USDA released its semi-annual cattle inventory report yesterday. It showed the U.S. herd on 1 January 2018 was the largest in nine years at 94.4 million head or 101 percent of the total on the same date a year ago. The calf crop was estimated at 35.8 million head or 102 percent of the 2016 total. The growth came from calves born during the first half of 2017, estimated at 26.0 million head or 73 percent of the annual total. The report confirms that the cattle herd is still increasing but at a slower pace. The more rapid expansion over the past three years followed a decline during the extended drought period that lowered pasture and range conditions through 2014. Thus, all eyes were on the documented female inventory changes as an indicato...
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...
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...
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...
From WPI Consulting
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.