News Updates News is a little short this week due mainly to the holidays, but there is still enough going on to make for some interesting reading. STRAITS OF HORMUZ Iran has been threatening to close the straits of Hormuz. As everyone knows, the straits are a main route for oil transport; fewer are aware of its importance as a transit point for grain shipments going to all points on the Arabian Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar. Any action by Iran to close straits will create great difficulty in the region's grain business, especially for all the re-exports of grains and grain products from the UAE countries that are sent throughout Asia and Africa.While it certainly is true that the straits a...
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
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.