General Comments Markets were weak in the overnight session and that weakness followed through until the close at 2:00 p.m. Outside market factors were bearish. The U.S. economic news was weaker than expected with only 80,000 jobs created in June. The market was hoping for a number in excess of 100,000. The unemployment rate held steady at 8.2 percent. Traders were again worrying about the Eurozone debt issues and China growth. The dollar was strong and crude oil was $2 - 3 lower.It was a very big week for prices at the CBOT with major gains in corn, wheat and soybeans. The markets deserved a break and today they finally got one. In addition to weak outside markets, corn and wheat export sales numbers were small...
Key Takeaways: President Trump announced $8 billion in additional agricultural assistance through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, as USDA projects farm fuel and oil expenses will increase 28.8 percent in 2026. The package follows $12 billion in earlier relief, while government farm payments w...
Key Takeaways: A student group from the University of Chicago is protesting to bring back onion futures trading. Trading in onion futures was banned in 1958 following a spectacular bout of market manipulation that resulted in a corner of the physical market. The ban on onion futures led t...
Beef packer margins deteriorated to $141/head last week, down $55 from the prior week as fed cattle prices strengthened while the Choice cutout remained nearly unchanged. The cutout held near $373/cwt while fed cattle prices climbed $4/cwt to $224/cwt, narrowing processor profits. Despite the d...
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.