Beef packer margins improved for the fourth straight week and once again added about $100/head in profits. Margins are now around $15/head, still low by post-2010 standards but an absolutely massive improvement from recent losses. The increase in margins comes as beef prices have approached new...
The CBOT was sharply lower to start the holiday-shortened trading week with Friday’s ruling that President Trump’s tariffs may be illegal throwing ag and other markets into confusion. The ruling makes unclear the outlook for negotiating further trade deals – or even continuing...
Update for 28 April 2025: Last year, users pointed out differences between the 5-year averages reported in this app and what USDA estimates in its weekly report. The difference exists because WPI calculates average based on the last 5 years of observations for the current week. In cases where o...
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.