World Perspectives
feed-grains wheat softs

Trade and Food Security

An anomaly since COVID disrupted supply chains is that the price of rice has been more stable than other food staples such as corn and wheat.  One argument for this is that a far smaller share of total rice production is traded, making it less subject to global supply/demand volatility.  This runs counter to arguments that a diversified supply chain means that a production problem in one area is remedied by surplus supplies arriving from elsewhere. Historically, the prices for these three food staples have correlated. However, rice has itself encountered periods in which its price has proved an outlier. In 2008, it reached high levels relative to wheat due to a supply shortage. In 2002 and 2013, rice farmers were exasperated...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 23 Corn closed at $6.495/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close.  May 23 Wheat closed at $6.9225/bushel, down $0.125 from yesterday's close.  May 23 Soybeans closed at $14.745/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  May 23 Soymeal closed at $459.9/short ton, up $1.7...

AI and Agriculture; Worker Centric Trade Policy is Dead

AI and Agriculture AI is the rage with some warning it will lead to human extinction, and others comparing its transformative impacts to the internet and smart phones. Those technologies have had their share of ethical concerns but the genie is now out of the bottle and short of government regu...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Calm Before the Reports

All the major contracts opened in the green but by the close only soymeal, HRW, and the livestock complex remained that way. Profit-taking was one aspect but most noticeable was lower volume for most of the markets, and a narrow trading range for many. It appeared that everything was positioned...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 23 Corn closed at $6.495/bushel, down $0.01 from yesterday's close.  May 23 Wheat closed at $6.9225/bushel, down $0.125 from yesterday's close.  May 23 Soybeans closed at $14.745/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  May 23 Soymeal closed at $459.9/short ton, up $1.7...

AI and Agriculture; Worker Centric Trade Policy is Dead

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livestock

Hogs and Pigs Report: Status Quo Numbers

USDA released its first quarterly Hogs and Pigs report for the year today. At 72.86 million head, the total inventory as of 1 March was slightly above last year’s 72.69 million head.  The report was generally in line with pre-report expectations, except there were a few more market...

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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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