Total farm production expenditures were estimated at $362.8 billion for the year, an 8.8 percent decrease from $397.6 billion in 2014 that was driven by several factors.Farm costs dropped in 2015, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), reversing a long trend toward higher input costs. Total farm production expenditures were estimated at $362.8 billion for the year, an 8.8 percent decrease from $397.6 billion in 2014. The drop was driven by declining machinery and tractor expenditures due to lower sales and reduced fuel expenses based on crude oil and energy prices. Diesel and gasoline were down 24.5 and 25.8 percent, respectively, while LP gas was down 34 percent.The four largest expenditures (feed; livestock, pou...
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
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.