Market Commentary: USDA Slashes Wheat Outlook, Soy Balance Sheet Heavily Yield-Dependent
What You Need to Know Today: Iran says its definition of the Strait of Hormuz is now a “vast operation area” that stretches from Jask to Siri Island. The White House said President Trump did not sign a suspension of the TRQs on beef imports but is “finalizing potential...
AP Quant: WASDE Wheat
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Soybeans
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Corn
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.79/bushel, up $0.45 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2675/bushel, up $0.1375 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $328.4/short ton, up $3.6 from yes...
U.S. to Temporarily Suspend TRQs on Over-Quota Tariffs on Beef
The Trump Administration is planning a suspension of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) on beef from all exporters for 200 days as a means to address high beef prices in the U.S. U.S. cattle and beef prices have increased based on exceptionally strong consumer demand, the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 75...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated to -$208/head last week, down $24 from the prior week as higher fed cattle prices continued to outpace wholesale beef values. The Choice cutout held near $389/cwt, but fed cattle prices climbed to nearly $259/cwt, extending the seasonal squeeze on packer spreads...
Market Commentary: Risks Abound During Headline Week
What You Need to Know Today: Energy markets are sharply higher after President Trump rejected a weekend Iranian counter proposal that did not include limits on the country’s nuclear program. The ceasefire looks increasingly fragile, with energy markets unlikely to return to normal soon...
Policy Potpourri
Tax Policy Teed Up The debate over taxes on billionaires is heating up a larger fight over tax policy for the next U.S. Congress. This is good news because a fight solely over whether the wealthy are evil overlooks many larger issues plaguing the system. The journalist Josh Barro says that ever...
DOJ USDA Give Update on Antitrust Investigation into Beef Packing
At a joint press conference last week between the Department of Justice and USDA, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that he and Rollins were present to “... talk about our progress here at the Justice Department to hold meat packers accountable.” The structure of the beef...
WPI Crop Progress and Conditions App (Updated 11 May)
Update for 6 April 2025: Last year, users pointed out differences between the 5-year averages reported in this app and what USDA estimates in its weekly report. The difference exists because WPI calculates average based on the last 5 years of observations for the current week. In cases where ob...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7525/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.34/bushel, up $0.15 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.13/bushel, up $0.05 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $324.8/short ton, up $5.1 from yester...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds adding to net long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the third straight week as weather concerns sustained risk-on buying. Funds added 97,000 contracts (9.8 percent) to their all-ags net long position last week, essentially reversing the...
Market Commentary: Equities Easily Outperform Ags
What You Need to Know Today Ag markets have placed bets on new soybean demand from China after next week’s Xi-Trump meeting. While the media predicts no major deals or agreements, Beijing sees Trump as transactional so it will “buy” some stability, and soybeans are relatively...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7125/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.19/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.08/bushel, up $0.1575 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $319.7/short ton, up $0.8 from...
Solid Jobs Report, but the Devil is in the Details
Nonfarm payrolls rose 115,000 in April, beating the consensus expectation for a gain of 65,000. Payroll gains for February and March were revised down by a combined 16,000, resulting in a net gain of 99,000, including revisions. The largest increases in April were health care and social a...
Al Gore and the Unidentified Opportunity Costs
Twenty years ago, An Inconvenient Truth helped bring climate risk into the public foreground. Al Gore’s film and book contributed to a transformation in how climate change was understood, moving it from a largely scientific discussion into a broad political and cultural movement. Its infl...
Market Commentary: Prices Slide on a Hiatus in the Market
What You Need to Know Today Agricultural futures spent a third straight session mostly lower after partially recovering from morning lows. The war in Iran continues to drive energy markets with spillover into ags. After two days lower, crude oil turned higher after Iran demanded unlikely...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.675/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1225/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.9225/bushel, down $0.025 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $318.9/short ton, up $1.6 f...
Livestock Round Up: Summer Grilling Season and Exports
It is now May, the kick-off of the retail meat demand surge, and a shift in the types of products. There are a variety of events that result in a notable spike in spending. First, just passed, is Cinco de Mayo, on 5 May, in which shoppers seek out such items as taco fixings and ready-to-heat me...
Transportation Perspectives - 7 May
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscribe o...
Market Commentary: War Premium Out. Weather Premium Next?
Key Market Insights Macros: Macro markets traded a sharp shift in tone Wednesday as traders aggressively pulled risk premium from the market on growing optimism surrounding a possible U.S.–Iran agreement. Crude oil briefly traded back below $89/barrel while the NASDAQ and S&P 500 push...
Dressed Carcass Politicians
Gutless politicians are an unsurprising feature, but are nonetheless disappointing. Their constituents often do not care why beef prices are high; they just want them lowered. And if there is no easy solution, then the politician’s goal is to deflect the criticism toward anyone else, whet...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated to -$184/head last week, down $84 from the prior week as sharply higher fed cattle prices outpaced a modest rebound in the Choice cutout. The cutout firmed to $388/cwt, but fed cattle prices surged to nearly $255/cwt, continuing to compress packer spreads despit...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.685/bushel, down $0.115 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1725/bushel, down $0.105 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.9475/bushel, down $0.1675 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $317.3/short ton, down $...
FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 6 May)
WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “...
Market Commentary: Grains Ease on Profit Taking but Bullish Fundamentals Remain
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. naval escorts through the Strait of Hormuz and renewed Iranian attacks on vessels and UAE infrastructure are sustaining geopolitical risk across energy and commodity markets Broad profit taking and weaker crude oil triggered a pullback across grains, signaling...
House MAHA Hearing on State Laws in Energy and Commerce Committee
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on legislative proposals concerning food regulation and oversight. The hearing was focused on a wide range of bills, in keeping with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda, ranging from anti–plant-based dairy produc...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.2775/bushel, down $0.1325 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.115/bushel, down $0.1125 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $320.4/short ton, down $0...
Market Commentary: Weather and Biofuels Drive CBOT Strength as Geopolitical Risk Builds
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. launches naval escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran attacks UAE oil infrastructure, escalating geopolitical risk and supporting energy and broader commodity markets Biofuel demand entering uncharted territory, with soyoil valuation increasingly di...
Ag and Trade Paradigm Shifts
The Middle East is said to be undergoing a transformation as economic priorities transcend security concerns. This is evidenced by diversification away from oil and the UAE’s departure from OPEC. Meanwhile, the Palestine issue has been deprioritized, and Iran has emerged as more destabili...
E15 Plans: House Vote and Addition to Farm Bill Package for Senate
All eyes are shifting to the Senate following the House passage of a farm bill last Thursday. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) is targeting the end of May or early June for a bill markup. According to Boozman, the House “going ahead and passing something was re...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8575/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.41/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2275/bushel, up $0.195 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $320.9/short ton, up $1.6 from...
Market Commentary: Mixed End to a Higher Week
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...
GDP at Modest 2 Percent Growth
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...
Per Capita, What Do You Eat?
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...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8025/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.3775/bushel, up $0.01 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0325/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $319.3/short ton, up $0.4 from...
U.S. and Global Soy Crush Forecasts
WPI recently completed an expansion of our methodology for estimating and forecasting U.S. and global soybean crushing margins. The new approach incorporates the energy market’s expanding influence on the oilseed sector and the structural changes in global biofuel demand. This report is i...
Market Commentary: Inflation Climbs, Crude Hesitates, Grains Reset
Key Market Insights Macros: Inflation isn’t cooling — it’s moving higher again. March PCE inflation (Personal Consumption Expenditures index — the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation) rose 0.7 percent month-over-month, pushing the annual rate to 3.5 percent, the h...
Livestock Round Up: Farm Bill Includes Prop 12 Fix
An amendment to the U.S. House farm bill, aiming to remove the Save Our Bacon Act language in Section 12006 that would have stripped language to prohibit California’s Proposition 12, Massachusetts’ Question 3, and up to 500 state agricultural laws across the country, was blocked by...
Transportation Perspectives - 30 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7475/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.3675/bushel, down $0.1625 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.955/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $318.9/short ton, down $4...
Market Commentary: Biofuel Demand and Weather Risks Support Ag Markets Despite Fed Pause
What Matters Today... Fed holds rates steady as inflation uncertainty tied to the Iran conflict pressures equities and supports broader commodity risk premia Biofuel demand accelerating globally, with U.S. imports of used cooking oil and strong soyoil demand reinforcing upside across the soy c...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7775/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.53/bushel, down $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.97/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $323.8/short ton, down $3.6 f...
Market Commentary: Wheat, Corn Score New Highs on Weather, Fund Buying
Weather concerns and the impacts of the war in Iran helped push wheat and corn to sharp gains Tuesday, with both markets blowing past key technical resistance levels. The weather is now coupled with geopolitical tensions that look increasingly hard to resolve, which is giving funds the perfect...
House Ag Appropriations Bill: Moving to Full Committee This Week
Congress is moving forward with its FY 2027 spending bills, while also still working to address FY 2026 funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is still in a shutdown. The House Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee marked up and passed its FY 2027 bill. The House bill prov...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.755/bushel, up $0.0625 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.5775/bushel, up $0.28 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.8925/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $327.4/short ton, down $0.4...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved to -$100/head last week, up $28 from the prior week as the Choice cutout stabilized following its brief post-Easter decline while fed cattle prices eased modestly. The cutout firmed to $384/cwt, while fed cattle prices slipped to $246/cwt, allowing packer margins to...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds adding to net long position across the major ag futures contracts after a two week break as deteriorating negotiations in the Middle East and the emergence of weather concerns triggered risk-on buying. Funds bought 40,000 contracts (4.7 percent) to their...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.6925/bushel, up $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.2975/bushel, up $0.13 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.92/bushel, up $0.135 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $327.8/short ton, up $8.7 from y...
Market Commentary: Grain Markets’ Two Key Factors Increasingly Bullish
The big picture for commodity markets is that imperfect weather and the lack of a peace deal in the Middle East are mandating that traders keep risk premia in prices. All other developments in ag futures stem in some way from these two factors, though the details of how, exactly, these factors...
Farm Bill on Thursday
The House will vote on the farm bill this Thursday. This afternoon, the House Rules Committee is meeting to consider the rule for the House’s consideration of the farm bill, specifically determining which amendments can and cannot be offered. There are a number of controversial amendments...
Anxiousness and Petulance; Calling a Spade; Trade Talk Environment; MAHAHA Farm Bill
Anxiousness and Petulance The U.S. war with Iran has come down to endurance. Washington sees Iran getting squeezed as the blockade eventually causes Iran’s whole oil system to back up and be forced into shutdown. It is estimated that Kharg Island’s storage will be capped out in 12&n...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.635/bushel, down $0.0025 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1675/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.785/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $319.1/short ton, up $2.6...
Market Commentary: Mixed Week and a Mixed Outlook
This is the limbo period between the expectations and reality of a new crop going into the ground. Prices gyrate in a narrow range, awaiting something more definitive than planting “intentions.” The bears see a planting pace off to a quick start, the bulls see ground that in many pl...
Kevin Warsh’s Confirmation Hearings and Policy Directions
Kevin Warsh, formerly a member of the Federal Reserve Board, has been nominated by President Trump to be the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Trump has long been critical of current Chair Jerome Powell, even opening a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the handling of cost overruns...
E15: What Does It Mean?
Previous administrations—including that of President Donald Trump—have promoted domestic consumption of corn and soybeans through expanded biofuel mandates and subsidies. The original framework for this policy was the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which required the...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.555/bushel, up $0.0125 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.2025/bushel, up $0.1325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5975/bushel, down $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $316.5/short ton, up $0.2...
Market Commentary: War Sustains Wheat; Corn Up Fifth Day
The Middle East truce is a rough one and the uncertainty spiked oil prices and the dollar again for another day. The wheat market has droughty conditions in the U.S., but globally there is pressure on a crop that gets both its fertilizer and a chunk of its demand from this volatile region. ...
Rotisserie Chicken Proposed to be Allowed Under SNAP
Senators Jim Justice (D-West Virginia), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) introduced the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase hot rotisserie...
Early 2026 Projections of Cow-Calf Finances
Key Takeaways: Despite rising cost pressures — including the recent run-up in fuel and energy costs — U.S. cow-calf producers are facing another year of record-breaking revenues and net returns for 2026. Cost pressures — particularly non-feed variable costs — and drough...
Transportation Perspectives - 23 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Market Commentary: Plenty of Risk, Not Enough Conviction
Key Market Insights Markets aren’t trading fundamentals right now—they’re pricing risk. The Middle East remains the center of gravity, and the latest developments point to a situation that is not escalating—but not resolving either. That’s a difficult environment...
Functional Dysfunction; Out of the Frying Pan
Functional Dysfunction Europe has contended that Donald Trump’s attempt to address the decades-long harm caused by Iran’s theocratic regime is “not our war.” The Continent is in an expensive energy crisis because of the Iran war, but moral angst is the only respons...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5425/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.07/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.645/bushel, down $0.1 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $316.3/short ton, down $4.9 fr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5375/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1275/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.745/bushel, up $0.0875 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $321.2/short ton, up $0 from...
Market Commentary: Grains Rally on Weather, Biofuel Demand Prospects
For much of the period since the U.S.–Iran war started, commodity markets have been buoyed by macroeconomic “risk on” buying fueled by the geopolitical risk and crude oil’s rally. Recently, the impact of this risk and crude oil on the ag markets has faded, leaving crop f...
Farm Bill Amendments
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania) has been working with Republican leadership to build momentum for a farm bill floor vote, likely expected the week of 27 April, but that depends on other must-pass legislative priorities. The House Rules Committee meets...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated further, falling to -$129/head last week, down $38 from the prior week as a continued seasonal softening in the Choice cutout pressured returns. The cutout declined to $382/cwt, extending its post–Easter pullback, while fed cattle prices held near $248/cwt...
Market Commentary: SOH Confusion Persists, but Ags Focus on Weather, Exports
The situation in the Persian Gulf remains as volatile as ever since it started on 28 February with a supposed weekend peace agreement dissolving into the U.S. Navy firing upon an Iranian vessel. The vessel was trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and reportedly did not heed commands to h...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.52/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.06/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6575/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $321.2/short ton, down $6 from...
Aid versus Trade; Idealism versus Competition; AI and Ag; Untethered Presidency
Aid versus Trade Development assistance has a long and unsatisfying history. The causes of poverty were long ago identified as poor governance and the lack of rule of law. But the UN could not criticize the national leaders that form its membership, and so for decades development assistance has...
Iran Peace Talks on Again, Off Again: Impacting Fertilizer
President Trump and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on social media Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels. Araghchi’s post said the strait will stay open for the remainder of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. President Trump said, “the Str...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds paring back their net long position across the major ag futures contracts for the second straight week as signs of hope in the Middle East triggered an exit of geological “risk on” trades from commodity markets. Funds sold 40,000 contracts (4...
Cattle on Feed - April 1 2026
U.S. cattle on feed totaled 11.6 million head on April 1, 2026, 1 percent below April 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.71 million head, 7 percent below 2025. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.63 million head, 6 percent below 2025. Other disa...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4875/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9125/bushel, down $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6725/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $331.8/short ton, down $0...
Market Commentary: Rebound for Corn, Beans on Iran News; Wheat Declines
New variables specifically in the agricultural markets were light today, but the Iran war news hit some markets like a tsunami. The war and Iran’s chokehold on global oil supplies have subjugated economies for nearly seven weeks with outsized petrol prices. Everything became distorted aro...
Cattle on Feed Report: Neutral
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more of capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 99 percent of last year. The steer and steer calf inventory was down slightly from a year ago at 7.256 million head,...
Market Commentary: More Wheat Weather Premium, but Weakness Elsewhere
There was generally modest volume today, with the exception of wheat, which was also uniquely higher on the day. New highs for the calendar year were printed in HRW as the fledgling crop is about to have the double-whammy of freezing temperatures added to drought as the welcoming committee for...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for 1 April will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 99.3 percent of last year. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.6 million head. The big line item to watch agai...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.485/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6375/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $332.7/short ton, down $1...
Transportation Perspectives - 16 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5125/bushel, up $0.0825 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9375/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.67/bushel, up $0.09 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $334.4/short ton, up $4.7 from...
Market Commentary: Markets Discount Risk as Grains Quietly Hold Ground
Key Market Developments Macros & Energy: Outside markets continue to trade in a tug-of-war between escalation and de-escalation — and crude oil is right at the center of it. Overnight, crude pulled back toward $87 as headlines pointed to a potential resumption of peace negotiat...
War Impacts; Taxes and Tariffs
War Impacts May soybeans are now within a penny of their value two weeks ago, and May corn is back up to within half a percent of its price at that time. The S&P closed above 7,000 for the first time, and the Nasdaq hit a record high. The cost of gasoline is about 15 percent higher th...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.43/bushel, up $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.92/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.58/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $329.7/short ton, down $2.2 fro...
Market Commentary: Wheat Rallies on Falling Conditions; Cattle Surge to New Records
The CBOT received several pieces of key fundamental information on Tuesday, including updated production figures from CONAB, the results of the USDA’s Monday Crop Progress report, and fresh export sales of corn to Mexico. The result was that wheat popped higher on growing concerns for yie...
Congress Coming Back to Busy Agenda
The House and Senate are returning from their two-week Easter recess period with a busy agenda ahead. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has now hit the two-month mark, a plan is emerging to use reconciliation to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs a...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated further last week to -$85/head, down from -$17/head the prior week, as continued strength in fed cattle prices again outpaced weakening boxed beef values. The Choice cutout declined $5.14/cwt to $386.41/cwt, while fed cattle prices rose $3.78/cwt to $388.36/cwt,...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4025/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8225/bushel, up $0.1125 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6225/bushel, down $0.135 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $331.9/short ton, up $0...
Market Commentary: Political Tail Still Wagging the Market Dog
Politics are once again the tail wagging the dog in commodity markets. U.S. negotiations with Iran fell apart (again) over the weekend after Iran refused to agree to a permanent end of its nuclear weapons program. Rather than a return to the recent status quo, however, markets are adjusting to...
War Impacts
Commodity markets were mixed today, while Wall Street traded higher after President Trump said the Iranians still want to negotiate after he closed the Strait of Hormuz. The result is baffling to some, but the market reflects investor expectations about future corporate earnings and growth rath...
JBS Strike Settled, Beef Sector Still Under Inflationary Pressure
JBS USA announced on Sunday that it has reached a new collective bargaining agreement with UFCW Local 7, allowing the Greeley beef production facility to return to normal operations. The plant had been on strike since 16 March, with approximately 3,800 workers affected. The plant has the capaci...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds paring back their net long position across the major ag futures contracts, ending a ten-week streak of net buying. Funds sold 62,000 contracts (6.4 percent) to their all-ags net long position last week with selling in corn, soybeans, and CBOT wheat respon...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.41/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.71/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7575/bushel, up $0.105 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $331.8/short ton, up $14.2 from...
Transportation Perspectives - 10 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscribe online after this date to...
Market Commentary: Conflicting Factors Equals Mixed Day
There are so many conflicting narratives between war and peace, rain and drought, hopes and fears, that it was a mixed day of trading on Friday, and a mixed outcome for the week. For today, corn suffered its sixth lower day in the past seven trading sessions. There was high volume in soyb...
Inflation Ramps Up on Energy and Food Away from Home
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the March Consumer Price Index (CPI) today, showing that it rose 0.9 percent, seasonally adjusted, month over month, after being up 0.3 percent in February, and rose 3.3 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. Energy was the...
Wheat’s Fall from Grace
Buried in the many mountains of USDA data last week was the March 2026 Prospective Plantings report. There you will find one specific figure among the many that was a record: USDA’s lowest ever prospective plantings estimate for wheat. It was not a surprise. U.S. wheat plantings and harve...
Transportation Perspectives - 9 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.44/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.745/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6525/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $317.6/short ton, up $3.5...
Market Commentary: Fundamentals Replace War Trading
Geopolitics has proven that it beats weather as a volatility driver, but agricultural markets and financials returned to fundamentals today. The truce/non-truce/truce had its influences, with the soy sector following oil higher, but wheat traded down on stocks reports while corn buyers’ e...
Livestock Round Up: Red Meat Production Down, Broilers Up
USDA released the April WASDE today with new 2026 meat production forecasts, changed from the March release. Beef is now projected at 25.79 billion pounds, down 20 million from March, mostly on lower first-half steer and heifer slaughter. Higher cow slaughter will partially offset the reduced...
Quick Hits: Ethanol and Biodiesel Margins Update
Ethanol Ethanol production margins continue to experience a counter-seasonal surge, with the energy market rally driving the bulk of the move. Prior to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, U.S. ethanol margins were already trending above year-ago levels by $0.10-0.20/gallon...
Market Commentary: Energies Collapse on Ceasefire News but Grains Reclaim Early Losses
Once again, Trump, Iran, and the Middle East were the hub around which the CBOT trade revolved on Wednesday. Late Tuesday, the U.S. agreed to a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran, just days after President Trump threatened to escalate attacks against the Middle Eastern country. In the annou...
Policy Deference; Reasserting Article I; Two-Tailed Dog; EU Imports; WTO Skepticism
Policy Deference The bilateral trade balance is a narrow way to look at the relative relationship between two countries. The government of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is seeking to ignore its own regulations that guide the application of the General Law on Adequate and Sustainable...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4725/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8025/bushel, down $0.1775 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.62/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.1/short ton, up $2.3...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.49/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.98/bushel, up $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5825/bushel, down $0.085 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $311.8/short ton, down $4.8 fr...
Market Commentary: Risk is Priced In — But Not Yet Believed
Key Market Developments Macro/Geopolitics: Markets are staring down a deadline tonight as President Donald Trump pushes Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8:00 PM Eastern. So far, Iran has rejected the U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal — reportedly delivered through Pakistan &mdash...
Sugar Supply and Demand Situation
Mexico’s 2025/26 sugar production is estimated to be 5.024 million MT, reflecting about a 6 percent increase from 4.7 million MT after the past two years of weather-affected output, including both persistent drought and ill-timed rains. Nonetheless, production remains near the low end com...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins reversed sharply to -$17/head from $120/head the prior week, as rising fed cattle prices more than offset a modest decline in the Choice cutout. Fed cattle prices increased $12.92/cwt from the prior week while the cutout slipped $3.24/cwt, compressing gross margins and pushi...
Market Commentary: The Long-Run Draws Near
The CBOT markets were surprisingly insulated from a jump in crude oil that started the week. Crude oil futures rallied to $115/brl - their highest levels since the earliest days of the U.S.-Iran war - on rhetoric from the White House that signaled an escalation in the conflict. While the oil he...
Farmland Consolidation
Under the theory of economies of scale, the size of farms, like that of all industries, should increase over time due to improvements in productivity. Farmers themselves understand that the more land they farm, the greater their output and, thus, the larger their potential incomes. Government p...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.54/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9525/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6675/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $316.6/short ton, up $1.4 fro...
The President’s 2027 Budget Proposal
President Trump unveiled his FY2027 budget proposal on Friday. The President’s budget, which is largely for positioning purposes, poses a starting point for Congressional budget deliberations and proposes a 19 percent cut to the USDA and a massive 42 percent boost to Pentagon spending. Th...
Transportation Perspectives - 2 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Market Commentary: War and Easter Exit Strategy
There were a lot of moving parts on the last trading day of the holiday-shortened week, but liquidation and profit-taking may have been the strongest. A prolonged war and higher energy prices will impact consumption and inflation, while supporting biofuels. Storm systems may reduce some of the...
Good Friday
Tomorrow, 2 April, is a holiday for the CBOT/CME markets in observance of Good Friday. Please note that our office will also be closed. The next Ag Perspectives will be published Monday, 6 April. ...
Poultry Production Rebounds on Heavier Weights
Through the week ending 21 March, U.S. broiler production remains well above year-ago levels, with total headcount surpassing 2.04 billion, a 3.63 percent increase compared to 2025. While overall supply levels continue to expand, the distribution across weight classes further highlights a prono...
Transportation Perspectives - 2 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscribe online after this date to...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5225/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9825/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $315.2/short ton, down $3 fr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5425/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.975/bushel, down $0.1875 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.685/bushel, down $0.025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $318.2/short ton, up $1.8...
Market Commentary: Plenty of Information — No Clear Direction
Key Market Developments Macro: Tension Without Direction Markets are trading the tension between escalation and resolution — and neither side has control. Both equities and commodities tested key technical levels this week before reversing sharply on headlines suggesting — at least...
AI Disaster; Fringe Opinions; NTE 40th Update
AI Disaster Opponents of artificial intelligence, like Senator Bernie Sanders (S-Vermont), warn that the technology risks the end of the human race. So-called AI “doomers” are campaigning to stall advancements out of precaution, mostly fearing adverse impacts on the labor force. The...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5775/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1625/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.71/bushel, up $0.1125 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $316.4/short ton, up $1.5 from...
Market Commentary: Grains Rally on USDA Data, Hopes for End to Middle East Conflict
Except for lean hog futures, the CBOT and CME markets were higher on Tuesday in a combination of bullish factors. The day’s strength started after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump told aides he is willing to end hostilities in the Middle East even if the Strait of Hor...
Lots To Do for Congress When They Return to Washington
Congress is in recess this week ahead of the Easter and Passover holidays, with much yet to do, including ending a partial shutdown and considering the “skinny” farm bill. Congress is scheduled to return on 13 April, though that may change, especially if the Homeland Security fundin...
March Grain Stocks Summary
The attached PDF offers graphical depiction and analysis of the latest USDA Grain Stocks data for key commodities. The data is, of course, taken from the quarterly Grain Stocks report. WPI recently completed an expansion of the analysis and welcomes any feedback/suggestions. ...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins eased slightly to $119/head, declining $7/head week over week as a modest softening in the cutout combined with a small increase in live cattle prices compressed margins. Despite the weekly pullback, margins remain sharply improved on a monthly basis (+$233/head), supported...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5575/bushel, down $0.0625 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.07/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5975/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.9/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: CBOT Cautious Ahead of Acreage, Stocks Reports
The CBOT took a bit of a breather on Monday as traders waited for the upcoming Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports, which the USDA will issue Tuesday at midday. Traders were reluctant to expand risk too much ahead of these two reports, which often change market direction and tone for...
Forlorn or Failure; Fertile or Futile; AI Impacts; Dirty Dozen Disinformation
Forlorn or Failure The spin from the WTO on the organization’s recent MC14 meetings was that a lot of decisions were adopted, progress was made, and while the event “ran out of time,” new commitments on outstanding issues can still be made in Geneva. Director-General Ngozi Oko...
Prospective Planting and Quarterly Stocks Reports Preview
The 2026 USDA Prospective Plantings Report is scheduled for release tomorrow. The report surveys farmer planting intentions for major crops, including corn, soybeans, and wheat. It also asks about 2025 planted and prevent-plant acres. This report gives the first real snapshot of what planted ac...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the tenth straight week. Funds added 67,000 contracts (7.7 percent) to their all-ags net long position – nearly doubling the prior week’s purchases - with buying in corn and so...
Market Commentary: Expected Biofuel Announcement Cannot Dislodge War Worries
Thursday marked the worst day for stocks in weeks despite word on the street to “buy,” since valuations have once again become attractive. But apparently not yet. History suggests a rebound with President Trump politically compelled to dream up some form of policy stimulus on top of...
Downside Risk for Wheat into 2026/27
The current rally in wheat futures is widely known to be driven by fund buying in response to the conflict in the Middle East. Part of the price gains has also been motivated by concerns for the HRW crop in the U.S. Plains amid dry weather and the strong U.S. wheat export pace to date. What has...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.62/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.05/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5925/bushel, down $0.145 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $315.3/short ton, down $6.8 from ye...
Grassley and Smith Introduce Meat Industry Consolidation Bill
Previously, on 24 March, WPI wrote about fertilizer consolidation and an effort by Majority Leader John Thune to introduce mandatory price reporting for fertilizer, similar to the process for meat and dairy. However, the efforts to address concentration and market transparency continue. More re...
Transportation Perspectives - 27 March
President Trump’s announcement on Monday this week that the U.S. would postpone any attacks on Iranian energy facilities for five days increased hopes that a peaceful and quick resolution can be found to the war. Subsequent conflicting messaging from both sides has undermined these hopes,...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for March 13-19, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 397,200 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were up noticeably from the previous week and up 46 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 383,500 MT were unchanged from the previous week, but down 10 percent...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.67/bushel, down $0.0025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.05/bushel, up $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7375/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.1/short ton, up $2.3 from...
Market Commentary: War Worries Continue to Drive the Narrative
War-related higher energies are a mixed story for ags. They could stymie economic growth and thus demand, but they open the door for better biofuel sales. Ags were mostly in the green today, betting on the biofuel market. Reports Export Sales: Last week’s new commitments by foreign...
Why Beef and Pork Prices May Fall Despite Strong Demand
Beef prices dropped sharply this week, with the Choice cutout down about $11/cwt in the past six trading days. The move unnerved live cattle futures on Wednesday (though the market recovered Thursday) and quickly led to concerns about beef demand weakening. After all, isn’t this supposed...
Livestock Roundup: Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report
USDA released its quarterly hogs and pigs report today. The inventory of all hogs and pigs on 1 March was 74.3 million head, up slightly from March 2025 but down 1.5 percent from 1 December. The report was in line with the previous five-year average of a decrease of 1.8 percent from December to...
Transportation Perspectives - 26 March
President Trump’s announcement on Monday this week that the U.S. would postpone any attacks on Iranian energy facilities for five days increased hopes that a peaceful and quick resolution can be found to the war. Subsequent conflicting messaging from both sides has undermined these hopes,...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6725/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9775/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7175/bushel, up $0.1675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $319.8/short ton, down $2.6...
Market Commentary: Demand Builds, Markets Await Confirmation
Key Market Developments Macro: Playing or Trading “Truth or Dare” We’ve entered the “truth or dare” phase of this market — where conviction takes a backseat and headlines drive direction. At any given moment, the narrative shifts: progress in negotiations on...
Early 2026 Projections of Cow-Calf Finances
Cow-calf margins hit all-time record highs in 2025 as the industry benefited from the downstream impacts of record-breaking beef demand and the smallest beef cattle herd in decades. As WPI readers will know well, the resulting supply crunch boosted cattle prices across the production landscape...
Iran War Impacts; Trade Agreements
Iran War Impacts Confidence in the economy is often tied to partisan politics, with Democrats seeing green when they control the White House, and Republicans ready to invest when their party is in charge. War always creates uncertainty, but uncertainty does not determine the market. A famous gr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.625/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.55/bushel, down $0.085 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.4/short ton, down $4.2 from y...
Market Commentary: Diminishing Energy Impacts on CBOT Trade
Tuesday’s energy markets took back about half of Monday’s losses as tensions in the Arab Gulf flared again, despite recent announcements of diplomatic talks and a five-day cooling-down period from the U.S. Overnight, Iran and Israel launched new rounds of attacks on each other, and...
Thune Introduces Fertilizer Price Reporting Bill
The war in Iran has brought the four-year simmering focus on fertilizer prices to a quick boil. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) introduced the Fertilizer Transparency Act, cosponsored by Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsi...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved further, with estimated net returns increasing to $126/head from $48/head the prior week. The gains were driven by another firming in the choice beef cutout, which rose to $392.85/cwt, while fed cattle prices were largely stable. The resulting expansion in the sprea...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.595/bushel, down $0.06 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8775/bushel, down $0.075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $326.6/short ton, down $1.4...
Market Commentary: Oil and Iran Conflict Still in Drivers’ Seat, but This Time Creating Pressure
Volatility has been no stranger to the CBOT these past three weeks, and the one consistency during this time has been the dramatic coupling of ag markets’ fortunes to the foibles of crude oil. That was again true on Monday, but this time crude oil offered a bearish – rather than sup...
WTO Realism; Reindustrialization; Canadian Ego
WTO Realism The WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference begins later this week, and while some have high hopes, pragmatists understand the elongated nature of consensus-based multinational policy development. EU trade minister Maroš Šefčovič expresses the hopes of his constituents...
War in Iran Taking Toll on Meat Exports Globally and U.S. Agriculture
The war in Iran is taking a toll on meat exports as well as fuel and fertilizer. As noted in a letter to the Administration, “Maritime freight disruptions from the ongoing conflict in Iran pose significant consequences to food security here at home and around the world.” This comes...
U.S. Cattle on Feed - March 2026
U.S. Cattle on Feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.549 million head on March 1, 2026 – similar to the year-ago total on March 1, 2025 of 11.577 head. Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.61 million head - 4 percent above 2025. Mark...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the ninth straight week. Funds added 32,000 contracts (3.8 percent) to their all-ags net long position – a much smaller effort than the prior week’s 244,000-contract bu...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.655/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9525/bushel, down $0.1275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6125/bushel, down $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $328/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: Pragmatic Escape Ahead of Weekend
On Monday of this week, traders were met with limit-down losses in soybeans, plus double-digit losses in corn, soymeal, and wheat. For many, it didn’t feel good. The war in Iran presented surprises, including the postponement of a Trump-Xi meeting expected to sell some soybeans. Fundament...
Cattle on Feed Report: Neutral
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.5 million head, just slightly below last year. Marketings were 1.52 million head, at 93 percent of last year, in line with the pre...
Soy Product Pricing and Crush Margins Amid Energy Uncertainty
Volatility has been the key word for commodity markets lately, especially the energy complex and anything loosely tied to it. The effective derivatives of the energy complex include, through the linkages of biodiesel, soyoil, and soybeans, and these markets have seen incredible rallies this yea...
Transportation Perspectives - 20 March
As you probably guessed, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to drive market sentiment for energy markets and tanker vessel rates. While there have been several developments in the region this week, the big picture factors are the same: the Strait of Hormuz is all but sealed to ve...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6975/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.08/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.685/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $332.5/short ton, up $10.8 from...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for March 6-12, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 189,900 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 58 percent from the previous week and 36 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 383,100 MT were down 11 percent from the previous week and 7 percent from the...
Market Commentary: Energy Pulls Futures Higher, For Now
Tomorrow is Nowruz (spring equinox), the Persian New Year, but there will likely be no break from the war. There continued to be upward price pressure on grains and oilseeds, chasing the spike in fossil fuel prices. There may be ample fertilizer for Northern Hemisphere crops nearing planting ti...
45Z: The Next Big Thing or the Next Big Mess?
The U.S. Treasury Department is (still!) working on the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit. The broad legislative effort for the act was launched in President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and picked up with some significant adjustments in President Trump’s One Big...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for March will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 99.3 percent of last year. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.5 million head. The pre-report estimates were spl...
Transportation Perspectives - 19 March
As you probably guessed, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to drive market sentiment for energy markets and tanker vessel rates. While there have been several developments in the region this week, the big picture factors are the same: the Strait of Hormuz is all but sealed to ve...
Market Commentary: Macro Pressure and Energy Strength Lift Grain Markets
Key Market Developments Macro: Reinforcing a Higher-for-Longer Environment Today’s inflation data reinforced what markets were already beginning to price in: a more persistent, “higher for longer” rate environment. U.S. producer prices came in above expectations, with headline...
Great Timing; Farm Skeptics; War’s Impact; Thursday’s Tumults
Great Timing The workers’ union at the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado, is on strike. The union is demanding more pay for its members, of course, and they want the company to pay for gloves. Given the shortage of cattle, there is overcapacity in cattle slaughter, and JBS has be...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.54/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8975/bushel, down $0.075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.57/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $311.7/short ton, down $0.5 from ye...
Market Commentary: Energies, Acreage Worries Support Soybeans; Wheat Drifts Lower
CBOT ag futures were highly mixed on Tuesday as traders recovered from Monday’s drubbing and limit-down move in soybeans and soyoil. At Monday’s close, the options market was suggesting soybeans and soyoil were trading significantly lower than the limit-down close permitted, but tho...
Greeley JBS Beef Plant on Strike
The JBS beef plant in Greeley, Colorado, went on strike yesterday. Today is day two of the labor shutdown. The Greeley plant can process about 6,000 head per day, or 5 percent of the U.S. beef supply. This is a major disruption. Notably, it comes on the heels of Tyson closing its plant in Lexin...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins turned positive for the first time since late last year as returns improved to $53/head last week. The turnaround was driven by a strong increase in the boxed beef cutout, which rose to $388.16/cwt, while fed cattle prices declined further on the week. The threat of the labo...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.54/bushel, down $0.1325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9725/bushel, down $0.165 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5525/bushel, down $0.7 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $312.2/short ton, down $10...
Market Commentary: Ags Sink on Oil Optimism, China Trade Worries; Fund Length Now a Liability
As quickly as it began, the U.S.-Iran war-fueled rally in commodity markets looks to be ending. Over the weekend and through Monday, several reports came in that highlighted political efforts to resume vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Perhaps most important was news that President T...
China Ag Purchases; Tariffs and More
China Ag Purchases The market reacted today to suggestions that President Trump will delay his planned trip to China at the end of the month due to the war in Iran. The excuse is somewhat of a surprise considering this President is usually hyper-multitasking. Soybean investors took it hard, but...
Administration Takes Aim at Fertilizer Prices
The war in Iran is impacting not only crude oil prices but also fertilizer prices. It is a supply issue, and thus the Treasury Department has announced new waivers for Venezuela to provide price relief and reduce the threat of shortages. It is not clear, however, whether this will be enough to...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the eighth straight week. Funds added 244,000 contracts (40 percent) to their all-ags net long position – a massive weekly increase - with buying in corn and the soy complex...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6725/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1375/bushel, up $0.1525 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2525/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.7/short ton, up $2.5 f...
Market Commentary: Another Week of War and Commodity Gains
Corn and soybeans closed lower in the overnight session, and wheat joined them in trading lower this morning for a brief period before a turnaround that also pulled corn higher by the close. Soybeans couldn’t quite get there but did manage to erase the double-digit losses seen earlier in...
USTR Announces Multiple Section 301 Investigations
United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer on Wednesday announced the initiation of investigations regarding the “acts, policies, and practices” of various countries under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 relating to structural excess capacity and production in...
Ethanol Production Outlook Amid Energy Rally
Yesterday, WPI briefly examined how biodiesel production margins have surged alongside broader energy markets following the U.S./Israel-Iran conflict. The surge in energy prices lifted biodiesel margins to two-year, if not higher, levels and has exerted a similar, positive effect on ethanol pro...
Transportation Perspectives - 13 March
The conflict in the Middle East continues to dominate developments in energy markets and crude oil or natural gas tanker vessels, but as time passes the conflict’s relatively minor impacts on the dry bulk and container sector are becoming clearer. After a short-lived jump, dry bulk freigh...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 27-March 5, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 455,400 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were up noticeably from the previous week and up 49 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 432,000 MT were up 24 percent from the previous week, but dow...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.625/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2725/bushel, up $0.1325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.2/short ton, up $4.8 fro...
Market Commentary: Energy Volatility Sets the Tone for Commodities
Key Market Developments Crude oil has been the architect behind the violent price swings seen across the grain markets over the last four trading sessions. Corn, soybeans, and wheat have been trading almost as a mirror to crude oil, with speculative capital moving rapidly between markets as ene...
Livestock Round Up: CPI Overview
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the February Consumer Price Index (CPI) yesterday. During February, the CPI for all items increased by 0.3 percent and was up 2.4 percent year over year. The categories of shelter, food, and energy were the major contributors to February inflation...
Oilseed Highlights – Cargill vs. China; Biodiesel Margins Surge
Cargill Suspends Soybean Exports to China Cargill has stopped buying soybeans from Brazilian farmers following new regulatory and sanitary/phytosanitary requirements in the country. The Brazilian government’s recent adoption of stricter sanitary evaluations of soybeans destined for China...
New, Old Approach; Scale Assault; Bumpy Road
New, Old Approach Having had its broad IEEPA approach to applying global tariffs shot down by the High Court, USTR announced yesterday that it is launching Section 301 investigations against 16 countries for unfair trading practices. Unlike IEEPA, Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 has a long...
Transportation Perspectives - 12 March
The conflict in the Middle East continues to dominate developments in energy markets and crude oil or natural gas tanker vessels, but as time passes the conflict’s relatively minor impacts on the dry bulk and container sector are becoming clearer. After a short-lived jump, dry bulk freigh...
WASDE Soybeans - Mar 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. soybeans had increased imports and crush, but ending stocks remained unchanged from last month. The average annual soybean price is projected unchanged at $10.20 per bushel. The soybean meal price is increased by $5 per short ton to $300. The soybean...
WASDE Corn - Mar 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. corn outlook is unchanged from last month. Global corn ending stocks increased by 3.8 million metric tons to 292.8 million. The season-average corn price received by U.S. producers is unchanged at $4.10 per bushel...
WASDE Wheat - Mar 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. wheat supply and use categories are unchanged from last month. Global supplies increased modestly by 0.2 million tons to 1,101.8 million and global ending stocks remain at a 5-year high. The result is that the average U.S. farm price is adjusted up modestly...
Market Commentary: Easing But Not Ending Novelty and Risk
There were more modest volumes trading in today’s session, perhaps reflecting growing resilience and circumspection about geopolitical uncertainties. The trade has had an ample opportunity to react to the modest changes in USDA’s March WASDE report, and there is still plenty of expe...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6025/bushel, up $0.08 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9475/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.14/bushel, up $0.1225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $315.4/short ton, up $0.9 from...
Market Commentary: Oil Volatility Drives CBOT More than WASDE
Usually, the day USDA releases its monthly world supply and demand report – known colloquially as “WASDE day” – sees heightened volatility in CBOT ag futures. That was true again Tuesday, though there was little causal connection between the WASDE and the market’s...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5225/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.91/bushel, down $0.1225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0175/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.5/short ton, up $1 fro...
Economic Outlook for 2026
The January jobs report surprised to the upside, coming in at 172,000 new jobs, well above the consensus expectation of 68,000. However, the February report showed jobs falling by 86,000, far off the consensus expectation of a gain of 60,000. This loss was driven by education, leisure and hospi...
AP Quant: WASDE Wheat
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Soybeans
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Corn
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved sharply, with estimated net losses narrowing to -$111/head from -$206/head the prior week. The recovery was driven by another firming in the boxed beef cutout, which rose to $379.00/cwt, while fed cattle prices softened modestly on the week. Even with the improvemen...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5375/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.0325/bushel, down $0.135 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.9625/bushel, down $0.045 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $313.5/short ton, down...
Market Commentary: Crude Oil Rally and Crash Drives Whipsaw CBOT Action
The massive rally in energy markets remains the primary story underpinning ag markets. Front-month crude oil futures ripped higher overnight and traded above $100/brl for the first time since July 2022 before scoring an overnight high just shy of $120/brl. That strength pulled ag markets &ndash...
Process Standards as NTBs; Nazi Food
Process Standards as NTBs California’s Prop 12, which a House Agriculture Committee-passed farm bill is supposed to override, restricts the sale of pork and eggs in the state if not produced according to its restrictive standards. Such processing restrictions have long been used as nontar...
Iran War Hits Fertilizer Supply and Disrupts SMP Trade
Today the war in Iran has hit its 10th day. Iranian forces have sustained their retaliatory strikes on US military assets and other key infrastructure in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The latest Iranian attacks on Bahrain have damaged a water desalination plant. Further, more than a...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the seventh straight week. Funds added 125,000 contracts (27 percent) to their all-ags net long position, with buying in soybeans and corn primarily responsible for the move. ...
Market Commentary: War, Crude Oil Still Dominate
The geopolitics of war in Iran are said to now be eclipsing any market focus on next week’s USDA March WASDE report. Volumes were modest in today’s trading, but the message was nonetheless clear – shipping grain and inputs is getting complicated. Notably, the ratio of De...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.605/bushel, up $0.07 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1675/bushel, up $0.33 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0075/bushel, up $0.215 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $317.2/short ton, up $7.9 from ye...
Farm Bill Clears House of Representatives
After two days of mark-up, the so-called “skinny farm bill,” the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, cleared the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee by a vote of 34-17, with 7 Democrats joining all 27 Republicans voting in favor. It will now move to the House floor and...
Middle East Grain Trade Trends
Somewhat lost in the current discussion over the impacts of the conflict in Iran and the Persian Gulf is the impact on grain trade. The region is not usually at the top of grain market analysts’ thinking when it comes to major demand centers, yet it accounts for significant global grain c...
Transportation and Export Report - 5 March
As you might guess, it is all about the conflict in the Middle East this week when discussing anything connected to energy or freight markets. Rate estimates, fuel costs, and insurance premiums (if available) have all skyrocketed since the U.S. attacked Iran and Iran attacked 15 of its neighbor...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.535/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8375/bushel, up $0.155 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7925/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $309.3/short ton, down $0.6 f...
Market Commentary: Middle East Turmoil Keeps Commodities Higher
War-related upward pressure in petroleum prices continues to provide support to grain prices. Brent crude oil hit $85/barrel and WTI crude rose 8.5 percent, its biggest jump since July 2024 and the first time above $80/barrel in over a year. HRW hit its highest price in a year, corn broke throu...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 20-26, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 203,100 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 16 percent from the previous week and 42 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 348,900 MT were down 35 percent from the previous week and 24 percent fro...
Livestock Round Up: Preview of Feedlot Placements and Changing Canada Dynamics
Feeder cattle sales were up over a year ago in February, but much of that was due to February 2025 sales being light. Still, the increase in activity bears watching, both for what it implies about feedlot placements and for herd rebuilding. In the four weeks ending February 27, total feed...
Transportation Perspectives - 5 March
As you might guess, it is all about the conflict in the Middle East this week when discussing anything connected to energy or freight markets. Rate estimates, fuel costs, and insurance premiums (if available) have all skyrocketed since the U.S. attacked Iran and Iran attacked 15 of its neighbor...
Market Commentary: Geopolitics, Energy, and Macro Correlations Shape Agricultural Markets
Key Market Developments Markets opened mixed after reports that Iran signaled a willingness to discuss ending the conflict with the United States. Sentiment improved further after President Trump stated that U.S. strikes had significantly degraded Iranian military capabilities and outlined meas...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4375/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6825/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.695/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $309.9/short ton, down $...
Old World Order; People Not Plants; Tariff Refunds
Old World Order The geopolitical impacts of the war on Iran continue, but Wall Street recovered today, aided by strong employment data. Iran announced a ban on food exports to protect its own food security. The measure will impact sales of saffron, pistachios, dates, and other products. While o...
Market Commentary: Fundamentals in the Backseat; Conflict Impacts Driving Markets
Four days into the U.S.-Iran conflict, it is becoming apparent that the conflict will last longer than a few days, and impacts could be more widespread than expected. That sentiment drove macroeconomic and commodity futures markets on Tuesday, which meant risk-off trading in the macro sector an...
Schumer Planning a Bill to Force Divestiture in Meat Industry
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is currently seeking co-sponsors for a bill he will introduce as early as Thursday of this week, the Family Grocer and Farmer Relief Act. The plan promises to “break up dominant meatpackers, rein in foreign-controlled corporate giants, and use...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.74/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.705/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.7/short ton, up $1.8 from...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved sharply last week but remained deeply negative, with estimated net losses narrowing to -$206/head from the prior week’s extreme levels. The recovery was driven by a stronger boxed beef cutout, which rose to $371.62/cwt, while fed cattle prices moved lower on t...
Market Commentary: Gulf Conflict Creates Volatility but Little Support for Grains
The primary drivers of Monday’s grain trade were, of course, the U.S. and Israel’s weekend attacks on Iran that killed the latter country’s Supreme Leader Khamenei and the subsequent cascade of impacts on global markets. WPI covers these impacts in more detail in our nearby ar...
Conflict in the Gulf: Impacts on Shipping and Energy
For weeks now, global energy and geopolitical markets have been speculating about a possible conflict in the Middle East between Iran and the U.S., but they still seemed unprepared and entirely surprised by what happened this weekend. Without going into the details that news outlets have alrea...
Transatlantic Sensitivities; Political Calculations
Transatlantic Sensitivities The frustration between the U.S. and Europe runs both ways, but the calculation is still one of mutual need, as articulated by American Secretary of State Marco Rubio at last month’s Munich Security Conference. Two recent data points will exasperate the White H...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4575/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.7725/bushel, down $0.1425 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.64/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $312.9/short ton, down...
RVO Math Still Missing Some Key Factors, Affecting Planting Decisions?
The market is still waiting for the 2026-2027 required volume obligation (RVO) to be announced. The expectation is that it will come by the end of this month; the proposed rule was issued in June 2025, referred to as the “Set 2” rule because there are several proposals that are re-s...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the sixth straight week. Funds added 176,000 contracts (60 percent) to their all-ags net long position, with strong and mostly uniform buying across the ag sector. The soy co...
Market Commentary: Green Despite Many Obstacles
There was mostly green on the board for Friday and for the week as a whole. Another contract high was printed by soyoil as higher energies, higher inflation, and heightened geopolitical tensions all favored commodities. There are some topical contrasts. For example, the cattle market is t...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.485/bushel, up $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.915/bushel, up $0.17 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7075/bushel, up $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.5/short ton, down $0.4 from...
Cold Storage Report: Up over Last Month, Down on the Year
The Cold Storage report for January showed that red meat and poultry supplies rose from the month ending December, but total supplies are down from a year ago and well below the 5-year average. Total supplies were 1.878 billion pounds, down 2.5 percent from a year ago. This indicates a tighteni...
Hogs and Pork Outlook
The recent volatility in lean hog futures — from fresh contract highs at the end of January to the dramatic early-February selloff — has many in the industry (and WPI clients) wondering what will happen next. WPI’s latest analysis indicates that while pork demand remains stron...
Transportation and Export Report - 26 February
The start of 2026 has been the exact opposite of what dry bulk markets and traders expected at the end of 2025. Typically, the Lunar New Year and post-holiday demand lulls mean that Q1 freight rates are often the weakest of the year. This year, however, rates rallied sharply on unexpected deman...
Market Commentary: Late Corn Rally; Soyoil Aborts Complex; Wheat Splits
A mostly bullish overnight session was not sustained, splitting the soy complex and wheat. Corn rallied late to avert a loss. The morning opened with USDA’s Export Sales report reflecting the turn by buyers to lower-cost sources. There was good volume trading corn and the soy complex, and...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.745/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.9/short ton, down $0.9 fr...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 13-19, 2026 Wheat: Net sales of 243,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 16 percent from the previous week and 43 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 540,000 MT were up 67 percent from the previous week and 28 percent...
Livestock Round Up: Wholesale Protein CPI
During the State of the Union (SOTU) address, President Trump made several claims about food prices, citing reductions in costs to consumers. Food inflation is a major issue for voters, and the President is hyper-focused on beef prices in particular prior to the 2026 mid-term elections. The fin...
U.S. Soy & Product Export Trends
With soybean and soy product exports frequently in the headlines amid the ongoing tariff and policy shifts from Washington, examining export trends is increasingly important. Thursday’s updated Export Sales report from the USDA offered some interesting statistics for these markets, and WP...
Transportation Perspectives - 26 February
The start of 2026 has been the exact opposite of what dry bulk markets and traders expected at the end of 2025. Typically, the Lunar New Year and post-holiday demand lulls mean that Q1 freight rates are often the weakest of the year. This year, however, rates rallied sharply on unexpected deman...
Market Commentary: Stable Policy, Conditional Demand, Weather Emerging as the Next Risk
Key Market Developments While tariffs were not addressed directly in the State of the Union, trade policy remains steady. Reports during today’s session confirmed that U.S. tariffs on China will remain in the 35 percent–50 percent range, signaling limited escalation ahead of upcomin...
Policy Roundup
Fuzzy Math Among President Trump’s various assertions in last night’s State of the Union address was that tariffs would someday replace the income tax, but that is a mathematical impossibility. The value of imported goods is around $3 trillion, and the income tax generates nearly $5...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.42/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6975/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.65/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $321.8/short ton, up $7.4 from...
Market Commentary: Soybeans Rally on PNW Export Rumors; Grains Ease on Profit Taking
The soy complex was the upside leader again on rumors of Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans from the PNW, as well as some harvest and quality issues in Brazil. Soyoil continued to find support from hopes that the EPA will release its biofuel policy obligations in the coming few days, though no...
Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs: Out with Old, In with New
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld a lower court ruling that the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were “contrary to the law.” However, as President Trump noted, the opinion remained silent on the issue of rebatin...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2775/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.7325/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5525/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.4/short ton, up $1.9 f...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated sharply last week, with estimated net margins falling to -$330.80/hd, down $60.58/hd week over week. The Choice cutout held nearly flat at $365.62/cwt, but fed cattle prices continued to climb, with live steers at $246.91/cwt and dressed prices surging to $387.9...
Market Commentary: SCOTUS Ruling, South America Weather Send CBOT Lower
The CBOT turned lower on Monday, with the back-and-forth action of the Supreme Court and President Trump regarding tariffs on foreign imports driving volatility. For the ag markets, the biggest impact of the SCOTUS ruling seems to be doubts that China will adhere to its soybean purchase plan, a...
Tariff Confusion Fun; Practical Judgements and Threats to Food; Glypho Confusion; Food Inflation
Tariff Confusion Fun Reactions to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that general use of tariffs is not within the President’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) have been wildly diverse. Mass media headlines initially celebrated the “smack do...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.7375/bushel, down $0.065 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.4975/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $312.5/short ton, down $1.3 fro...
Cattle on Feed Report: Bullish Outlook
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released Friday. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity was 11.5 million head, unchanged from last month, but 98 percent of last year. Marketings totaled 1.63 million head, or 87 percent of last year, in li...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the fifth straight week. Funds added 95,000 contracts to their all-ags net long position, with buying in the soy complex driving about two-thirds of the increase. The soy complex saw...
Cattle on Feed - Feb 1, 2026
U.S. Cattle on Feed in feedlots totaled 11.5 million head on February 1, 2026 - 2 percent below Feb 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during January totaled 1.74 million head, 5 percent below 2025. Marketings during January totaled 1.63 million head, 13 percent below 2025. ...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 6-12, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 288,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 41 percent from the previous week and 44 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 322,600 MT were down 44 percent from the previous week and 26 percen...
Market Commentary: Outside Market Noise, but Fundamentals Prevail
Overall economic data released earlier on Friday presented a mixed picture, and that was followed by a long-expected court ruling on Trump tariffs. This week had lots of geopolitical uncertainties, from a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East to peace talks between Russia and Ukraine going s...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8025/bushel, up $0.135 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.375/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $309.8/short ton, up $5 from...
IEEPA Tariffs Struck Down, Outlook for Livestock and Poultry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Outlook Forum is taking place this week, covering key agricultural topics, unveiling the 10-year long-term baseline forecast, and providing commodity outlook updates. Further, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the International Emergency E...
Thoughts on USDA Ag Outlook Numbers
The USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF) featured the agency’s first look at the 2026/27 balance sheet for the major U.S. crops and livestock products. For corn, wheat, and soybeans, this year’s numbers were in line with expectations and did not spark much reaction f...
Transportation and Export Report - 19 February
Dry bulk ocean freight markets are once again seeing diverging trends across the Atlantic and Pacific basins. Key to this divergence is the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which started last weekend and will last through 3 March. That is putting much of Asia on hold for trading and vessel inqui...
Market Commentary: Mostly Bullish Except Corn Where Production Will Fall
USDA issued its major S&D crop forecast for the upcoming crop season at its annual Outlook Conference. Although generally bullish for corn and bearish for soybeans, with a modest shift in plantings from beans to corn, the report had minimal market impact except perhaps in long-dated new cro...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for February will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 98.4 percent of a year ago. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.53 million head. The total inventory on feed...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef complex margins weakened further in the week ending 14 February 2026, with estimated beef packer net margins sliding to -$270.22/hd (down $22.78/hd week over week) as higher cattle costs continued to outrun product values. The Choice cutout edged up to $365.30/cwt, but fed cattle prices mo...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2575/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6675/bushel, up $0.1425 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.41/bushel, up $0.075 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $304.8/short ton, up $0.9 fr...
Transportation Perspectives - 19 February
Dry bulk ocean freight markets are once again seeing diverging trends across the Atlantic and Pacific basins. Key to this divergence is the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which started last weekend and will last through 3 March. That is putting much of Asia on hold for trading and vessel inqui...
Market Commentary: Grain Markets Navigate Energy Risk and Dollar Strength
Key Market Developments Today’s theme was geopolitics and economics. Tension between the United States and Iran escalated despite reports of an “understanding” reached during Tuesday’s nuclear discussions. Iran temporarily shut parts of the Strait of Hormuz during milita...
Tariff Impacts; HPF: the New Climate Change
Tariff Impacts Calculating the impacts of President Trump’s tariffs is heavy fodder for economists. Many made predictions about their impacts long before the rubber even met the road. Predictions of a tariff-caused recession have been debunked, and there is little impact on inflation. Now...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.27/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.47/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.335/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303.9/short ton, down $1.9 fro...
Market Commentary: Weather Pressures Grains; Crush Pace Boosts Soybeans
The CBOT managed to recover from a dramatic overnight plunge with soybeans leading the fight to put values back in the green. Most of the news coming out of the weekend was bearish – between larger Russian wheat crop projections, the advancing South American harvests, and generally favora...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2625/bushel, down $0.055 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3775/bushel, down $0.11 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.34/bushel, up $0.01 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $305.8/short ton, down $3.4 fr...
House Farm Bill Text Released
Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania), released the text of the farm bill on Friday. Markup is scheduled for next week. Some key highlights are shown below. Commodities: Directs reporting on dairy production expenses to ensure that producer costs ar...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
The attached PDF offers graphical depiction and seasonal analysis of managed money and commercial traders' net position in key agricultural commodity markets. The data is, of course, taken from the CFTC's weekly Commitment of Traders report, using the futures only data. WPI recently completed a...
Market Commentary: Mixed to Lower on Safety Ahead of the Long Weekend
There was both a lot and not much going on this Friday the 13th in November. The fundamentals are unchanged, but some riskier positions were neutralized and some profits taken ahead of the long weekend, with the federal holiday closing down futures markets on Monday. Volume was generally lower,...
President's Day
In observance of Presidents’ Day, both the CME/CBOT and our offices will be closed on Monday, 16 February. The next edition of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 17 February...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.3175/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.4875/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.33/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $309.2/short ton, up $1.3...
Who is Paying for U.S. Tariffs?
Over the course of 2025, the average tariff rate on U.S. imports increased from 2.6 percent at the beginning of the year to 13 percent by year-end. It then spiked in April and May, when tariffs on Chinese goods were raised by 125 percentage points, before being reversed by 115 percentage points...
WPI Spring Acreage Outlook
Heading into the USDA’s annual Ag Outlook Forum (AOF) next week, there is heightened speculation and anticipation about what the 2026/27 crop outlook will be. WPI updated our acreage forecasting models to help clients know what to expect—most likely—from the upcoming AOF forec...
Transportation and Export Report - 13 February 2026
U.S. grain transportation markets are slowly recovering from the shocks of bitter cold weather and low water levels on the Mississippi River System and from the surge in export demand. The latter is also causing strong rallies in ocean freight markets, particularly in the Atlantic basin. With g...
Market Commentary: China Headlines and Technical Buying Lift CBOT
Key Market Developments Markets head into Friday’s CPI report expecting a 0.3 percent month-over-month increase in both headline and core inflation, keeping year-over-year readings near +2.5 percent. That matters — but perhaps not as much as it would have a few weeks ago. This week&...
Sovereignty and Competitiveness; USMCA Battle
Sovereignty and Competitiveness So-called food sovereignty has animated European politics for decades. Now there is AI sovereignty because English is annoying or a national security risk. Taxes, regulations, and fines are thrown at dominant foreign companies to the point that Bloomberg says som...
Livestock Round Up: Cattle Margins and Distribution
The recent February World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report forecast beef production to increase in 2026 due to greater slaughter of steers and heifers, increased cow slaughter, and heavier dressed weights, all of which will provide some relief to the beef market. Also, th...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.3125/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.525/bushel, up $0.1525 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.3725/bushel, up $0.1325 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $307.9/short ton, up $4.9 fr...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for January 30-February 5, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 488,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were up 31 percent from the previous week and 14 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 580,000 MT were up 44 percent from the previous week and 59 percent...
A Year in Review: Impact of Tariffs on Agricultural and Food Processing Machinery
We now have nearly a year of data to work with on the impact of the Trump Administration’s tariffs. When they were first announced, there was quite a bit of conjecture and some sophisticated economic analysis about how trade flows would be impacted. This brief analysis will focus br...
Transportation Perspectives - 12 February
U.S. grain transportation markets are slowly recovering from the shocks of bitter cold weather and low water levels on the Mississippi River System and from the surge in export demand. The latter is also causing strong rallies in ocean freight markets, particularly in the Atlantic basin. With g...
Market Commentary: Mixed But Steady with an Outside Surprise
The U.S. created more new jobs in January than expected, especially in healthcare. And there was more ethanol produced last week than the market expected. Soyoil hit a new contract high, but South American production continues to look quite substantial. The mixed news produced mixed results, bu...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins weakened further last week, with estimated net losses widening to -$247/head, extending the deterioration seen through late January. Boxed beef values were firmer last week, but gains failed to offset increases in fed cattle prices, resulting in additional margin compression...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3725/bushel, up $0.09 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.24/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303/short ton, up $2.2 from ye...
WASDE Wheat - Feb 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. wheat is unchanged for exports and slightly higher ending stocks to 931 million bushels - 9 percent higher than last year and the largest since 2019/20. The projected 2025/26 season-average farm price remains at $4.90 per bushel. The global outlook fo...
Market Commentary: WASDE Confirms Big Supply, Big Demand; Soybeans Gain on Brazil Quality
The headline numbers from the February WASDE – the South American production estimates – were mostly in line with expectations, which is to say the massive Brazilian soybean crop was found to be even more so. USDA increased its assessment of the Brazilian crop to a new record, which...
WPI Website Security Update - 10 February
On the morning of 9 February, WPI identified unauthorized activity on our website server. Upon discovery, we immediately secured the website and server, took the necessary and advisable steps to examine the environment for comprimises, and deployed the website to a new, secure server. Our...
New World Screwworm Facility in the U.S.
In June 2025, Secretary Rollins announced a five-pronged plan to enhance USDA’s ability to detect, control, and eliminate NWS. As part of that announcement, she also shared plans to build a sterile NWS fly dispersal facility in South Texas. That announcement was made on 30 January, when U...
WASDE Soybeans - Feb 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. soybean supply and use projections are unchanged. As a result, the season-average soybean price is projected unchanged at $10.20 per bushel. Soybean meal and oil prices are unchanged at $295 per short ton and 53 cents per pound. Global 2025/26 soybean endin...
WASDE Corn - Feb 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. corn is for greater exports and lower ending stocks. Exports are increased 100 million bushels to 3.3 billion, reflecting sales and shipments to date. With no supply changes and use increasing, corn ending stocks are down 100 million bushels to 2.1 billion...
Market Commentary: CBOT Turns Lower on Weather, Pre-WASDE Consolidation
Except for the red-hot soyoil market, the CBOT was mostly lower on Monday, with favorable South American weather and pre-WASDE position adjustment driving the day’s mentality. Corn, wheat, and soybeans all settled slightly lower Monday in either consolidative trade or a continuation of ch...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2875/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.2875/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1075/bushel, down $0.045 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $297.8/short ton, down $5...
Argentina Beef Imports Outlook for 2026
At the 2026 Cattle Industry Convention, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urged producers to expand the beef herd in a “fireside chat” with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Buck Wehrbein. Kennedy, however, acknowledged that he...
New Trade Agreements
Just as Donald Trump’s dismantling of the world order is said to have motivated Europe’s conclusion of trade agreements with Mercosur and India, his trade agreements with India and Argentina are thought to have been motivated by Europe’s trade moves. A novel question: who is f...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
WPI recently expanded our analysis of the weekly CFTC Commitments of Traders data to include reports on the regime (trending, cyclical, or transition) of each commodity we include. This addition will make it easier for clients to draw actionable inferences from the data that can support trading...
Market Commentary: Geopolitics Skews the Week
It was another day of big volume in the soy complex. While soybeans closed higher for a fourth session, corn and wheat failed to follow, or perhaps their drag pulled soybeans back to fundamental reality. There are still no new export sales. The Chinese are smart, and if they intend to buy...
Biofuels Policy: 45Z and E15
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has signed off on a rule for the 45Z tax credit. The credit was created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 during the Biden Administration for the production and sale of low-emission transportation fuels. It was updated and extended as part of the r...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.3025/bushel, down $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.2975/bushel, down $0.055 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1525/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303.6/short ton, up $0.4...
Volatility and Opportunity Abound in Soy Pricing
Soybean futures and the broader soy complex saw heightened volatility this week on a combination of domestic and international demand drivers. Following these moves, it is relevant to examine what seasonal pricing patterns suggest for the futures market, as well as what the implications are for...
Transportation and Export Report for 4 February 2025
U.S. grain transportation markets remain skewed by the impacts of cold weather and low water levels on the Mississippi River System, which have pushed spot CIF and FOB values sharply higher. Internationally, the recovery in ocean freight rates continues, with strong demand in the Atlantic while...
Herrington Becomes President of World Perspectives, Inc.
Washington, DC—World Perspectives, Inc. (WPI) is a leading agricultural market analysis and consulting firm making a leadership transition marking an important milestone in the firm’s development. After years of distinguished service as President & CEO, Gary Blumenthal has stepp...
Market Commentary: Soybean Spillover Rides Another Day
There was high-volume trading in soybeans again today after hitting record levels yesterday. The enthusiasm carried over to corn and soymeal as well, and there was good volume trading in soyoil contracts. There is understandable skepticism that China would pay 80 cents/bushel more for U.S. soyb...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.35/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3525/bushel, up $0.085 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1225/bushel, up $0.2 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303.2/short ton, up $7 from yeste...
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Markets still do not know how to react to President Trump’s announcement that he has completed a trade deal with India. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says the details are being papered, or written up, now. The deal has sparked a transatlantic war of words, with Brussels mocking...
Market Commentary: USDA Slashes Wheat Outlook, Soy Balance Sheet Heavily Yield-Dependent
What You Need to Know Today: Iran says its definition of the Strait of Hormuz is now a “vast operation area” that stretches from Jask to Siri Island. The White House said President Trump did not sign a suspension of the TRQs on beef imports but is “finalizing potential...
AP Quant: WASDE Wheat
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Soybeans
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Corn
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.79/bushel, up $0.45 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2675/bushel, up $0.1375 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $328.4/short ton, up $3.6 from yes...
U.S. to Temporarily Suspend TRQs on Over-Quota Tariffs on Beef
The Trump Administration is planning a suspension of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) on beef from all exporters for 200 days as a means to address high beef prices in the U.S. U.S. cattle and beef prices have increased based on exceptionally strong consumer demand, the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 75...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated to -$208/head last week, down $24 from the prior week as higher fed cattle prices continued to outpace wholesale beef values. The Choice cutout held near $389/cwt, but fed cattle prices climbed to nearly $259/cwt, extending the seasonal squeeze on packer spreads...
Market Commentary: Risks Abound During Headline Week
What You Need to Know Today: Energy markets are sharply higher after President Trump rejected a weekend Iranian counter proposal that did not include limits on the country’s nuclear program. The ceasefire looks increasingly fragile, with energy markets unlikely to return to normal soon...
Policy Potpourri
Tax Policy Teed Up The debate over taxes on billionaires is heating up a larger fight over tax policy for the next U.S. Congress. This is good news because a fight solely over whether the wealthy are evil overlooks many larger issues plaguing the system. The journalist Josh Barro says that ever...
DOJ USDA Give Update on Antitrust Investigation into Beef Packing
At a joint press conference last week between the Department of Justice and USDA, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that he and Rollins were present to “... talk about our progress here at the Justice Department to hold meat packers accountable.” The structure of the beef...
WPI Crop Progress and Conditions App (Updated 11 May)
Update for 6 April 2025: Last year, users pointed out differences between the 5-year averages reported in this app and what USDA estimates in its weekly report. The difference exists because WPI calculates average based on the last 5 years of observations for the current week. In cases where ob...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7525/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.34/bushel, up $0.15 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.13/bushel, up $0.05 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $324.8/short ton, up $5.1 from yester...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds adding to net long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the third straight week as weather concerns sustained risk-on buying. Funds added 97,000 contracts (9.8 percent) to their all-ags net long position last week, essentially reversing the...
Market Commentary: Equities Easily Outperform Ags
What You Need to Know Today Ag markets have placed bets on new soybean demand from China after next week’s Xi-Trump meeting. While the media predicts no major deals or agreements, Beijing sees Trump as transactional so it will “buy” some stability, and soybeans are relatively...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7125/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.19/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.08/bushel, up $0.1575 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $319.7/short ton, up $0.8 from...
Solid Jobs Report, but the Devil is in the Details
Nonfarm payrolls rose 115,000 in April, beating the consensus expectation for a gain of 65,000. Payroll gains for February and March were revised down by a combined 16,000, resulting in a net gain of 99,000, including revisions. The largest increases in April were health care and social a...
Al Gore and the Unidentified Opportunity Costs
Twenty years ago, An Inconvenient Truth helped bring climate risk into the public foreground. Al Gore’s film and book contributed to a transformation in how climate change was understood, moving it from a largely scientific discussion into a broad political and cultural movement. Its infl...
Market Commentary: Prices Slide on a Hiatus in the Market
What You Need to Know Today Agricultural futures spent a third straight session mostly lower after partially recovering from morning lows. The war in Iran continues to drive energy markets with spillover into ags. After two days lower, crude oil turned higher after Iran demanded unlikely...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.675/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1225/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.9225/bushel, down $0.025 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $318.9/short ton, up $1.6 f...
Livestock Round Up: Summer Grilling Season and Exports
It is now May, the kick-off of the retail meat demand surge, and a shift in the types of products. There are a variety of events that result in a notable spike in spending. First, just passed, is Cinco de Mayo, on 5 May, in which shoppers seek out such items as taco fixings and ready-to-heat me...
Transportation Perspectives - 7 May
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscribe o...
Market Commentary: War Premium Out. Weather Premium Next?
Key Market Insights Macros: Macro markets traded a sharp shift in tone Wednesday as traders aggressively pulled risk premium from the market on growing optimism surrounding a possible U.S.–Iran agreement. Crude oil briefly traded back below $89/barrel while the NASDAQ and S&P 500 push...
Dressed Carcass Politicians
Gutless politicians are an unsurprising feature, but are nonetheless disappointing. Their constituents often do not care why beef prices are high; they just want them lowered. And if there is no easy solution, then the politician’s goal is to deflect the criticism toward anyone else, whet...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated to -$184/head last week, down $84 from the prior week as sharply higher fed cattle prices outpaced a modest rebound in the Choice cutout. The cutout firmed to $388/cwt, but fed cattle prices surged to nearly $255/cwt, continuing to compress packer spreads despit...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.685/bushel, down $0.115 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1725/bushel, down $0.105 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.9475/bushel, down $0.1675 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $317.3/short ton, down $...
FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 6 May)
WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “...
Market Commentary: Grains Ease on Profit Taking but Bullish Fundamentals Remain
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. naval escorts through the Strait of Hormuz and renewed Iranian attacks on vessels and UAE infrastructure are sustaining geopolitical risk across energy and commodity markets Broad profit taking and weaker crude oil triggered a pullback across grains, signaling...
House MAHA Hearing on State Laws in Energy and Commerce Committee
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on legislative proposals concerning food regulation and oversight. The hearing was focused on a wide range of bills, in keeping with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda, ranging from anti–plant-based dairy produc...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.2775/bushel, down $0.1325 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.115/bushel, down $0.1125 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $320.4/short ton, down $0...
Market Commentary: Weather and Biofuels Drive CBOT Strength as Geopolitical Risk Builds
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. launches naval escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran attacks UAE oil infrastructure, escalating geopolitical risk and supporting energy and broader commodity markets Biofuel demand entering uncharted territory, with soyoil valuation increasingly di...
Ag and Trade Paradigm Shifts
The Middle East is said to be undergoing a transformation as economic priorities transcend security concerns. This is evidenced by diversification away from oil and the UAE’s departure from OPEC. Meanwhile, the Palestine issue has been deprioritized, and Iran has emerged as more destabili...
E15 Plans: House Vote and Addition to Farm Bill Package for Senate
All eyes are shifting to the Senate following the House passage of a farm bill last Thursday. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Arkansas) is targeting the end of May or early June for a bill markup. According to Boozman, the House “going ahead and passing something was re...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8575/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.41/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2275/bushel, up $0.195 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $320.9/short ton, up $1.6 from...
Market Commentary: Mixed End to a Higher Week
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...
GDP at Modest 2 Percent Growth
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...
Per Capita, What Do You Eat?
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...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.8025/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.3775/bushel, up $0.01 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0325/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $319.3/short ton, up $0.4 from...
U.S. and Global Soy Crush Forecasts
WPI recently completed an expansion of our methodology for estimating and forecasting U.S. and global soybean crushing margins. The new approach incorporates the energy market’s expanding influence on the oilseed sector and the structural changes in global biofuel demand. This report is i...
Market Commentary: Inflation Climbs, Crude Hesitates, Grains Reset
Key Market Insights Macros: Inflation isn’t cooling — it’s moving higher again. March PCE inflation (Personal Consumption Expenditures index — the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation) rose 0.7 percent month-over-month, pushing the annual rate to 3.5 percent, the h...
Livestock Round Up: Farm Bill Includes Prop 12 Fix
An amendment to the U.S. House farm bill, aiming to remove the Save Our Bacon Act language in Section 12006 that would have stripped language to prohibit California’s Proposition 12, Massachusetts’ Question 3, and up to 500 state agricultural laws across the country, was blocked by...
Transportation Perspectives - 30 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7475/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.3675/bushel, down $0.1625 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.955/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $318.9/short ton, down $4...
Market Commentary: Biofuel Demand and Weather Risks Support Ag Markets Despite Fed Pause
What Matters Today... Fed holds rates steady as inflation uncertainty tied to the Iran conflict pressures equities and supports broader commodity risk premia Biofuel demand accelerating globally, with U.S. imports of used cooking oil and strong soyoil demand reinforcing upside across the soy c...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.7775/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.53/bushel, down $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.97/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $323.8/short ton, down $3.6 f...
Market Commentary: Wheat, Corn Score New Highs on Weather, Fund Buying
Weather concerns and the impacts of the war in Iran helped push wheat and corn to sharp gains Tuesday, with both markets blowing past key technical resistance levels. The weather is now coupled with geopolitical tensions that look increasingly hard to resolve, which is giving funds the perfect...
House Ag Appropriations Bill: Moving to Full Committee This Week
Congress is moving forward with its FY 2027 spending bills, while also still working to address FY 2026 funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is still in a shutdown. The House Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee marked up and passed its FY 2027 bill. The House bill prov...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.755/bushel, up $0.0625 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.5775/bushel, up $0.28 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.8925/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $327.4/short ton, down $0.4...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved to -$100/head last week, up $28 from the prior week as the Choice cutout stabilized following its brief post-Easter decline while fed cattle prices eased modestly. The cutout firmed to $384/cwt, while fed cattle prices slipped to $246/cwt, allowing packer margins to...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds adding to net long position across the major ag futures contracts after a two week break as deteriorating negotiations in the Middle East and the emergence of weather concerns triggered risk-on buying. Funds bought 40,000 contracts (4.7 percent) to their...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.6925/bushel, up $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.2975/bushel, up $0.13 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.92/bushel, up $0.135 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $327.8/short ton, up $8.7 from y...
Market Commentary: Grain Markets’ Two Key Factors Increasingly Bullish
The big picture for commodity markets is that imperfect weather and the lack of a peace deal in the Middle East are mandating that traders keep risk premia in prices. All other developments in ag futures stem in some way from these two factors, though the details of how, exactly, these factors...
Farm Bill on Thursday
The House will vote on the farm bill this Thursday. This afternoon, the House Rules Committee is meeting to consider the rule for the House’s consideration of the farm bill, specifically determining which amendments can and cannot be offered. There are a number of controversial amendments...
Anxiousness and Petulance; Calling a Spade; Trade Talk Environment; MAHAHA Farm Bill
Anxiousness and Petulance The U.S. war with Iran has come down to endurance. Washington sees Iran getting squeezed as the blockade eventually causes Iran’s whole oil system to back up and be forced into shutdown. It is estimated that Kharg Island’s storage will be capped out in 12&n...
Summary of Futures
Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.635/bushel, down $0.0025 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1675/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.785/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $319.1/short ton, up $2.6...
Market Commentary: Mixed Week and a Mixed Outlook
This is the limbo period between the expectations and reality of a new crop going into the ground. Prices gyrate in a narrow range, awaiting something more definitive than planting “intentions.” The bears see a planting pace off to a quick start, the bulls see ground that in many pl...
Kevin Warsh’s Confirmation Hearings and Policy Directions
Kevin Warsh, formerly a member of the Federal Reserve Board, has been nominated by President Trump to be the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Trump has long been critical of current Chair Jerome Powell, even opening a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the handling of cost overruns...
E15: What Does It Mean?
Previous administrations—including that of President Donald Trump—have promoted domestic consumption of corn and soybeans through expanded biofuel mandates and subsidies. The original framework for this policy was the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which required the...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.555/bushel, up $0.0125 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.2025/bushel, up $0.1325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5975/bushel, down $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $316.5/short ton, up $0.2...
Market Commentary: War Sustains Wheat; Corn Up Fifth Day
The Middle East truce is a rough one and the uncertainty spiked oil prices and the dollar again for another day. The wheat market has droughty conditions in the U.S., but globally there is pressure on a crop that gets both its fertilizer and a chunk of its demand from this volatile region. ...
Rotisserie Chicken Proposed to be Allowed Under SNAP
Senators Jim Justice (D-West Virginia), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) introduced the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase hot rotisserie...
Early 2026 Projections of Cow-Calf Finances
Key Takeaways: Despite rising cost pressures — including the recent run-up in fuel and energy costs — U.S. cow-calf producers are facing another year of record-breaking revenues and net returns for 2026. Cost pressures — particularly non-feed variable costs — and drough...
Transportation Perspectives - 23 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Market Commentary: Plenty of Risk, Not Enough Conviction
Key Market Insights Markets aren’t trading fundamentals right now—they’re pricing risk. The Middle East remains the center of gravity, and the latest developments point to a situation that is not escalating—but not resolving either. That’s a difficult environment...
Functional Dysfunction; Out of the Frying Pan
Functional Dysfunction Europe has contended that Donald Trump’s attempt to address the decades-long harm caused by Iran’s theocratic regime is “not our war.” The Continent is in an expensive energy crisis because of the Iran war, but moral angst is the only respons...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5425/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.07/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.645/bushel, down $0.1 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $316.3/short ton, down $4.9 fr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5375/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.1275/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.745/bushel, up $0.0875 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $321.2/short ton, up $0 from...
Market Commentary: Grains Rally on Weather, Biofuel Demand Prospects
For much of the period since the U.S.–Iran war started, commodity markets have been buoyed by macroeconomic “risk on” buying fueled by the geopolitical risk and crude oil’s rally. Recently, the impact of this risk and crude oil on the ag markets has faded, leaving crop f...
Farm Bill Amendments
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania) has been working with Republican leadership to build momentum for a farm bill floor vote, likely expected the week of 27 April, but that depends on other must-pass legislative priorities. The House Rules Committee meets...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated further, falling to -$129/head last week, down $38 from the prior week as a continued seasonal softening in the Choice cutout pressured returns. The cutout declined to $382/cwt, extending its post–Easter pullback, while fed cattle prices held near $248/cwt...
Market Commentary: SOH Confusion Persists, but Ags Focus on Weather, Exports
The situation in the Persian Gulf remains as volatile as ever since it started on 28 February with a supposed weekend peace agreement dissolving into the U.S. Navy firing upon an Iranian vessel. The vessel was trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and reportedly did not heed commands to h...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.52/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.06/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6575/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $321.2/short ton, down $6 from...
Aid versus Trade; Idealism versus Competition; AI and Ag; Untethered Presidency
Aid versus Trade Development assistance has a long and unsatisfying history. The causes of poverty were long ago identified as poor governance and the lack of rule of law. But the UN could not criticize the national leaders that form its membership, and so for decades development assistance has...
Iran Peace Talks on Again, Off Again: Impacting Fertilizer
President Trump and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on social media Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels. Araghchi’s post said the strait will stay open for the remainder of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. President Trump said, “the Str...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds paring back their net long position across the major ag futures contracts for the second straight week as signs of hope in the Middle East triggered an exit of geological “risk on” trades from commodity markets. Funds sold 40,000 contracts (4...
Cattle on Feed - April 1 2026
U.S. cattle on feed totaled 11.6 million head on April 1, 2026, 1 percent below April 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.71 million head, 7 percent below 2025. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.63 million head, 6 percent below 2025. Other disa...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4875/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9125/bushel, down $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6725/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $331.8/short ton, down $0...
Market Commentary: Rebound for Corn, Beans on Iran News; Wheat Declines
New variables specifically in the agricultural markets were light today, but the Iran war news hit some markets like a tsunami. The war and Iran’s chokehold on global oil supplies have subjugated economies for nearly seven weeks with outsized petrol prices. Everything became distorted aro...
Cattle on Feed Report: Neutral
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more of capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 99 percent of last year. The steer and steer calf inventory was down slightly from a year ago at 7.256 million head,...
Market Commentary: More Wheat Weather Premium, but Weakness Elsewhere
There was generally modest volume today, with the exception of wheat, which was also uniquely higher on the day. New highs for the calendar year were printed in HRW as the fledgling crop is about to have the double-whammy of freezing temperatures added to drought as the welcoming committee for...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for 1 April will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 99.3 percent of last year. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.6 million head. The big line item to watch agai...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.485/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6375/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $332.7/short ton, down $1...
Transportation Perspectives - 16 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5125/bushel, up $0.0825 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9375/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.67/bushel, up $0.09 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $334.4/short ton, up $4.7 from...
Market Commentary: Markets Discount Risk as Grains Quietly Hold Ground
Key Market Developments Macros & Energy: Outside markets continue to trade in a tug-of-war between escalation and de-escalation — and crude oil is right at the center of it. Overnight, crude pulled back toward $87 as headlines pointed to a potential resumption of peace negotiat...
War Impacts; Taxes and Tariffs
War Impacts May soybeans are now within a penny of their value two weeks ago, and May corn is back up to within half a percent of its price at that time. The S&P closed above 7,000 for the first time, and the Nasdaq hit a record high. The cost of gasoline is about 15 percent higher th...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.43/bushel, up $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.92/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.58/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $329.7/short ton, down $2.2 fro...
Market Commentary: Wheat Rallies on Falling Conditions; Cattle Surge to New Records
The CBOT received several pieces of key fundamental information on Tuesday, including updated production figures from CONAB, the results of the USDA’s Monday Crop Progress report, and fresh export sales of corn to Mexico. The result was that wheat popped higher on growing concerns for yie...
Congress Coming Back to Busy Agenda
The House and Senate are returning from their two-week Easter recess period with a busy agenda ahead. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has now hit the two-month mark, a plan is emerging to use reconciliation to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs a...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated further last week to -$85/head, down from -$17/head the prior week, as continued strength in fed cattle prices again outpaced weakening boxed beef values. The Choice cutout declined $5.14/cwt to $386.41/cwt, while fed cattle prices rose $3.78/cwt to $388.36/cwt,...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4025/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8225/bushel, up $0.1125 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6225/bushel, down $0.135 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $331.9/short ton, up $0...
Market Commentary: Political Tail Still Wagging the Market Dog
Politics are once again the tail wagging the dog in commodity markets. U.S. negotiations with Iran fell apart (again) over the weekend after Iran refused to agree to a permanent end of its nuclear weapons program. Rather than a return to the recent status quo, however, markets are adjusting to...
War Impacts
Commodity markets were mixed today, while Wall Street traded higher after President Trump said the Iranians still want to negotiate after he closed the Strait of Hormuz. The result is baffling to some, but the market reflects investor expectations about future corporate earnings and growth rath...
JBS Strike Settled, Beef Sector Still Under Inflationary Pressure
JBS USA announced on Sunday that it has reached a new collective bargaining agreement with UFCW Local 7, allowing the Greeley beef production facility to return to normal operations. The plant had been on strike since 16 March, with approximately 3,800 workers affected. The plant has the capaci...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds paring back their net long position across the major ag futures contracts, ending a ten-week streak of net buying. Funds sold 62,000 contracts (6.4 percent) to their all-ags net long position last week with selling in corn, soybeans, and CBOT wheat respon...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.41/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.71/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7575/bushel, up $0.105 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $331.8/short ton, up $14.2 from...
Transportation Perspectives - 10 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscribe online after this date to...
Market Commentary: Conflicting Factors Equals Mixed Day
There are so many conflicting narratives between war and peace, rain and drought, hopes and fears, that it was a mixed day of trading on Friday, and a mixed outcome for the week. For today, corn suffered its sixth lower day in the past seven trading sessions. There was high volume in soyb...
Inflation Ramps Up on Energy and Food Away from Home
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the March Consumer Price Index (CPI) today, showing that it rose 0.9 percent, seasonally adjusted, month over month, after being up 0.3 percent in February, and rose 3.3 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. Energy was the...
Wheat’s Fall from Grace
Buried in the many mountains of USDA data last week was the March 2026 Prospective Plantings report. There you will find one specific figure among the many that was a record: USDA’s lowest ever prospective plantings estimate for wheat. It was not a surprise. U.S. wheat plantings and harve...
Transportation Perspectives - 9 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.44/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.745/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6525/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $317.6/short ton, up $3.5...
Market Commentary: Fundamentals Replace War Trading
Geopolitics has proven that it beats weather as a volatility driver, but agricultural markets and financials returned to fundamentals today. The truce/non-truce/truce had its influences, with the soy sector following oil higher, but wheat traded down on stocks reports while corn buyers’ e...
Livestock Round Up: Red Meat Production Down, Broilers Up
USDA released the April WASDE today with new 2026 meat production forecasts, changed from the March release. Beef is now projected at 25.79 billion pounds, down 20 million from March, mostly on lower first-half steer and heifer slaughter. Higher cow slaughter will partially offset the reduced...
Quick Hits: Ethanol and Biodiesel Margins Update
Ethanol Ethanol production margins continue to experience a counter-seasonal surge, with the energy market rally driving the bulk of the move. Prior to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, U.S. ethanol margins were already trending above year-ago levels by $0.10-0.20/gallon...
Market Commentary: Energies Collapse on Ceasefire News but Grains Reclaim Early Losses
Once again, Trump, Iran, and the Middle East were the hub around which the CBOT trade revolved on Wednesday. Late Tuesday, the U.S. agreed to a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran, just days after President Trump threatened to escalate attacks against the Middle Eastern country. In the annou...
Policy Deference; Reasserting Article I; Two-Tailed Dog; EU Imports; WTO Skepticism
Policy Deference The bilateral trade balance is a narrow way to look at the relative relationship between two countries. The government of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is seeking to ignore its own regulations that guide the application of the General Law on Adequate and Sustainable...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4725/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8025/bushel, down $0.1775 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.62/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.1/short ton, up $2.3...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.49/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.98/bushel, up $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5825/bushel, down $0.085 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $311.8/short ton, down $4.8 fr...
Market Commentary: Risk is Priced In — But Not Yet Believed
Key Market Developments Macro/Geopolitics: Markets are staring down a deadline tonight as President Donald Trump pushes Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8:00 PM Eastern. So far, Iran has rejected the U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal — reportedly delivered through Pakistan &mdash...
Sugar Supply and Demand Situation
Mexico’s 2025/26 sugar production is estimated to be 5.024 million MT, reflecting about a 6 percent increase from 4.7 million MT after the past two years of weather-affected output, including both persistent drought and ill-timed rains. Nonetheless, production remains near the low end com...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins reversed sharply to -$17/head from $120/head the prior week, as rising fed cattle prices more than offset a modest decline in the Choice cutout. Fed cattle prices increased $12.92/cwt from the prior week while the cutout slipped $3.24/cwt, compressing gross margins and pushi...
Market Commentary: The Long-Run Draws Near
The CBOT markets were surprisingly insulated from a jump in crude oil that started the week. Crude oil futures rallied to $115/brl - their highest levels since the earliest days of the U.S.-Iran war - on rhetoric from the White House that signaled an escalation in the conflict. While the oil he...
Farmland Consolidation
Under the theory of economies of scale, the size of farms, like that of all industries, should increase over time due to improvements in productivity. Farmers themselves understand that the more land they farm, the greater their output and, thus, the larger their potential incomes. Government p...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.54/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9525/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6675/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $316.6/short ton, up $1.4 fro...
The President’s 2027 Budget Proposal
President Trump unveiled his FY2027 budget proposal on Friday. The President’s budget, which is largely for positioning purposes, poses a starting point for Congressional budget deliberations and proposes a 19 percent cut to the USDA and a massive 42 percent boost to Pentagon spending. Th...
Transportation Perspectives - 2 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscr...
Market Commentary: War and Easter Exit Strategy
There were a lot of moving parts on the last trading day of the holiday-shortened week, but liquidation and profit-taking may have been the strongest. A prolonged war and higher energy prices will impact consumption and inflation, while supporting biofuels. Storm systems may reduce some of the...
Good Friday
Tomorrow, 2 April, is a holiday for the CBOT/CME markets in observance of Good Friday. Please note that our office will also be closed. The next Ag Perspectives will be published Monday, 6 April. ...
Poultry Production Rebounds on Heavier Weights
Through the week ending 21 March, U.S. broiler production remains well above year-ago levels, with total headcount surpassing 2.04 billion, a 3.63 percent increase compared to 2025. While overall supply levels continue to expand, the distribution across weight classes further highlights a prono...
Transportation Perspectives - 2 April
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscribe online after this date to...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5225/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9825/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $315.2/short ton, down $3 fr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5425/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.975/bushel, down $0.1875 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.685/bushel, down $0.025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $318.2/short ton, up $1.8...
Market Commentary: Plenty of Information — No Clear Direction
Key Market Developments Macro: Tension Without Direction Markets are trading the tension between escalation and resolution — and neither side has control. Both equities and commodities tested key technical levels this week before reversing sharply on headlines suggesting — at least...
AI Disaster; Fringe Opinions; NTE 40th Update
AI Disaster Opponents of artificial intelligence, like Senator Bernie Sanders (S-Vermont), warn that the technology risks the end of the human race. So-called AI “doomers” are campaigning to stall advancements out of precaution, mostly fearing adverse impacts on the labor force. The...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5775/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1625/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.71/bushel, up $0.1125 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $316.4/short ton, up $1.5 from...
Market Commentary: Grains Rally on USDA Data, Hopes for End to Middle East Conflict
Except for lean hog futures, the CBOT and CME markets were higher on Tuesday in a combination of bullish factors. The day’s strength started after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump told aides he is willing to end hostilities in the Middle East even if the Strait of Hor...
Lots To Do for Congress When They Return to Washington
Congress is in recess this week ahead of the Easter and Passover holidays, with much yet to do, including ending a partial shutdown and considering the “skinny” farm bill. Congress is scheduled to return on 13 April, though that may change, especially if the Homeland Security fundin...
March Grain Stocks Summary
The attached PDF offers graphical depiction and analysis of the latest USDA Grain Stocks data for key commodities. The data is, of course, taken from the quarterly Grain Stocks report. WPI recently completed an expansion of the analysis and welcomes any feedback/suggestions. ...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins eased slightly to $119/head, declining $7/head week over week as a modest softening in the cutout combined with a small increase in live cattle prices compressed margins. Despite the weekly pullback, margins remain sharply improved on a monthly basis (+$233/head), supported...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5575/bushel, down $0.0625 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.07/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5975/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.9/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: CBOT Cautious Ahead of Acreage, Stocks Reports
The CBOT took a bit of a breather on Monday as traders waited for the upcoming Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports, which the USDA will issue Tuesday at midday. Traders were reluctant to expand risk too much ahead of these two reports, which often change market direction and tone for...
Forlorn or Failure; Fertile or Futile; AI Impacts; Dirty Dozen Disinformation
Forlorn or Failure The spin from the WTO on the organization’s recent MC14 meetings was that a lot of decisions were adopted, progress was made, and while the event “ran out of time,” new commitments on outstanding issues can still be made in Geneva. Director-General Ngozi Oko...
Prospective Planting and Quarterly Stocks Reports Preview
The 2026 USDA Prospective Plantings Report is scheduled for release tomorrow. The report surveys farmer planting intentions for major crops, including corn, soybeans, and wheat. It also asks about 2025 planted and prevent-plant acres. This report gives the first real snapshot of what planted ac...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the tenth straight week. Funds added 67,000 contracts (7.7 percent) to their all-ags net long position – nearly doubling the prior week’s purchases - with buying in corn and so...
Market Commentary: Expected Biofuel Announcement Cannot Dislodge War Worries
Thursday marked the worst day for stocks in weeks despite word on the street to “buy,” since valuations have once again become attractive. But apparently not yet. History suggests a rebound with President Trump politically compelled to dream up some form of policy stimulus on top of...
Downside Risk for Wheat into 2026/27
The current rally in wheat futures is widely known to be driven by fund buying in response to the conflict in the Middle East. Part of the price gains has also been motivated by concerns for the HRW crop in the U.S. Plains amid dry weather and the strong U.S. wheat export pace to date. What has...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.62/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.05/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5925/bushel, down $0.145 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $315.3/short ton, down $6.8 from ye...
Grassley and Smith Introduce Meat Industry Consolidation Bill
Previously, on 24 March, WPI wrote about fertilizer consolidation and an effort by Majority Leader John Thune to introduce mandatory price reporting for fertilizer, similar to the process for meat and dairy. However, the efforts to address concentration and market transparency continue. More re...
Transportation Perspectives - 27 March
President Trump’s announcement on Monday this week that the U.S. would postpone any attacks on Iranian energy facilities for five days increased hopes that a peaceful and quick resolution can be found to the war. Subsequent conflicting messaging from both sides has undermined these hopes,...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for March 13-19, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 397,200 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were up noticeably from the previous week and up 46 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 383,500 MT were unchanged from the previous week, but down 10 percent...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.67/bushel, down $0.0025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.05/bushel, up $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7375/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.1/short ton, up $2.3 from...
Market Commentary: War Worries Continue to Drive the Narrative
War-related higher energies are a mixed story for ags. They could stymie economic growth and thus demand, but they open the door for better biofuel sales. Ags were mostly in the green today, betting on the biofuel market. Reports Export Sales: Last week’s new commitments by foreign...
Why Beef and Pork Prices May Fall Despite Strong Demand
Beef prices dropped sharply this week, with the Choice cutout down about $11/cwt in the past six trading days. The move unnerved live cattle futures on Wednesday (though the market recovered Thursday) and quickly led to concerns about beef demand weakening. After all, isn’t this supposed...
Livestock Roundup: Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report
USDA released its quarterly hogs and pigs report today. The inventory of all hogs and pigs on 1 March was 74.3 million head, up slightly from March 2025 but down 1.5 percent from 1 December. The report was in line with the previous five-year average of a decrease of 1.8 percent from December to...
Transportation Perspectives - 26 March
President Trump’s announcement on Monday this week that the U.S. would postpone any attacks on Iranian energy facilities for five days increased hopes that a peaceful and quick resolution can be found to the war. Subsequent conflicting messaging from both sides has undermined these hopes,...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6725/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9775/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7175/bushel, up $0.1675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $319.8/short ton, down $2.6...
Market Commentary: Demand Builds, Markets Await Confirmation
Key Market Developments Macro: Playing or Trading “Truth or Dare” We’ve entered the “truth or dare” phase of this market — where conviction takes a backseat and headlines drive direction. At any given moment, the narrative shifts: progress in negotiations on...
Early 2026 Projections of Cow-Calf Finances
Cow-calf margins hit all-time record highs in 2025 as the industry benefited from the downstream impacts of record-breaking beef demand and the smallest beef cattle herd in decades. As WPI readers will know well, the resulting supply crunch boosted cattle prices across the production landscape...
Iran War Impacts; Trade Agreements
Iran War Impacts Confidence in the economy is often tied to partisan politics, with Democrats seeing green when they control the White House, and Republicans ready to invest when their party is in charge. War always creates uncertainty, but uncertainty does not determine the market. A famous gr...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.625/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.55/bushel, down $0.085 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.4/short ton, down $4.2 from y...
Market Commentary: Diminishing Energy Impacts on CBOT Trade
Tuesday’s energy markets took back about half of Monday’s losses as tensions in the Arab Gulf flared again, despite recent announcements of diplomatic talks and a five-day cooling-down period from the U.S. Overnight, Iran and Israel launched new rounds of attacks on each other, and...
Thune Introduces Fertilizer Price Reporting Bill
The war in Iran has brought the four-year simmering focus on fertilizer prices to a quick boil. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) introduced the Fertilizer Transparency Act, cosponsored by Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsi...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved further, with estimated net returns increasing to $126/head from $48/head the prior week. The gains were driven by another firming in the choice beef cutout, which rose to $392.85/cwt, while fed cattle prices were largely stable. The resulting expansion in the sprea...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.595/bushel, down $0.06 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8775/bushel, down $0.075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $326.6/short ton, down $1.4...
Market Commentary: Oil and Iran Conflict Still in Drivers’ Seat, but This Time Creating Pressure
Volatility has been no stranger to the CBOT these past three weeks, and the one consistency during this time has been the dramatic coupling of ag markets’ fortunes to the foibles of crude oil. That was again true on Monday, but this time crude oil offered a bearish – rather than sup...
WTO Realism; Reindustrialization; Canadian Ego
WTO Realism The WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference begins later this week, and while some have high hopes, pragmatists understand the elongated nature of consensus-based multinational policy development. EU trade minister Maroš Šefčovič expresses the hopes of his constituents...
War in Iran Taking Toll on Meat Exports Globally and U.S. Agriculture
The war in Iran is taking a toll on meat exports as well as fuel and fertilizer. As noted in a letter to the Administration, “Maritime freight disruptions from the ongoing conflict in Iran pose significant consequences to food security here at home and around the world.” This comes...
U.S. Cattle on Feed - March 2026
U.S. Cattle on Feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.549 million head on March 1, 2026 – similar to the year-ago total on March 1, 2025 of 11.577 head. Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.61 million head - 4 percent above 2025. Mark...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the ninth straight week. Funds added 32,000 contracts (3.8 percent) to their all-ags net long position – a much smaller effort than the prior week’s 244,000-contract bu...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.655/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9525/bushel, down $0.1275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.6125/bushel, down $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $328/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: Pragmatic Escape Ahead of Weekend
On Monday of this week, traders were met with limit-down losses in soybeans, plus double-digit losses in corn, soymeal, and wheat. For many, it didn’t feel good. The war in Iran presented surprises, including the postponement of a Trump-Xi meeting expected to sell some soybeans. Fundament...
Cattle on Feed Report: Neutral
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.5 million head, just slightly below last year. Marketings were 1.52 million head, at 93 percent of last year, in line with the pre...
Soy Product Pricing and Crush Margins Amid Energy Uncertainty
Volatility has been the key word for commodity markets lately, especially the energy complex and anything loosely tied to it. The effective derivatives of the energy complex include, through the linkages of biodiesel, soyoil, and soybeans, and these markets have seen incredible rallies this yea...
Transportation Perspectives - 20 March
As you probably guessed, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to drive market sentiment for energy markets and tanker vessel rates. While there have been several developments in the region this week, the big picture factors are the same: the Strait of Hormuz is all but sealed to ve...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6975/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.08/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.685/bushel, up $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $332.5/short ton, up $10.8 from...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for March 6-12, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 189,900 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 58 percent from the previous week and 36 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 383,100 MT were down 11 percent from the previous week and 7 percent from the...
Market Commentary: Energy Pulls Futures Higher, For Now
Tomorrow is Nowruz (spring equinox), the Persian New Year, but there will likely be no break from the war. There continued to be upward price pressure on grains and oilseeds, chasing the spike in fossil fuel prices. There may be ample fertilizer for Northern Hemisphere crops nearing planting ti...
45Z: The Next Big Thing or the Next Big Mess?
The U.S. Treasury Department is (still!) working on the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit. The broad legislative effort for the act was launched in President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and picked up with some significant adjustments in President Trump’s One Big...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for March will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 99.3 percent of last year. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.5 million head. The pre-report estimates were spl...
Transportation Perspectives - 19 March
As you probably guessed, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to drive market sentiment for energy markets and tanker vessel rates. While there have been several developments in the region this week, the big picture factors are the same: the Strait of Hormuz is all but sealed to ve...
Market Commentary: Macro Pressure and Energy Strength Lift Grain Markets
Key Market Developments Macro: Reinforcing a Higher-for-Longer Environment Today’s inflation data reinforced what markets were already beginning to price in: a more persistent, “higher for longer” rate environment. U.S. producer prices came in above expectations, with headline...
Great Timing; Farm Skeptics; War’s Impact; Thursday’s Tumults
Great Timing The workers’ union at the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado, is on strike. The union is demanding more pay for its members, of course, and they want the company to pay for gloves. Given the shortage of cattle, there is overcapacity in cattle slaughter, and JBS has be...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.54/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8975/bushel, down $0.075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.57/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $311.7/short ton, down $0.5 from ye...
Market Commentary: Energies, Acreage Worries Support Soybeans; Wheat Drifts Lower
CBOT ag futures were highly mixed on Tuesday as traders recovered from Monday’s drubbing and limit-down move in soybeans and soyoil. At Monday’s close, the options market was suggesting soybeans and soyoil were trading significantly lower than the limit-down close permitted, but tho...
Greeley JBS Beef Plant on Strike
The JBS beef plant in Greeley, Colorado, went on strike yesterday. Today is day two of the labor shutdown. The Greeley plant can process about 6,000 head per day, or 5 percent of the U.S. beef supply. This is a major disruption. Notably, it comes on the heels of Tyson closing its plant in Lexin...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins turned positive for the first time since late last year as returns improved to $53/head last week. The turnaround was driven by a strong increase in the boxed beef cutout, which rose to $388.16/cwt, while fed cattle prices declined further on the week. The threat of the labo...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.54/bushel, down $0.1325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9725/bushel, down $0.165 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5525/bushel, down $0.7 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $312.2/short ton, down $10...
Market Commentary: Ags Sink on Oil Optimism, China Trade Worries; Fund Length Now a Liability
As quickly as it began, the U.S.-Iran war-fueled rally in commodity markets looks to be ending. Over the weekend and through Monday, several reports came in that highlighted political efforts to resume vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Perhaps most important was news that President T...
China Ag Purchases; Tariffs and More
China Ag Purchases The market reacted today to suggestions that President Trump will delay his planned trip to China at the end of the month due to the war in Iran. The excuse is somewhat of a surprise considering this President is usually hyper-multitasking. Soybean investors took it hard, but...
Administration Takes Aim at Fertilizer Prices
The war in Iran is impacting not only crude oil prices but also fertilizer prices. It is a supply issue, and thus the Treasury Department has announced new waivers for Venezuela to provide price relief and reduce the threat of shortages. It is not clear, however, whether this will be enough to...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the eighth straight week. Funds added 244,000 contracts (40 percent) to their all-ags net long position – a massive weekly increase - with buying in corn and the soy complex...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6725/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1375/bushel, up $0.1525 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2525/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.7/short ton, up $2.5 f...
Market Commentary: Another Week of War and Commodity Gains
Corn and soybeans closed lower in the overnight session, and wheat joined them in trading lower this morning for a brief period before a turnaround that also pulled corn higher by the close. Soybeans couldn’t quite get there but did manage to erase the double-digit losses seen earlier in...
USTR Announces Multiple Section 301 Investigations
United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer on Wednesday announced the initiation of investigations regarding the “acts, policies, and practices” of various countries under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 relating to structural excess capacity and production in...
Ethanol Production Outlook Amid Energy Rally
Yesterday, WPI briefly examined how biodiesel production margins have surged alongside broader energy markets following the U.S./Israel-Iran conflict. The surge in energy prices lifted biodiesel margins to two-year, if not higher, levels and has exerted a similar, positive effect on ethanol pro...
Transportation Perspectives - 13 March
The conflict in the Middle East continues to dominate developments in energy markets and crude oil or natural gas tanker vessels, but as time passes the conflict’s relatively minor impacts on the dry bulk and container sector are becoming clearer. After a short-lived jump, dry bulk freigh...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 27-March 5, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 455,400 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were up noticeably from the previous week and up 49 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 432,000 MT were up 24 percent from the previous week, but dow...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.625/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2725/bushel, up $0.1325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.2/short ton, up $4.8 fro...
Market Commentary: Energy Volatility Sets the Tone for Commodities
Key Market Developments Crude oil has been the architect behind the violent price swings seen across the grain markets over the last four trading sessions. Corn, soybeans, and wheat have been trading almost as a mirror to crude oil, with speculative capital moving rapidly between markets as ene...
Livestock Round Up: CPI Overview
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the February Consumer Price Index (CPI) yesterday. During February, the CPI for all items increased by 0.3 percent and was up 2.4 percent year over year. The categories of shelter, food, and energy were the major contributors to February inflation...
Oilseed Highlights – Cargill vs. China; Biodiesel Margins Surge
Cargill Suspends Soybean Exports to China Cargill has stopped buying soybeans from Brazilian farmers following new regulatory and sanitary/phytosanitary requirements in the country. The Brazilian government’s recent adoption of stricter sanitary evaluations of soybeans destined for China...
New, Old Approach; Scale Assault; Bumpy Road
New, Old Approach Having had its broad IEEPA approach to applying global tariffs shot down by the High Court, USTR announced yesterday that it is launching Section 301 investigations against 16 countries for unfair trading practices. Unlike IEEPA, Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 has a long...
Transportation Perspectives - 12 March
The conflict in the Middle East continues to dominate developments in energy markets and crude oil or natural gas tanker vessels, but as time passes the conflict’s relatively minor impacts on the dry bulk and container sector are becoming clearer. After a short-lived jump, dry bulk freigh...
WASDE Soybeans - Mar 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. soybeans had increased imports and crush, but ending stocks remained unchanged from last month. The average annual soybean price is projected unchanged at $10.20 per bushel. The soybean meal price is increased by $5 per short ton to $300. The soybean...
WASDE Corn - Mar 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. corn outlook is unchanged from last month. Global corn ending stocks increased by 3.8 million metric tons to 292.8 million. The season-average corn price received by U.S. producers is unchanged at $4.10 per bushel...
WASDE Wheat - Mar 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. wheat supply and use categories are unchanged from last month. Global supplies increased modestly by 0.2 million tons to 1,101.8 million and global ending stocks remain at a 5-year high. The result is that the average U.S. farm price is adjusted up modestly...
Market Commentary: Easing But Not Ending Novelty and Risk
There were more modest volumes trading in today’s session, perhaps reflecting growing resilience and circumspection about geopolitical uncertainties. The trade has had an ample opportunity to react to the modest changes in USDA’s March WASDE report, and there is still plenty of expe...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.6025/bushel, up $0.08 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.9475/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.14/bushel, up $0.1225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $315.4/short ton, up $0.9 from...
Market Commentary: Oil Volatility Drives CBOT More than WASDE
Usually, the day USDA releases its monthly world supply and demand report – known colloquially as “WASDE day” – sees heightened volatility in CBOT ag futures. That was true again Tuesday, though there was little causal connection between the WASDE and the market’s...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5225/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.91/bushel, down $0.1225 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0175/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.5/short ton, up $1 fro...
Economic Outlook for 2026
The January jobs report surprised to the upside, coming in at 172,000 new jobs, well above the consensus expectation of 68,000. However, the February report showed jobs falling by 86,000, far off the consensus expectation of a gain of 60,000. This loss was driven by education, leisure and hospi...
AP Quant: WASDE Wheat
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Soybeans
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
AP Quant: WASDE Corn
WPI offers the following PDF of key supply and demand tables and charts relating to the USDA’s latest WASDE report. This is not an all-inclusive compilation of relevant market factors, only those which we feel are of top priority. WPI will seek to expand the offerings in this report and w...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved sharply, with estimated net losses narrowing to -$111/head from -$206/head the prior week. The recovery was driven by another firming in the boxed beef cutout, which rose to $379.00/cwt, while fed cattle prices softened modestly on the week. Even with the improvemen...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.5375/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.0325/bushel, down $0.135 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.9625/bushel, down $0.045 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $313.5/short ton, down...
Market Commentary: Crude Oil Rally and Crash Drives Whipsaw CBOT Action
The massive rally in energy markets remains the primary story underpinning ag markets. Front-month crude oil futures ripped higher overnight and traded above $100/brl for the first time since July 2022 before scoring an overnight high just shy of $120/brl. That strength pulled ag markets &ndash...
Process Standards as NTBs; Nazi Food
Process Standards as NTBs California’s Prop 12, which a House Agriculture Committee-passed farm bill is supposed to override, restricts the sale of pork and eggs in the state if not produced according to its restrictive standards. Such processing restrictions have long been used as nontar...
Iran War Hits Fertilizer Supply and Disrupts SMP Trade
Today the war in Iran has hit its 10th day. Iranian forces have sustained their retaliatory strikes on US military assets and other key infrastructure in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The latest Iranian attacks on Bahrain have damaged a water desalination plant. Further, more than a...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the seventh straight week. Funds added 125,000 contracts (27 percent) to their all-ags net long position, with buying in soybeans and corn primarily responsible for the move. ...
Market Commentary: War, Crude Oil Still Dominate
The geopolitics of war in Iran are said to now be eclipsing any market focus on next week’s USDA March WASDE report. Volumes were modest in today’s trading, but the message was nonetheless clear – shipping grain and inputs is getting complicated. Notably, the ratio of De...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.605/bushel, up $0.07 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1675/bushel, up $0.33 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0075/bushel, up $0.215 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $317.2/short ton, up $7.9 from ye...
Farm Bill Clears House of Representatives
After two days of mark-up, the so-called “skinny farm bill,” the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, cleared the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee by a vote of 34-17, with 7 Democrats joining all 27 Republicans voting in favor. It will now move to the House floor and...
Middle East Grain Trade Trends
Somewhat lost in the current discussion over the impacts of the conflict in Iran and the Persian Gulf is the impact on grain trade. The region is not usually at the top of grain market analysts’ thinking when it comes to major demand centers, yet it accounts for significant global grain c...
Transportation and Export Report - 5 March
As you might guess, it is all about the conflict in the Middle East this week when discussing anything connected to energy or freight markets. Rate estimates, fuel costs, and insurance premiums (if available) have all skyrocketed since the U.S. attacked Iran and Iran attacked 15 of its neighbor...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.535/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8375/bushel, up $0.155 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7925/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $309.3/short ton, down $0.6 f...
Market Commentary: Middle East Turmoil Keeps Commodities Higher
War-related upward pressure in petroleum prices continues to provide support to grain prices. Brent crude oil hit $85/barrel and WTI crude rose 8.5 percent, its biggest jump since July 2024 and the first time above $80/barrel in over a year. HRW hit its highest price in a year, corn broke throu...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 20-26, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 203,100 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 16 percent from the previous week and 42 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 348,900 MT were down 35 percent from the previous week and 24 percent fro...
Livestock Round Up: Preview of Feedlot Placements and Changing Canada Dynamics
Feeder cattle sales were up over a year ago in February, but much of that was due to February 2025 sales being light. Still, the increase in activity bears watching, both for what it implies about feedlot placements and for herd rebuilding. In the four weeks ending February 27, total feed...
Transportation Perspectives - 5 March
As you might guess, it is all about the conflict in the Middle East this week when discussing anything connected to energy or freight markets. Rate estimates, fuel costs, and insurance premiums (if available) have all skyrocketed since the U.S. attacked Iran and Iran attacked 15 of its neighbor...
Market Commentary: Geopolitics, Energy, and Macro Correlations Shape Agricultural Markets
Key Market Developments Markets opened mixed after reports that Iran signaled a willingness to discuss ending the conflict with the United States. Sentiment improved further after President Trump stated that U.S. strikes had significantly degraded Iranian military capabilities and outlined meas...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4375/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6825/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.695/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $309.9/short ton, down $...
Old World Order; People Not Plants; Tariff Refunds
Old World Order The geopolitical impacts of the war on Iran continue, but Wall Street recovered today, aided by strong employment data. Iran announced a ban on food exports to protect its own food security. The measure will impact sales of saffron, pistachios, dates, and other products. While o...
Market Commentary: Fundamentals in the Backseat; Conflict Impacts Driving Markets
Four days into the U.S.-Iran conflict, it is becoming apparent that the conflict will last longer than a few days, and impacts could be more widespread than expected. That sentiment drove macroeconomic and commodity futures markets on Tuesday, which meant risk-off trading in the macro sector an...
Schumer Planning a Bill to Force Divestiture in Meat Industry
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is currently seeking co-sponsors for a bill he will introduce as early as Thursday of this week, the Family Grocer and Farmer Relief Act. The plan promises to “break up dominant meatpackers, rein in foreign-controlled corporate giants, and use...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.74/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.705/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.7/short ton, up $1.8 from...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved sharply last week but remained deeply negative, with estimated net losses narrowing to -$206/head from the prior week’s extreme levels. The recovery was driven by a stronger boxed beef cutout, which rose to $371.62/cwt, while fed cattle prices moved lower on t...
Market Commentary: Gulf Conflict Creates Volatility but Little Support for Grains
The primary drivers of Monday’s grain trade were, of course, the U.S. and Israel’s weekend attacks on Iran that killed the latter country’s Supreme Leader Khamenei and the subsequent cascade of impacts on global markets. WPI covers these impacts in more detail in our nearby ar...
Conflict in the Gulf: Impacts on Shipping and Energy
For weeks now, global energy and geopolitical markets have been speculating about a possible conflict in the Middle East between Iran and the U.S., but they still seemed unprepared and entirely surprised by what happened this weekend. Without going into the details that news outlets have alrea...
Transatlantic Sensitivities; Political Calculations
Transatlantic Sensitivities The frustration between the U.S. and Europe runs both ways, but the calculation is still one of mutual need, as articulated by American Secretary of State Marco Rubio at last month’s Munich Security Conference. Two recent data points will exasperate the White H...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.4575/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.7725/bushel, down $0.1425 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.64/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $312.9/short ton, down...
RVO Math Still Missing Some Key Factors, Affecting Planting Decisions?
The market is still waiting for the 2026-2027 required volume obligation (RVO) to be announced. The expectation is that it will come by the end of this month; the proposed rule was issued in June 2025, referred to as the “Set 2” rule because there are several proposals that are re-s...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds further expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the sixth straight week. Funds added 176,000 contracts (60 percent) to their all-ags net long position, with strong and mostly uniform buying across the ag sector. The soy co...
Market Commentary: Green Despite Many Obstacles
There was mostly green on the board for Friday and for the week as a whole. Another contract high was printed by soyoil as higher energies, higher inflation, and heightened geopolitical tensions all favored commodities. There are some topical contrasts. For example, the cattle market is t...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.485/bushel, up $0.05 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.915/bushel, up $0.17 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.7075/bushel, up $0.0725 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.5/short ton, down $0.4 from...
Cold Storage Report: Up over Last Month, Down on the Year
The Cold Storage report for January showed that red meat and poultry supplies rose from the month ending December, but total supplies are down from a year ago and well below the 5-year average. Total supplies were 1.878 billion pounds, down 2.5 percent from a year ago. This indicates a tighteni...
Hogs and Pork Outlook
The recent volatility in lean hog futures — from fresh contract highs at the end of January to the dramatic early-February selloff — has many in the industry (and WPI clients) wondering what will happen next. WPI’s latest analysis indicates that while pork demand remains stron...
Transportation and Export Report - 26 February
The start of 2026 has been the exact opposite of what dry bulk markets and traders expected at the end of 2025. Typically, the Lunar New Year and post-holiday demand lulls mean that Q1 freight rates are often the weakest of the year. This year, however, rates rallied sharply on unexpected deman...
Market Commentary: Late Corn Rally; Soyoil Aborts Complex; Wheat Splits
A mostly bullish overnight session was not sustained, splitting the soy complex and wheat. Corn rallied late to avert a loss. The morning opened with USDA’s Export Sales report reflecting the turn by buyers to lower-cost sources. There was good volume trading corn and the soy complex, and...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.745/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.9/short ton, down $0.9 fr...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 13-19, 2026 Wheat: Net sales of 243,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 16 percent from the previous week and 43 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 540,000 MT were up 67 percent from the previous week and 28 percent...
Livestock Round Up: Wholesale Protein CPI
During the State of the Union (SOTU) address, President Trump made several claims about food prices, citing reductions in costs to consumers. Food inflation is a major issue for voters, and the President is hyper-focused on beef prices in particular prior to the 2026 mid-term elections. The fin...
U.S. Soy & Product Export Trends
With soybean and soy product exports frequently in the headlines amid the ongoing tariff and policy shifts from Washington, examining export trends is increasingly important. Thursday’s updated Export Sales report from the USDA offered some interesting statistics for these markets, and WP...
Transportation Perspectives - 26 February
The start of 2026 has been the exact opposite of what dry bulk markets and traders expected at the end of 2025. Typically, the Lunar New Year and post-holiday demand lulls mean that Q1 freight rates are often the weakest of the year. This year, however, rates rallied sharply on unexpected deman...
Market Commentary: Stable Policy, Conditional Demand, Weather Emerging as the Next Risk
Key Market Developments While tariffs were not addressed directly in the State of the Union, trade policy remains steady. Reports during today’s session confirmed that U.S. tariffs on China will remain in the 35 percent–50 percent range, signaling limited escalation ahead of upcomin...
Policy Roundup
Fuzzy Math Among President Trump’s various assertions in last night’s State of the Union address was that tariffs would someday replace the income tax, but that is a mathematical impossibility. The value of imported goods is around $3 trillion, and the income tax generates nearly $5...
Summary of Futures
May 26 Corn closed at $4.42/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6975/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.65/bushel, up $0.0975 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $321.8/short ton, up $7.4 from...
Market Commentary: Soybeans Rally on PNW Export Rumors; Grains Ease on Profit Taking
The soy complex was the upside leader again on rumors of Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans from the PNW, as well as some harvest and quality issues in Brazil. Soyoil continued to find support from hopes that the EPA will release its biofuel policy obligations in the coming few days, though no...
Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs: Out with Old, In with New
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld a lower court ruling that the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were “contrary to the law.” However, as President Trump noted, the opinion remained silent on the issue of rebatin...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2775/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.7325/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5525/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.4/short ton, up $1.9 f...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated sharply last week, with estimated net margins falling to -$330.80/hd, down $60.58/hd week over week. The Choice cutout held nearly flat at $365.62/cwt, but fed cattle prices continued to climb, with live steers at $246.91/cwt and dressed prices surging to $387.9...
Market Commentary: SCOTUS Ruling, South America Weather Send CBOT Lower
The CBOT turned lower on Monday, with the back-and-forth action of the Supreme Court and President Trump regarding tariffs on foreign imports driving volatility. For the ag markets, the biggest impact of the SCOTUS ruling seems to be doubts that China will adhere to its soybean purchase plan, a...
Tariff Confusion Fun; Practical Judgements and Threats to Food; Glypho Confusion; Food Inflation
Tariff Confusion Fun Reactions to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that general use of tariffs is not within the President’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) have been wildly diverse. Mass media headlines initially celebrated the “smack do...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, up $0 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.7375/bushel, down $0.065 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.4975/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. May 26 Soymeal closed at $312.5/short ton, down $1.3 fro...
Cattle on Feed Report: Bullish Outlook
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released Friday. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity was 11.5 million head, unchanged from last month, but 98 percent of last year. Marketings totaled 1.63 million head, or 87 percent of last year, in li...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Friday’s CFTC report showed funds expanding long positions across the major ag futures contracts for the fifth straight week. Funds added 95,000 contracts to their all-ags net long position, with buying in the soy complex driving about two-thirds of the increase. The soy complex saw...
Cattle on Feed - Feb 1, 2026
U.S. Cattle on Feed in feedlots totaled 11.5 million head on February 1, 2026 - 2 percent below Feb 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during January totaled 1.74 million head, 5 percent below 2025. Marketings during January totaled 1.63 million head, 13 percent below 2025. ...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for February 6-12, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 288,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 41 percent from the previous week and 44 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 322,600 MT were down 44 percent from the previous week and 26 percen...
Market Commentary: Outside Market Noise, but Fundamentals Prevail
Overall economic data released earlier on Friday presented a mixed picture, and that was followed by a long-expected court ruling on Trump tariffs. This week had lots of geopolitical uncertainties, from a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East to peace talks between Russia and Ukraine going s...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.8025/bushel, up $0.135 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.375/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $309.8/short ton, up $5 from...
IEEPA Tariffs Struck Down, Outlook for Livestock and Poultry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Outlook Forum is taking place this week, covering key agricultural topics, unveiling the 10-year long-term baseline forecast, and providing commodity outlook updates. Further, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the International Emergency E...
Thoughts on USDA Ag Outlook Numbers
The USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF) featured the agency’s first look at the 2026/27 balance sheet for the major U.S. crops and livestock products. For corn, wheat, and soybeans, this year’s numbers were in line with expectations and did not spark much reaction f...
Transportation and Export Report - 19 February
Dry bulk ocean freight markets are once again seeing diverging trends across the Atlantic and Pacific basins. Key to this divergence is the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which started last weekend and will last through 3 March. That is putting much of Asia on hold for trading and vessel inqui...
Market Commentary: Mostly Bullish Except Corn Where Production Will Fall
USDA issued its major S&D crop forecast for the upcoming crop season at its annual Outlook Conference. Although generally bullish for corn and bearish for soybeans, with a modest shift in plantings from beans to corn, the report had minimal market impact except perhaps in long-dated new cro...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report for February will be released tomorrow. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 98.4 percent of a year ago. Those estimates imply an on-feed inventory of 11.53 million head. The total inventory on feed...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef complex margins weakened further in the week ending 14 February 2026, with estimated beef packer net margins sliding to -$270.22/hd (down $22.78/hd week over week) as higher cattle costs continued to outrun product values. The Choice cutout edged up to $365.30/cwt, but fed cattle prices mo...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2575/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close. May 26 Wheat closed at $5.6675/bushel, up $0.1425 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.41/bushel, up $0.075 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $304.8/short ton, up $0.9 fr...
Transportation Perspectives - 19 February
Dry bulk ocean freight markets are once again seeing diverging trends across the Atlantic and Pacific basins. Key to this divergence is the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which started last weekend and will last through 3 March. That is putting much of Asia on hold for trading and vessel inqui...
Market Commentary: Grain Markets Navigate Energy Risk and Dollar Strength
Key Market Developments Today’s theme was geopolitics and economics. Tension between the United States and Iran escalated despite reports of an “understanding” reached during Tuesday’s nuclear discussions. Iran temporarily shut parts of the Strait of Hormuz during milita...
Tariff Impacts; HPF: the New Climate Change
Tariff Impacts Calculating the impacts of President Trump’s tariffs is heavy fodder for economists. Many made predictions about their impacts long before the rubber even met the road. Predictions of a tariff-caused recession have been debunked, and there is little impact on inflation. Now...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.27/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.47/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.335/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303.9/short ton, down $1.9 fro...
Market Commentary: Weather Pressures Grains; Crush Pace Boosts Soybeans
The CBOT managed to recover from a dramatic overnight plunge with soybeans leading the fight to put values back in the green. Most of the news coming out of the weekend was bearish – between larger Russian wheat crop projections, the advancing South American harvests, and generally favora...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2625/bushel, down $0.055 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3775/bushel, down $0.11 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.34/bushel, up $0.01 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $305.8/short ton, down $3.4 fr...
House Farm Bill Text Released
Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania), released the text of the farm bill on Friday. Markup is scheduled for next week. Some key highlights are shown below. Commodities: Directs reporting on dairy production expenses to ensure that producer costs ar...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
The attached PDF offers graphical depiction and seasonal analysis of managed money and commercial traders' net position in key agricultural commodity markets. The data is, of course, taken from the CFTC's weekly Commitment of Traders report, using the futures only data. WPI recently completed a...
Market Commentary: Mixed to Lower on Safety Ahead of the Long Weekend
There was both a lot and not much going on this Friday the 13th in November. The fundamentals are unchanged, but some riskier positions were neutralized and some profits taken ahead of the long weekend, with the federal holiday closing down futures markets on Monday. Volume was generally lower,...
President's Day
In observance of Presidents’ Day, both the CME/CBOT and our offices will be closed on Monday, 16 February. The next edition of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 17 February...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.3175/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.4875/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.33/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $309.2/short ton, up $1.3...
Who is Paying for U.S. Tariffs?
Over the course of 2025, the average tariff rate on U.S. imports increased from 2.6 percent at the beginning of the year to 13 percent by year-end. It then spiked in April and May, when tariffs on Chinese goods were raised by 125 percentage points, before being reversed by 115 percentage points...
WPI Spring Acreage Outlook
Heading into the USDA’s annual Ag Outlook Forum (AOF) next week, there is heightened speculation and anticipation about what the 2026/27 crop outlook will be. WPI updated our acreage forecasting models to help clients know what to expect—most likely—from the upcoming AOF forec...
Transportation and Export Report - 13 February 2026
U.S. grain transportation markets are slowly recovering from the shocks of bitter cold weather and low water levels on the Mississippi River System and from the surge in export demand. The latter is also causing strong rallies in ocean freight markets, particularly in the Atlantic basin. With g...
Market Commentary: China Headlines and Technical Buying Lift CBOT
Key Market Developments Markets head into Friday’s CPI report expecting a 0.3 percent month-over-month increase in both headline and core inflation, keeping year-over-year readings near +2.5 percent. That matters — but perhaps not as much as it would have a few weeks ago. This week&...
Sovereignty and Competitiveness; USMCA Battle
Sovereignty and Competitiveness So-called food sovereignty has animated European politics for decades. Now there is AI sovereignty because English is annoying or a national security risk. Taxes, regulations, and fines are thrown at dominant foreign companies to the point that Bloomberg says som...
Livestock Round Up: Cattle Margins and Distribution
The recent February World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report forecast beef production to increase in 2026 due to greater slaughter of steers and heifers, increased cow slaughter, and heavier dressed weights, all of which will provide some relief to the beef market. Also, th...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.3125/bushel, up $0.0375 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.525/bushel, up $0.1525 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.3725/bushel, up $0.1325 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $307.9/short ton, up $4.9 fr...
Export Sales
Export Sales and Shipments for January 30-February 5, 2026. Wheat: Net sales of 488,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were up 31 percent from the previous week and 14 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 580,000 MT were up 44 percent from the previous week and 59 percent...
A Year in Review: Impact of Tariffs on Agricultural and Food Processing Machinery
We now have nearly a year of data to work with on the impact of the Trump Administration’s tariffs. When they were first announced, there was quite a bit of conjecture and some sophisticated economic analysis about how trade flows would be impacted. This brief analysis will focus br...
Transportation Perspectives - 12 February
U.S. grain transportation markets are slowly recovering from the shocks of bitter cold weather and low water levels on the Mississippi River System and from the surge in export demand. The latter is also causing strong rallies in ocean freight markets, particularly in the Atlantic basin. With g...
Market Commentary: Mixed But Steady with an Outside Surprise
The U.S. created more new jobs in January than expected, especially in healthcare. And there was more ethanol produced last week than the market expected. Soyoil hit a new contract high, but South American production continues to look quite substantial. The mixed news produced mixed results, bu...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins weakened further last week, with estimated net losses widening to -$247/head, extending the deterioration seen through late January. Boxed beef values were firmer last week, but gains failed to offset increases in fed cattle prices, resulting in additional margin compression...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.275/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3725/bushel, up $0.09 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.24/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303/short ton, up $2.2 from ye...
WASDE Wheat - Feb 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. wheat is unchanged for exports and slightly higher ending stocks to 931 million bushels - 9 percent higher than last year and the largest since 2019/20. The projected 2025/26 season-average farm price remains at $4.90 per bushel. The global outlook fo...
Market Commentary: WASDE Confirms Big Supply, Big Demand; Soybeans Gain on Brazil Quality
The headline numbers from the February WASDE – the South American production estimates – were mostly in line with expectations, which is to say the massive Brazilian soybean crop was found to be even more so. USDA increased its assessment of the Brazilian crop to a new record, which...
WPI Website Security Update - 10 February
On the morning of 9 February, WPI identified unauthorized activity on our website server. Upon discovery, we immediately secured the website and server, took the necessary and advisable steps to examine the environment for comprimises, and deployed the website to a new, secure server. Our...
New World Screwworm Facility in the U.S.
In June 2025, Secretary Rollins announced a five-pronged plan to enhance USDA’s ability to detect, control, and eliminate NWS. As part of that announcement, she also shared plans to build a sterile NWS fly dispersal facility in South Texas. That announcement was made on 30 January, when U...
WASDE Soybeans - Feb 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. soybean supply and use projections are unchanged. As a result, the season-average soybean price is projected unchanged at $10.20 per bushel. Soybean meal and oil prices are unchanged at $295 per short ton and 53 cents per pound. Global 2025/26 soybean endin...
WASDE Corn - Feb 2026
USDA’s outlook for 2025/26 U.S. corn is for greater exports and lower ending stocks. Exports are increased 100 million bushels to 3.3 billion, reflecting sales and shipments to date. With no supply changes and use increasing, corn ending stocks are down 100 million bushels to 2.1 billion...
Market Commentary: CBOT Turns Lower on Weather, Pre-WASDE Consolidation
Except for the red-hot soyoil market, the CBOT was mostly lower on Monday, with favorable South American weather and pre-WASDE position adjustment driving the day’s mentality. Corn, wheat, and soybeans all settled slightly lower Monday in either consolidative trade or a continuation of ch...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2875/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.2875/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1075/bushel, down $0.045 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $297.8/short ton, down $5...
Argentina Beef Imports Outlook for 2026
At the 2026 Cattle Industry Convention, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urged producers to expand the beef herd in a “fireside chat” with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Buck Wehrbein. Kennedy, however, acknowledged that he...
New Trade Agreements
Just as Donald Trump’s dismantling of the world order is said to have motivated Europe’s conclusion of trade agreements with Mercosur and India, his trade agreements with India and Argentina are thought to have been motivated by Europe’s trade moves. A novel question: who is f...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
WPI recently expanded our analysis of the weekly CFTC Commitments of Traders data to include reports on the regime (trending, cyclical, or transition) of each commodity we include. This addition will make it easier for clients to draw actionable inferences from the data that can support trading...
Market Commentary: Geopolitics Skews the Week
It was another day of big volume in the soy complex. While soybeans closed higher for a fourth session, corn and wheat failed to follow, or perhaps their drag pulled soybeans back to fundamental reality. There are still no new export sales. The Chinese are smart, and if they intend to buy...
Biofuels Policy: 45Z and E15
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has signed off on a rule for the 45Z tax credit. The credit was created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 during the Biden Administration for the production and sale of low-emission transportation fuels. It was updated and extended as part of the r...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.3025/bushel, down $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.2975/bushel, down $0.055 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1525/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303.6/short ton, up $0.4...
Volatility and Opportunity Abound in Soy Pricing
Soybean futures and the broader soy complex saw heightened volatility this week on a combination of domestic and international demand drivers. Following these moves, it is relevant to examine what seasonal pricing patterns suggest for the futures market, as well as what the implications are for...
Transportation and Export Report for 4 February 2025
U.S. grain transportation markets remain skewed by the impacts of cold weather and low water levels on the Mississippi River System, which have pushed spot CIF and FOB values sharply higher. Internationally, the recovery in ocean freight rates continues, with strong demand in the Atlantic while...
Herrington Becomes President of World Perspectives, Inc.
Washington, DC—World Perspectives, Inc. (WPI) is a leading agricultural market analysis and consulting firm making a leadership transition marking an important milestone in the firm’s development. After years of distinguished service as President & CEO, Gary Blumenthal has stepp...
Market Commentary: Soybean Spillover Rides Another Day
There was high-volume trading in soybeans again today after hitting record levels yesterday. The enthusiasm carried over to corn and soymeal as well, and there was good volume trading in soyoil contracts. There is understandable skepticism that China would pay 80 cents/bushel more for U.S. soyb...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.35/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.3525/bushel, up $0.085 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.1225/bushel, up $0.2 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $303.2/short ton, up $7 from yeste...
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Markets still do not know how to react to President Trump’s announcement that he has completed a trade deal with India. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says the details are being papered, or written up, now. The deal has sparked a transatlantic war of words, with Brussels mocking...