World Perspectives
livestock

Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview

USDA will release its Cattle on Feed report tomorrow; the pre-report consensus analysts’ estimate is for the inventory of cattle on feed as of 1 September to be 101 percent of last year. August placements and marketing are expected to be 98.5 and 96.5 percent respectively of last year’s totals. There was one less day in August 2024 compared to August 2023.

As always, the range for placement forecasts is the widest. The differing points of view are over the potential effects of weather, since August was drier than normal which would lead to more placements, versus total feeder cattle sales which were down from a year ago implying fewer placements.

Cattle on feed totals and placements start to pick up in August and continue...

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May 26 Corn closed at $4.5375/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1275/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.745/bushel, up $0.0875 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $321.2/short ton, up $0 from...

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Market Commentary: Grains Rally on Weather, Biofuel Demand Prospects

For much of the period since the U.S.–Iran war started, commodity markets have been buoyed by macroeconomic “risk on” buying fueled by the geopolitical risk and crude oil’s rally. Recently, the impact of this risk and crude oil on the ag markets has faded, leaving crop f...

Farm Bill Amendments

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Grains Rally on Weather, Biofuel Demand Prospects

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livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins deteriorated further, falling to -$129/head last week, down $38 from the prior week as a continued seasonal softening in the Choice cutout pressured returns. The cutout declined to $382/cwt, extending its post–Easter pullback, while fed cattle prices held near $248/cwt...

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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.

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