A Closer, More Complex Look at Inflation
Although inflation has remained elevated since the post-COVID surge, it steadily moderated until the past year. More to the point, today’s inflation looks very different from 2022, when the Consumer Price Index (CPI) peaked at 9 percent. During and after the pandemic, the M2 money supply...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.415/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.9125/bushel, down $0.08 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $11.9375/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $319.2/short ton, up $2 from y...
Market Commentary: Grain Markets Look to WASDE for Direction
What You Need to Know Today: Market attention is shifting toward Tuesday’s USDA WASDE report, with analysts anticipating a modest reduction in U.S. corn production estimates and an increase in soybean production. The report could provide fresh direction for grain markets as traders reass...
Global Soybean Crush Margin Forecasts
Key Takeaways: WPI’s forecasts call for physical U.S. soybean crushing margins to weaken over the next four months and average $4.44/bushel by late February, while CBOT futures margins should rise modestly to about $2.40/bushel. A key catalyst for this is the expectation that U.S...
“Lame Duck” and “Farm Bill”: Mutually Exclusive?
The election is over – for the most part. Counting is still underway in some states, including Alaska, where a ranked-choice voting system is in place for the Senate race, and Mississippi, as well as in some House districts. But as of now, Democrats have secured at least 54 Senate seats,...
Wheat Technology: Drought Resistance and Consumer Acceptance
Look away for a moment, and technology will surprise you in some way that you could not foresee or even imagine. If you are in the wheat business as a farmer, a miller, or a baker, you might know something about hybrid wheat, genetically engineered wheat, and gene-edited wheat. These products h...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Managed money sold a net 235,000 agricultural futures contracts during the week, cutting the aggregate net long 52.8 percent to 210,000 contracts. Funds have reduced their aggregate agricultural net long by 423,000 contracts over the past two weeks, with this week’s selling exceeding the...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.9925/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $11.8825/bushel, down $0.14 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $317.2/short ton, down $1.4...
Market Commentary: Equity Market Selloff Weighs on Agricultural Commodities
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. equities declined sharply Thursday, reversing Wednesday’s post-election rally as investors continued selling technology stocks amid concerns that Democratic gains in the midterm elections could slow investment in artificial intelligence and data center d...
Livestock Roundup: Meat State Shake Up on Senate Agriculture Committee
The Senate Agriculture Committee will undergo significant changes in the new Congress beginning in January 2027, including several major shifts in meat-producing states. The Democratic Party’s tsunami swept Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) out of office, and out of the seat once held by...
Milk Pricing with The Calf in the Ledger
What dairy breakeven looks like with and without the beef-on-dairy boom To put a dollar value on that question, this analysis removes the calf check from the USDA ledger and examines how many of the last five years would have reached breakeven without it. Key Takeaways: Milk and other income a...
Transportation Perspectives - 5 November
Key Takeaways: Fresh North Atlantic cargoes lifted Capesize hire even as iron ore voyage assessments eased, giving owners the most leverage on transatlantic business. Australian coal helped turn Panamax rates higher, but a sustained Atlantic recovery will require more grain bookings from the A...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4425/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.0225/bushel, down $0.1175 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $318.6/short ton, up $0...
Market Commentary: The Votes Are In. The Market’s Still Deciding.
The US election is over, but the market’s debate is just beginning. A shift in Washington’s balance of power is changing policy expectations, while developments involving Iran and an early decline in the dollar are adding to the uncertainty. Now traders must decide how much of that...
Blue Wave Crashes on Ag Policy
Key Takeaways: The 2026 U.S. Midterm elections surprised many pundits and have created significant changes in how agriculture and major agricultural production states will be represented in Congress. Details on how candidates expect to address agricultural issues are still limited, and no offi...
Japan’s Agricultural Import Dependence Supports Consistent Demand
Key Takeaways: Japan’s mountainous geography and limited farmland constrain domestic agricultural production, while its highly developed economy and substantial purchasing power make it one of the world’s most important agricultural import markets. Japan’s calorie-based food...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.425/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.9975/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.14/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $318/short ton, down $1...
Market Commentary: Ags Turn Red as Election Map Blinks Blue
What You Need to Know Today: Corn broke sharply lower after overnight headlines that U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian officials would meet for peace talks on 10 and 11 November. Mexico made its second large purchase of U.S. corn in as many days, bringing total purchases this week to just over 2 MM...
EUDR Compliance Could Shift Global Soymeal Trade Flows
Key Takeaways: The EU's new deforestation regulations, taking effect 30 December 2026, could alter global soymeal trade through stricter traceability requirements and higher compliance costs. Brazil's complex supply chains are likely to complicate compliance with the new regulations, potential...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved to $89/head last week, up $53 from the prior week as declining fed cattle prices more than offset weaker beef cutout values. Fed cattle prices fell $3.35/cwt to $224/cwt while the Choice cutout declined $2.49/cwt to $366/cwt, improving packer profits. Despite the re...
Port Strike Averted, but New Deadline Looming and Pork Market Precarious
The brewing West Coast port strike involving about 250 maritime watchmen, or approximately 2 percent of port employees, has been postponed until 5 November after the workers agreed to extend the strike deadline. The watchmen control and inspect truck and employee access at terminal gates. A sho...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4825/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.065/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.1675/bushel, down $0.175 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $319.6/short ton, down $5 from...
Market Commentary: Corn Rebounds on Exports; Bears Control CBOT and CME Otherwise
What You Need to Know Today: Funds remain in control of the market, which means broadly bearish trade for the ag sector. Monday’s massive corn export sale to Mexico helped trigger some short covering and a bit of other end-user buying in corn, which could help stabilize the market. Wheat...
Election Eve Outlook: Crisis in Agricultural Policy and the Elections
With less than 24 hours until Election Day, control of the Senate remains a wild card. Republicans and Democrats alike say they are poised to win control of the chamber in the new Congress that starts in January 2027. The House of Representatives is more of a lost cause for continued Republican...
Pork Market Weakness Extends Beyond Seasonal Pressures
Key Takeaways: U.S. hog and pork prices have declined sharply, with December lean hog futures ending October at $58.875/cwt and the pork cutout reaching its lowest level since January 2021. Seasonal increases in hog slaughter and pork production have contributed to price weakness, although the...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Managed money was a net seller across agricultural markets for the sixth straight week, liquidating a net 189,000 contracts through Tuesday's reporting deadline and reducing the combined net-long position by 29.8 percent to 444,000 contracts. The selling accelerated for the third consecutive we...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4775/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.035/bushel, down $0.0025 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.3425/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $324.6/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: Cattle Futures Slide as Grain Markets Remain Under Pressure
What You Need to Know Today: Cattle futures extended their sharp selloff Friday as weakening cash cattle prices, deteriorating feedlot profitability, and reduced packer demand continued to weigh on the market. The inability of futures to sustain a rally following last week's bullish Cattle on...
Fed Holds Steady Prior to Election as GDP and Inflation Pressures Grow
As predicted, the Federal Reserve held rates steady at the last meeting before the midterm elections, likely in part because of the election (see WPI 19 October and 22 September). The decision comes at the tail end of a midterm election cycle that has been marked by the two parties campaigning...
How Tariffs Are Affecting U.S. Food and Agricultural Imports
Key Takeaways: The tariff burden rose sharply in 2025 and 2026: the effective rate on imports in HTS Chapters 1–24 increased from 1.53 percent in 2024 to 6.11 percent in 2025, before averaging 5.68 percent in January–August 2026. Headline rates tell only part of the story: exemptio...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.5125/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.0375/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.3475/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $329.3/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: More Tricks Than Treats
Markets are getting into the Halloween spirit, handing out more tricks than treats. There has been some encouraging news, but it hasn’t been enough to slow the broader slide. Now buyers need to show up with something other than another “Charlie Brown” rock for the bag. Somethi...
Livestock Roundup: New AMS Reports and NWS Update
The new USDA report from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, the newly dubbed South Central Daily Direct Slaughter Cattle Report Summary, showed that negotiated cash trade in the region as of Tuesday was mostly inactive, with only ligh...
Leading Corn Exporters Serve Different Markets
Key Takeaways: The United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Ukraine dominate global corn exports, with geography, trade relationships, and seasonal production patterns shaping their competitive advantages. U.S. corn exports reached a record 87.1 MMT in 2025/26, with Mexico, Japan, South Korea, an...
The Wrong Side of the Ledger: Calf Prices Carried Dairy Since 2021, and Now They Are Straining the Herd
Key Takeaways: Milk alone has not covered the full economic cost in any year since 2021: milk revenue fell short by $4.50, $2.15, $6.50, $1.27 and $2.34 per hundredweight in 2021 through 2025. Calf and cattle prices decided whether dairies cleared cost: cattle and other income lifted total rev...
Transportation Perspectives - 29 October
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets are mixed with Capesize rates seeing solid gains while Panamax values slipped on a growing tonnage list. Supramax and Handysize vessels were stronger, though all sectors remain vulnerable to the seasonal dip in rates through Q4 and into Q1. Falling water l...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.5175/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.99/bushel, down $0.1125 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.38/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $335.7/short ton, up $1.1 from...
Market Commentary: Cattle and Hog Markets Face Pressure
What You Need to Know Today: The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.75 to 4.0 percent Wednesday, with two officials dissenting in favor of a 25-basis-point increase. The Fed upgraded its assessment of economic growth from "solid" to "strong" but adopted a more patient approa...
U.S. Soymeal Supply and Demand Outlook
Key Takeaways: Expected growth in U.S. soybean crushing capacity and output, driven by biofuel demand, will increase domestic soymeal supplies, with production growth significantly outpacing demand. WPI forecasts soymeal production increasing from 65.8 million short tons in 2026/27 to 70.5 mil...
FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 28 October)
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 “How To”...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4875/bushel, down $0.0625 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.1025/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2925/bushel, down $0.12 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $334.6/short ton, down...
Market Commentary: Grains Remain Under Pressure as New Mexico Cattle Border Reopens
What You Need to Know Today: A third U.S. border crossing (Columbus, New Mexico) has reopened to Mexican cattle imports following nearly two years of restrictions related to New World screwworm. The reopening could gradually improve feeder cattle availability, although more than 60 confi...
Inaugural New Fed Cattle Report Was a Bust
Yesterday, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released a new report of negotiated cash purchases of cattle under the mandatory price report. The report included Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The goal of the report was to solve the confidentiality issues e...
A Long-Run View of U.S. Soybean Crushing
Key Takeaways: U.S. soybean crushing began in 1911 and saw its most rapid expansion during the 1930s amid the broader agricultural and technology revolutions of the time. After peaking in the early 2000s, the soybean crushing industry went through a downturn as poor crush margins forced...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins plunged $105/head last week to $36/head as higher cattle prices combined with declining wholesale beef values to sharply compress packer profits. Fed cattle prices rose nearly $3/cwt to $227/cwt while the Choice cutout fell $4.75/cwt to $368/cwt. Margins have deteriorated $1...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.55/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.16/bushel, down $0.09 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.4125/bushel, down $0.1525 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $340.2/short ton, down $5.9 f...
Market Commentary: Brazil’s Election Results Have Broader Market Implications
What You Need to Know Today: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured reelection on Sunday, defeating right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro despite trailing in the first round of voting. The surprise victory triggered a sharp selloff in Brazilian financial market...
Congressional Flip May Hinge on Agriculture
The 2026 midterm elections are a week from tomorrow, but early voting has been taking place for weeks. At stake is control of Congress, including the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats are contested, and the Senate, where approximately one-third of the seats are up for election. Farm...
2027 Acreage Outlook: Oilseed Expansion Continues
Key Takeaways: Total U.S. crop acres (excluding hay) are forecast to expand fractionally this year due to greater oilseed crop and winter wheat plantings. One of the key drivers of this year’s crop outlook is input costs, and crops with a lower cost profile have an advantage in producers...
Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Bearish Week on a Mixed Note; Bullish COF and Cold Storage Data
What You Need to Know Today: Crude oil prices extended their rally today, supported by several developments, including escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure and growing concerns about supply disruptions. The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to remove 50 perc...
The Ag Trade Balance: Gradually and Suddenly
Key Takeaways: The agricultural trade surplus has become a sizable deficit: the balance swung from a $40.1 billion surplus in 2011 to a $40.7 billion deficit in 2025. Imports kept growing while exports lost momentum: between 2020 and 2025, agricultural imports increased 45 percent, compa...
Cattle on Feed Report: Record-Low Placements and Marketings Extend Their Streaks
USDA released its October Cattle on Feed report Friday, showing 11.4 million cattle in feedlots with capacity for 1,000 head or more, slightly below last year. September placements were the lowest for the month since records began in 1996, marking the third consecutive month of placements sett...
Cold Storage Report Summary and Analysis
Total Red Meat & Poultry September 2026 total red meat and poultry stocks totaled 1.97 billion pounds, down 1.4 percent from August despite typically increasing 0.8 percent during the month, and were 1.5 percent below September 2025 levels. The decline pushed total inventories to a new five...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Managed money was a net seller across agricultural markets for the fifth straight week, selling a net 159,000 contracts through Tuesday's reporting deadline and reducing the combined net-long position by 20.1 percent to 633,000 contracts. Corn again accounted for roughly half the weekly selling...
Cattle on Feed - Oct 2026
U.S. Cattle on Feed for the slaughter totaled 11.4 million head on October 1, 2026. Placements in feedlots during September totaled 1.78 million head - 12 percent below 2025. Marketings of cattle during September totaled 1.52 million head - 7 percent below 2025. Marketings were the...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.56/bushel, down $0.045 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.25/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.565/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $346.1/short ton, down $1.2 from...
Market Commentary: Strong Export Sales Support Grains; Screwworm Concerns Grow
What You Need to Know Today: New World screwworm is back in the headlines after new cases were found in a hunter-harvested elk in Texas and a beef cow in New Mexico. The detection in wildlife could further complicate containment efforts, as implementing effective biosecurity measures is consid...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview, Fed Cattle Report Changes, Feedlot Closures
Cattle on Feed Expectations USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report that will show cattle inventory statistics as of 1 October will be released tomorrow, 23 October. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 100.3 percent of last year, which imp...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.605/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.2475/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.53/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $347.3/short ton, down $1 f...
Transportation Perspectives - 22 October
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets remain mixed with Capesize rates turning around from their recent weakness and posting solid gains on improved Chinese demand. Panamax vessels, on the other hand, saw rates decline amid greater tonnage availability in the South Atlantic and falling U.S. Gu...
A Closer, More Complex Look at Inflation
Although inflation has remained elevated since the post-COVID surge, it steadily moderated until the past year. More to the point, today’s inflation looks very different from 2022, when the Consumer Price Index (CPI) peaked at 9 percent. During and after the pandemic, the M2 money supply...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.415/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.9125/bushel, down $0.08 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $11.9375/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $319.2/short ton, up $2 from y...
Market Commentary: Grain Markets Look to WASDE for Direction
What You Need to Know Today: Market attention is shifting toward Tuesday’s USDA WASDE report, with analysts anticipating a modest reduction in U.S. corn production estimates and an increase in soybean production. The report could provide fresh direction for grain markets as traders reass...
Global Soybean Crush Margin Forecasts
Key Takeaways: WPI’s forecasts call for physical U.S. soybean crushing margins to weaken over the next four months and average $4.44/bushel by late February, while CBOT futures margins should rise modestly to about $2.40/bushel. A key catalyst for this is the expectation that U.S...
“Lame Duck” and “Farm Bill”: Mutually Exclusive?
The election is over – for the most part. Counting is still underway in some states, including Alaska, where a ranked-choice voting system is in place for the Senate race, and Mississippi, as well as in some House districts. But as of now, Democrats have secured at least 54 Senate seats,...
Wheat Technology: Drought Resistance and Consumer Acceptance
Look away for a moment, and technology will surprise you in some way that you could not foresee or even imagine. If you are in the wheat business as a farmer, a miller, or a baker, you might know something about hybrid wheat, genetically engineered wheat, and gene-edited wheat. These products h...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Managed money sold a net 235,000 agricultural futures contracts during the week, cutting the aggregate net long 52.8 percent to 210,000 contracts. Funds have reduced their aggregate agricultural net long by 423,000 contracts over the past two weeks, with this week’s selling exceeding the...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4/bushel, down $0.0425 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.9925/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $11.8825/bushel, down $0.14 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $317.2/short ton, down $1.4...
Market Commentary: Equity Market Selloff Weighs on Agricultural Commodities
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. equities declined sharply Thursday, reversing Wednesday’s post-election rally as investors continued selling technology stocks amid concerns that Democratic gains in the midterm elections could slow investment in artificial intelligence and data center d...
Livestock Roundup: Meat State Shake Up on Senate Agriculture Committee
The Senate Agriculture Committee will undergo significant changes in the new Congress beginning in January 2027, including several major shifts in meat-producing states. The Democratic Party’s tsunami swept Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) out of office, and out of the seat once held by...
Milk Pricing with The Calf in the Ledger
What dairy breakeven looks like with and without the beef-on-dairy boom To put a dollar value on that question, this analysis removes the calf check from the USDA ledger and examines how many of the last five years would have reached breakeven without it. Key Takeaways: Milk and other income a...
Transportation Perspectives - 5 November
Key Takeaways: Fresh North Atlantic cargoes lifted Capesize hire even as iron ore voyage assessments eased, giving owners the most leverage on transatlantic business. Australian coal helped turn Panamax rates higher, but a sustained Atlantic recovery will require more grain bookings from the A...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4425/bushel, up $0.0175 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.985/bushel, down $0.0125 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.0225/bushel, down $0.1175 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $318.6/short ton, up $0...
Market Commentary: The Votes Are In. The Market’s Still Deciding.
The US election is over, but the market’s debate is just beginning. A shift in Washington’s balance of power is changing policy expectations, while developments involving Iran and an early decline in the dollar are adding to the uncertainty. Now traders must decide how much of that...
Blue Wave Crashes on Ag Policy
Key Takeaways: The 2026 U.S. Midterm elections surprised many pundits and have created significant changes in how agriculture and major agricultural production states will be represented in Congress. Details on how candidates expect to address agricultural issues are still limited, and no offi...
Japan’s Agricultural Import Dependence Supports Consistent Demand
Key Takeaways: Japan’s mountainous geography and limited farmland constrain domestic agricultural production, while its highly developed economy and substantial purchasing power make it one of the world’s most important agricultural import markets. Japan’s calorie-based food...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.425/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.9975/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.14/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $318/short ton, down $1...
Market Commentary: Ags Turn Red as Election Map Blinks Blue
What You Need to Know Today: Corn broke sharply lower after overnight headlines that U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian officials would meet for peace talks on 10 and 11 November. Mexico made its second large purchase of U.S. corn in as many days, bringing total purchases this week to just over 2 MM...
EUDR Compliance Could Shift Global Soymeal Trade Flows
Key Takeaways: The EU's new deforestation regulations, taking effect 30 December 2026, could alter global soymeal trade through stricter traceability requirements and higher compliance costs. Brazil's complex supply chains are likely to complicate compliance with the new regulations, potential...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins improved to $89/head last week, up $53 from the prior week as declining fed cattle prices more than offset weaker beef cutout values. Fed cattle prices fell $3.35/cwt to $224/cwt while the Choice cutout declined $2.49/cwt to $366/cwt, improving packer profits. Despite the re...
Port Strike Averted, but New Deadline Looming and Pork Market Precarious
The brewing West Coast port strike involving about 250 maritime watchmen, or approximately 2 percent of port employees, has been postponed until 5 November after the workers agreed to extend the strike deadline. The watchmen control and inspect truck and employee access at terminal gates. A sho...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4825/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.065/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.1675/bushel, down $0.175 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $319.6/short ton, down $5 from...
Market Commentary: Corn Rebounds on Exports; Bears Control CBOT and CME Otherwise
What You Need to Know Today: Funds remain in control of the market, which means broadly bearish trade for the ag sector. Monday’s massive corn export sale to Mexico helped trigger some short covering and a bit of other end-user buying in corn, which could help stabilize the market. Wheat...
Election Eve Outlook: Crisis in Agricultural Policy and the Elections
With less than 24 hours until Election Day, control of the Senate remains a wild card. Republicans and Democrats alike say they are poised to win control of the chamber in the new Congress that starts in January 2027. The House of Representatives is more of a lost cause for continued Republican...
Pork Market Weakness Extends Beyond Seasonal Pressures
Key Takeaways: U.S. hog and pork prices have declined sharply, with December lean hog futures ending October at $58.875/cwt and the pork cutout reaching its lowest level since January 2021. Seasonal increases in hog slaughter and pork production have contributed to price weakness, although the...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Managed money was a net seller across agricultural markets for the sixth straight week, liquidating a net 189,000 contracts through Tuesday's reporting deadline and reducing the combined net-long position by 29.8 percent to 444,000 contracts. The selling accelerated for the third consecutive we...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4775/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.035/bushel, down $0.0025 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.3425/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $324.6/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: Cattle Futures Slide as Grain Markets Remain Under Pressure
What You Need to Know Today: Cattle futures extended their sharp selloff Friday as weakening cash cattle prices, deteriorating feedlot profitability, and reduced packer demand continued to weigh on the market. The inability of futures to sustain a rally following last week's bullish Cattle on...
Fed Holds Steady Prior to Election as GDP and Inflation Pressures Grow
As predicted, the Federal Reserve held rates steady at the last meeting before the midterm elections, likely in part because of the election (see WPI 19 October and 22 September). The decision comes at the tail end of a midterm election cycle that has been marked by the two parties campaigning...
How Tariffs Are Affecting U.S. Food and Agricultural Imports
Key Takeaways: The tariff burden rose sharply in 2025 and 2026: the effective rate on imports in HTS Chapters 1–24 increased from 1.53 percent in 2024 to 6.11 percent in 2025, before averaging 5.68 percent in January–August 2026. Headline rates tell only part of the story: exemptio...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.5125/bushel, down $0.005 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.0375/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.3475/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $329.3/short ton, down $...
Market Commentary: More Tricks Than Treats
Markets are getting into the Halloween spirit, handing out more tricks than treats. There has been some encouraging news, but it hasn’t been enough to slow the broader slide. Now buyers need to show up with something other than another “Charlie Brown” rock for the bag. Somethi...
Livestock Roundup: New AMS Reports and NWS Update
The new USDA report from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, the newly dubbed South Central Daily Direct Slaughter Cattle Report Summary, showed that negotiated cash trade in the region as of Tuesday was mostly inactive, with only ligh...
Leading Corn Exporters Serve Different Markets
Key Takeaways: The United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Ukraine dominate global corn exports, with geography, trade relationships, and seasonal production patterns shaping their competitive advantages. U.S. corn exports reached a record 87.1 MMT in 2025/26, with Mexico, Japan, South Korea, an...
The Wrong Side of the Ledger: Calf Prices Carried Dairy Since 2021, and Now They Are Straining the Herd
Key Takeaways: Milk alone has not covered the full economic cost in any year since 2021: milk revenue fell short by $4.50, $2.15, $6.50, $1.27 and $2.34 per hundredweight in 2021 through 2025. Calf and cattle prices decided whether dairies cleared cost: cattle and other income lifted total rev...
Transportation Perspectives - 29 October
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets are mixed with Capesize rates seeing solid gains while Panamax values slipped on a growing tonnage list. Supramax and Handysize vessels were stronger, though all sectors remain vulnerable to the seasonal dip in rates through Q4 and into Q1. Falling water l...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.5175/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $5.99/bushel, down $0.1125 from yesterday's close. Jan 27 Soybeans closed at $12.38/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $335.7/short ton, up $1.1 from...
Market Commentary: Cattle and Hog Markets Face Pressure
What You Need to Know Today: The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.75 to 4.0 percent Wednesday, with two officials dissenting in favor of a 25-basis-point increase. The Fed upgraded its assessment of economic growth from "solid" to "strong" but adopted a more patient approa...
U.S. Soymeal Supply and Demand Outlook
Key Takeaways: Expected growth in U.S. soybean crushing capacity and output, driven by biofuel demand, will increase domestic soymeal supplies, with production growth significantly outpacing demand. WPI forecasts soymeal production increasing from 65.8 million short tons in 2026/27 to 70.5 mil...
FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 28 October)
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 “How To”...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.4875/bushel, down $0.0625 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.1025/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2925/bushel, down $0.12 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $334.6/short ton, down...
Market Commentary: Grains Remain Under Pressure as New Mexico Cattle Border Reopens
What You Need to Know Today: A third U.S. border crossing (Columbus, New Mexico) has reopened to Mexican cattle imports following nearly two years of restrictions related to New World screwworm. The reopening could gradually improve feeder cattle availability, although more than 60 confi...
Inaugural New Fed Cattle Report Was a Bust
Yesterday, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released a new report of negotiated cash purchases of cattle under the mandatory price report. The report included Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The goal of the report was to solve the confidentiality issues e...
A Long-Run View of U.S. Soybean Crushing
Key Takeaways: U.S. soybean crushing began in 1911 and saw its most rapid expansion during the 1930s amid the broader agricultural and technology revolutions of the time. After peaking in the early 2000s, the soybean crushing industry went through a downturn as poor crush margins forced...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins plunged $105/head last week to $36/head as higher cattle prices combined with declining wholesale beef values to sharply compress packer profits. Fed cattle prices rose nearly $3/cwt to $227/cwt while the Choice cutout fell $4.75/cwt to $368/cwt. Margins have deteriorated $1...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.55/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.16/bushel, down $0.09 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.4125/bushel, down $0.1525 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $340.2/short ton, down $5.9 f...
Market Commentary: Brazil’s Election Results Have Broader Market Implications
What You Need to Know Today: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured reelection on Sunday, defeating right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro despite trailing in the first round of voting. The surprise victory triggered a sharp selloff in Brazilian financial market...
Congressional Flip May Hinge on Agriculture
The 2026 midterm elections are a week from tomorrow, but early voting has been taking place for weeks. At stake is control of Congress, including the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats are contested, and the Senate, where approximately one-third of the seats are up for election. Farm...
2027 Acreage Outlook: Oilseed Expansion Continues
Key Takeaways: Total U.S. crop acres (excluding hay) are forecast to expand fractionally this year due to greater oilseed crop and winter wheat plantings. One of the key drivers of this year’s crop outlook is input costs, and crops with a lower cost profile have an advantage in producers...
Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Bearish Week on a Mixed Note; Bullish COF and Cold Storage Data
What You Need to Know Today: Crude oil prices extended their rally today, supported by several developments, including escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure and growing concerns about supply disruptions. The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to remove 50 perc...
The Ag Trade Balance: Gradually and Suddenly
Key Takeaways: The agricultural trade surplus has become a sizable deficit: the balance swung from a $40.1 billion surplus in 2011 to a $40.7 billion deficit in 2025. Imports kept growing while exports lost momentum: between 2020 and 2025, agricultural imports increased 45 percent, compa...
Cattle on Feed Report: Record-Low Placements and Marketings Extend Their Streaks
USDA released its October Cattle on Feed report Friday, showing 11.4 million cattle in feedlots with capacity for 1,000 head or more, slightly below last year. September placements were the lowest for the month since records began in 1996, marking the third consecutive month of placements sett...
Cold Storage Report Summary and Analysis
Total Red Meat & Poultry September 2026 total red meat and poultry stocks totaled 1.97 billion pounds, down 1.4 percent from August despite typically increasing 0.8 percent during the month, and were 1.5 percent below September 2025 levels. The decline pushed total inventories to a new five...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
Managed money was a net seller across agricultural markets for the fifth straight week, selling a net 159,000 contracts through Tuesday's reporting deadline and reducing the combined net-long position by 20.1 percent to 633,000 contracts. Corn again accounted for roughly half the weekly selling...
Cattle on Feed - Oct 2026
U.S. Cattle on Feed for the slaughter totaled 11.4 million head on October 1, 2026. Placements in feedlots during September totaled 1.78 million head - 12 percent below 2025. Marketings of cattle during September totaled 1.52 million head - 7 percent below 2025. Marketings were the...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.56/bushel, down $0.045 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.25/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.565/bushel, up $0.035 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $346.1/short ton, down $1.2 from...
Market Commentary: Strong Export Sales Support Grains; Screwworm Concerns Grow
What You Need to Know Today: New World screwworm is back in the headlines after new cases were found in a hunter-harvested elk in Texas and a beef cow in New Mexico. The detection in wildlife could further complicate containment efforts, as implementing effective biosecurity measures is consid...
Livestock Roundup: Cattle on Feed Preview, Fed Cattle Report Changes, Feedlot Closures
Cattle on Feed Expectations USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report that will show cattle inventory statistics as of 1 October will be released tomorrow, 23 October. Analysts’ pre-report consensus estimates are for the total inventory on feed to be 100.3 percent of last year, which imp...
Summary of Futures
Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.605/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Wheat closed at $6.2475/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close. Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $12.53/bushel, up $0.0775 from yesterday's close. Dec 26 Soymeal closed at $347.3/short ton, down $1 f...
Transportation Perspectives - 22 October
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets remain mixed with Capesize rates turning around from their recent weakness and posting solid gains on improved Chinese demand. Panamax vessels, on the other hand, saw rates decline amid greater tonnage availability in the South Atlantic and falling U.S. Gu...