Note: CBOT and CME ag futures markets will be closed on Monday, 17 February for the U.S. President’s Day holiday. WPI offices will be closed as well. Enjoy the holiday! The CBOT opened on a stronger note with short covering again the feature of the morning. As the day wore on, however two-sided trade developed as traders evened positions ahead of the long weekend. There are conflicting factors that will be in play over the weekend, the favorable (and therefore bearish) weather for Brazil’s and Argentina’s crops versus the Phase One tariff reduction for Chinese purchases of U.S. ag goods. The Chinese purchases could certainly spark a CBOT rally, which is why short positions have been pared back this week. Chin...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
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.