General Comments The decline in corn and soybean weekly crop ratings gave a firm tone to overnight grain and soy trading activity aided by the early EU weather model run. This model appeared to predict the formation of a high pressure ridge over the Midwest during late July that would bring in some hot, dry conditions. Overnight trading volume was moderate.The higher prices carried over to the day session as nervous traders sought to add something for weather risk. Trading volume varied, but at times was quite brisk. Fund buying also supported the rally. The midday Global Forecast System (GFS) weather model came out broadly disagreeing with the morning EU model. The GFS model foresees cooler and wetter conditions for next week wi...
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.