Trading volume was quite large again overnight, but it then slowed during the day session with prices recovering to levels around Monday’s closes. It was an easy day at the office for U.S. wheat markets. General Comments Grain and soy futures prices were firmer at the beginning of the overnight session as they reacted to larger-than-expected declines in weekly crop condition ratings for corn and soybeans. The good/excellent rating for corn dropped 3 percent to 65 percent, while that of soybeans slipped 2 percent to 62 percent. Spring wheat rated as good/excellent dropped 2 percent to 35 percent, the poorest rating in 29 years. Perhaps the most vivid way to describe the 2017 U.S. spring wheat crop woes is to point out that the percentage o...
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
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.