This seemed to be the week that many wanted to talk about how much more corn and less soybeans farmers will plant in 2019 because of the drop in soybean prices and lack of any resolution to the U.S./China trade issues. Guesses ranged from a swap as little as 2 million acres to one as high as 5-6 million acres. There are several problems with throwing out random acreage guesses this early, though, including the following:
The 2018 corn and soybean harvests are not even finished yet. The 2019 planting season is still six to seven months away. Growing seasons in Argentina and Brazil have barely started. Farmers are making money growing soybeans even at today’s prices because yields have been so good. Planting costs for soybeans ar...
What You Need to Know Today: After a period of limited activity, USDA reported a sizeable 613 KMT in soybean export sales, including 330 KMT to China and 283 KMT to unknown destinations, potentially also China. The purchases represent a meaningful pickup in demand and bring China closer to ful...
Key Takeaways: Consumer spending is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the latest retail sales data indicate that spending remains robust despite inflation. In September, total retail and food service sales rose more than 6 percent year-over-year, with food service spending up 7 percent and...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...