World Perspectives
livestock

Livestock Round Up: Cattle on Feed Preview

Tomorrow USDA will release the monthly Cattle on Feed report. Analysts’ pre-report estimates peg the total number of cattle on feed as of 1 October at 99 percent of a year ago. The range of estimates was between 98 and 100 percent. The implied inventory of cattle on feed would be 11.6 million head.  

Placements in September are forecast at 101 percent of last year. The range of estimates was wide, from 98 percent to 104 percent and showed differing opinions – i.e., both an increase and a decrease over October 2020. If placements are up, that would be the second consecutive month of increased placements year over year, even after the July cattle inventory report (which we covered here) showed the total number of calv...

Related Articles
livestock

Early 2026 Projections of Cow-Calf Finances

Key Takeaways: Despite rising cost pressures — including the recent run-up in fuel and energy costs — U.S. cow-calf producers are facing another year of record-breaking revenues and net returns for 2026. Cost pressures — particularly non-feed variable costs — and drough...

Transportation Perspectives - 23 April

WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Plenty of Risk, Not Enough Conviction

Key Market Insights Markets aren’t trading fundamentals right now—they’re pricing risk. The Middle East remains the center of gravity, and the latest developments point to a situation that is not escalating—but not resolving either. That’s a difficult environment...

livestock

Early 2026 Projections of Cow-Calf Finances

Key Takeaways: Despite rising cost pressures — including the recent run-up in fuel and energy costs — U.S. cow-calf producers are facing another year of record-breaking revenues and net returns for 2026. Cost pressures — particularly non-feed variable costs — and drough...

Transportation Perspectives - 23 April

WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Plenty of Risk, Not Enough Conviction

Key Market Insights Markets aren’t trading fundamentals right now—they’re pricing risk. The Middle East remains the center of gravity, and the latest developments point to a situation that is not escalating—but not resolving either. That’s a difficult environment...

Functional Dysfunction; Out of the Frying Pan

Functional Dysfunction  Europe has contended that Donald Trump’s attempt to address the decades-long harm caused by Iran’s theocratic regime is “not our war.” The Continent is in an expensive energy crisis because of the Iran war, but moral angst is the only respons...

Image
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.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up