The perfect bearish storm took better shape today following a very wet weekend across much of the U.S. The rains have set aside the dryness/drought talk for now and should allow good planting progress under very good planting conditions. The rains did not solve all of the dry problems, but it certainly did quell fears that it couldn't rain. Extended forecasts also look OK for now. We tend to forget that it is still only the middle of April. The market's reaction was to post sharp losses across the entire soybean complex and in the new crop corn futures. Early plantings coupled with an improved soil moisture outlook have (again) renewed the predictions of big yields. There were also no fresh export sales announcements today, and the normal...
Key Takeaways: President Trump announced $8 billion in additional agricultural assistance through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, as USDA projects farm fuel and oil expenses will increase 28.8 percent in 2026. The package follows $12 billion in earlier relief, while government farm payments w...
Key Takeaways: A student group from the University of Chicago is protesting to bring back onion futures trading. Trading in onion futures was banned in 1958 following a spectacular bout of market manipulation that resulted in a corner of the physical market. The ban on onion futures led t...
Beef packer margins deteriorated to $141/head last week, down $55 from the prior week as fed cattle prices strengthened while the Choice cutout remained nearly unchanged. The cutout held near $373/cwt while fed cattle prices climbed $4/cwt to $224/cwt, narrowing processor profits. Despite the d...
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.