The fact that the notable reductions of world stocks estimates in the February WASDE are still not enough to prevent record-large levels seems to underline an important conclusion that is not verbalized very often.Last week’s February WASDE wasn’t necessarily a non-event as some have said. To be sure, it is historically true that there tend to be relatively few big changes in production or demand to be identified in early February due to its position in the crop cycle calendar. Most often, such changes have already been accounted for or are not uncovered until later. Usually, the February WASDE contains some minor adjustments to U.S. and world demand as well as perhaps a few changes in Southern Hemisphere production estimates, and last week...
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.