World Perspectives
biofuel energy

Lower Fuel Use Reignites RFS Fight

As of last week, according to the Renewable Fuel Association (RFA), 73 of the nation’s 200 ethanol plants are idled and 70 percent are operating at reduced capacity. This would imply that 57 are still operating at normal output levels. Those plants have seen their gross margins bounce on DDGS and distillers corn oil prices, and a drop in corn and natural gas costs. However, as an industry, the picture is bleak when extrapolating the margins across production levels and comparing to the industry’s sunk capital and fixed costs.  Demand for motor fuel has hit its lowest levels in decades because of the limits on travel and the general economic slowdown caused by the mitigation efforts for COVID-19. Now that we’re c...

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Good Friday

Tomorrow, 29 March 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, 1 April. ...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Wow, Some Fun Information!

USDA’s much anticipated Prospective Plantings and Quarterly Stocks reports had few shockers, but they did shuffle the board a bit. First, the top line stuff: Corn Planted area was expected to drop due to higher input costs and lower prices, but USDA’s 90-million-acre number was at t...

livestock

Livestock Roundup: Hogs and Pigs Report Neutral with Bearish Undertones

Today, USDA released its quarterly Hogs and Pigs report for the December through February quarter. The total inventory of hogs and pigs on 1 March was 74.6 million head, which was 101 percent of March 2023 and the highest since 2020. That was slightly higher than pre-report expectations. Total...

Good Friday

Tomorrow, 29 March 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, 1 April. ...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Wow, Some Fun Information!

USDA’s much anticipated Prospective Plantings and Quarterly Stocks reports had few shockers, but they did shuffle the board a bit. First, the top line stuff: Corn Planted area was expected to drop due to higher input costs and lower prices, but USDA’s 90-million-acre number was at t...

livestock

Livestock Roundup: Hogs and Pigs Report Neutral with Bearish Undertones

Today, USDA released its quarterly Hogs and Pigs report for the December through February quarter. The total inventory of hogs and pigs on 1 March was 74.6 million head, which was 101 percent of March 2023 and the highest since 2020. That was slightly higher than pre-report expectations. Total...

Divergent Perspectives

China doesn’t offer the best business environment for American companies and FDI has plummeted. But Xi Jinping told CEO’s that his country will continue building a “first class business environment.” Meanwhile, Joe Biden tells American companies that they are monopolies...

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From WPI Consulting

Forecasting developments in production agriculture

On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.

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