Texas Joins Beef Antitrust Effort
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday launched an investigation into the beef industry over potential anticompetitive conduct among the nation’s largest meatpackers, his office announced Friday. He said the investigation would be conducted alongside a separate antitrust probe announ...
Trump-Xi Bilateral Meeting Over
The long-awaited meeting between President Trump and President Xi of China has concluded, and details are elusive, though Trump stated today that he and Xi made some “fantastic” trade deals. Both countries reported the meetings as a success, but that has more to do with positioning...
Wheat Prospects in China and India: Much Ado About Nothing?
Key Takeaways Weather conditions in China and India are deteriorating and threatening the wheat crops. Drought conditions in China are not without precedent, and modeling efforts suggest a modest 1.5 percent yield reduction vs. 2025. India’s wheat yields are forecast to fall 3 perc...
WASDE Soybeans - May 2026
USDA’s initial outlook for 2026/27 U.S. soybeans is that increased production will be offset by strong demand for soybean oil as a biofuel. The soybean oil price is forecast at 70 cents per pound – up about 7 cents. Active crushing is expected to reduce U.S. soybean ending stocks to...
WASDE Corn - May 2026
USDA’s initial outlook for 2026/27 corn is that the U.S. remains the largest global exporter. The season-average farm price is projected to increase to $4.40 per bushel, up 25 cents. World corn imports are forecast to rise 1 percent...
WASDE Wheat - May 2026
USDA’s initial outlook for 2026/27 U.S. wheat is for a significant reduction in Hard Red Winter wheat: The expectation is for an 18 percent decline in ending stocks and a $1.50-bushel increase in the seasonal average farm price to $6.50 per bushel. Total global wheat production is e...
Xi-Trump Summit Bottom Line
If the media headlines and Trump critics are to be believed, President Trump is headed to Beijing this Thursday in a weakened position. China is in control, it has the upper hand, and expectations are very low. These are the same critics that argue against overly simplistic zero-sum analyses in...
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...
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...
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...
China Market Analysis
Decline of China Ag Import Market The media has focused on China’s self-sufficiency effort in agriculture and its implications. In a largely political statement, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Congress that the Trump Administration wants to broaden the agricultural imports...
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...
Texas Joins Beef Antitrust Effort
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday launched an investigation into the beef industry over potential anticompetitive conduct among the nation’s largest meatpackers, his office announced Friday. He said the investigation would be conducted alongside a separate antitrust probe announ...
Trump-Xi Bilateral Meeting Over
The long-awaited meeting between President Trump and President Xi of China has concluded, and details are elusive, though Trump stated today that he and Xi made some “fantastic” trade deals. Both countries reported the meetings as a success, but that has more to do with positioning...
Wheat Prospects in China and India: Much Ado About Nothing?
Key Takeaways Weather conditions in China and India are deteriorating and threatening the wheat crops. Drought conditions in China are not without precedent, and modeling efforts suggest a modest 1.5 percent yield reduction vs. 2025. India’s wheat yields are forecast to fall 3 perc...
WASDE Soybeans - May 2026
USDA’s initial outlook for 2026/27 U.S. soybeans is that increased production will be offset by strong demand for soybean oil as a biofuel. The soybean oil price is forecast at 70 cents per pound – up about 7 cents. Active crushing is expected to reduce U.S. soybean ending stocks to...
WASDE Corn - May 2026
USDA’s initial outlook for 2026/27 corn is that the U.S. remains the largest global exporter. The season-average farm price is projected to increase to $4.40 per bushel, up 25 cents. World corn imports are forecast to rise 1 percent...
WASDE Wheat - May 2026
USDA’s initial outlook for 2026/27 U.S. wheat is for a significant reduction in Hard Red Winter wheat: The expectation is for an 18 percent decline in ending stocks and a $1.50-bushel increase in the seasonal average farm price to $6.50 per bushel. Total global wheat production is e...
Xi-Trump Summit Bottom Line
If the media headlines and Trump critics are to be believed, President Trump is headed to Beijing this Thursday in a weakened position. China is in control, it has the upper hand, and expectations are very low. These are the same critics that argue against overly simplistic zero-sum analyses in...
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...
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...
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...
China Market Analysis
Decline of China Ag Import Market The media has focused on China’s self-sufficiency effort in agriculture and its implications. In a largely political statement, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Congress that the Trump Administration wants to broaden the agricultural imports...
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...