Politicians try all kinds of ways to benefit special interests, particularly domestic ones. Nationalism and localism are common and tend to distort trade. The concern is that this course ultimately corrodes the international competitiveness of those it favors. Lighthizer Reactions Robert Lighthizer is Donald Trump’s pick to be the next U.S. Trade Representative, an appointment that was met with mixed reviews in the Washington trade community. So-called free traders are aghast, viewing his work on behalf of steel manufacturers as an effort to manage the market or, more derisively, conduct “industrial planning.” As one Japanese headlined blared, “Trump cements protectionist stance with trade rep pick.” Others who worked with him in the 1980...
What You Need to Know Today: Commodities were mostly lower across the board today after yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting hinted at a potential interest rate hike later in 2026. The dollar index reached its highest level in over a year, and a strong dollar makes U.S. agricultural expor...
Tomorrow is the Juneteenth federal holiday, and the USDA, along with the rest of the federal government and the CME, will be closed, so the monthly Cattle on Feed report was released a day early. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity on 1 June amounted...
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.