Every election year has an October surprise; President Trump, as has been well publicized by the media, tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. Outside markets all opened down on the news. A few things we know: the President (and the First Lady) tested positive, Vice President Pence tested negative. Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden tested negative after sharing the debate stage with Trump on Tuesday according to a statement by his personal physician. So far, other heads of state with positive COVID tests include Boris Johnson, UK’s prime minister, Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s President, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Jeanine Anez, President of Bolivia, Juan Hernandez, President of Honduras, Nuno Nabi...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
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.