This week’s USDA WASDE and production estimates were not quite as bearish as they might have been for the following reasons:
The corn and soybean yield estimates were not changed, but they could be revised in August based on the current excellent crop ratings coupled with a very good-looking weather forecast through the balance of July. Corn and wheat export forecasts were raised slightly, offsetting larger crop forecasts that resulted from increases in the planted acreage estimates.
Where do we go from here? The direction of the soybean market will continue to be a limiting factor on the grains. The most important change was the 250-million-bushel (6.8 MMT) reduction in the soybean export forecast because of the Chinese tariff...
The corn and soy complex closed higher, with the wheat market mixed, as winter wheat closed up but spring wheat and livestock ended lower. Part of the strength for corn and soybeans may have been a weather premium, as crop planting has started out fast but warm weather has been slow to develop...
Real GDP grew at a 2 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2026, slightly below the consensus expectation of 2.3 percent but above the 0.5 percent growth in Q4 2025. The GDP number matches the average annualized pace of growth since the peak back in late 2007, right before the Financial P...
Reflect for a moment on what you eat. There is a lot of advice out there in the ether about what you should eat, but really, what do you currently eat and how much? The good people at the USDA have some data for you, to help you answer that question. USDA says that we eat quite a bit of meat. L...
