General Comments The Fed's FOMC closed its regular two-day October meeting without changing any of its policy initiatives or adding any new ones. This includes leaving its interest rate near zero indefinitely and giving the U.S. economy a monthly dose of QE3 mortgage bond buying in an effort to keep the already historically low interest rates historically low and to pump money into the economy. The Fed noted that the economy is growing moderately but not enough to produce the volume of jobs needed to reduce unemployment. The Fed also noted a slight increase in consumer spending and some signs that the housing sector is improving. However, it pointed to a slowdown in business investment. It said inflation had risen slightly due to energy...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. weather is getting more attention this week as conditions vary greatly across the western, central, and eastern corn belts, with the different regions battling dryness and too much rain simultaneously. The ProFarmer Crop Tour began today in Indiana and Nebrask...
Key Takeaways: Argentina is on pace for a record corn crop and record exports in the current marketing year, with abundant supplies likely to keep the country highly competitive in global export markets. Argentina’s record exportable surplus is allowing it to offer highly competitive pri...
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.