1 June-15 September. RVP is the measurement of evaporation volatility of fuels, a process that causes smog. Summer fuels must have an RVP of 9 pounds per square inch (psi) or less, and E15 exceeds that. The RVP of biofuels blended into gasoline is 10, exceeding the standard by 1 psi. E10 has an exemption, but E15 does not. Last year, however, the EPA allowed E15 to be sold between 1 June and 15 September if labeled as a “flex fuel” to be legally used by flexible fuel vehicles (FFV...
What You Need to Know Today: After a period of limited activity, USDA reported a sizeable 613 KMT in soybean export sales, including 330 KMT to China and 283 KMT to unknown destinations, potentially also China. The purchases represent a meaningful pickup in demand and bring China closer to ful...
Key Takeaways: Consumer spending is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the latest retail sales data indicate that spending remains robust despite inflation. In September, total retail and food service sales rose more than 6 percent year-over-year, with food service spending up 7 percent and...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
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.