There is no U.S. – China trade agreement until there is one, and yet the mood in the market is blamed on gyrating messages about the negotiations. While Beijing articulates its doubt over an ability to negotiate a Phase Two agreement with President Trump, agriculture should be focused on accomplishment of the Phase One deal. Assuming a Phase One agreement, some advisers are telling the White House that it would be wise to put the trade war on hold, warning China that President Trump will be back for more concessions right after he gets re-elected, thus stabilizing the economy ahead of voters going to the polls next year. Meanwhile, the Brookings Institute’s Jonathon Rauch argues that humans are tribal first and we acquire...
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.