Updated 26 March: typo on page 5 corrected. The 2020/21 crop year has been nothing if not interesting and heavy on forecast revisions from every analytical firm. The presence of La Nina in the Pacific Ocean continues to drive abnormal weather patterns in South America that are making yield projections tricky. U.S. markets were surprised by China’s aggressive appetite for corn and soybeans that sparked a demand-led rally at the CBOT and other global markets. The 2021 U.S. acreage outlook features a contrast to recent years: crops competing for acres based on above-average profitability projections. Acres are expected to increase for most commodities, with substantial gains for corn and soybeans. If normal weather patterns and trendli...
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.