John Perkins

Soybeans were steady to modestly higher. Recent rainfall missed some of the drier parts of Argentina and Brazil's harvest continues to move slower than average. There have already been some reduced expectations for South American crops, but those downward adjustments have been minor, so far. The USDA's next round of supply, demand, and production numbers […]

U.S. ethanol production dropped to a multi-month low last week.

January 29, 2025 By John Perkins Filed Under: Animal Agriculture

Soybeans were higher on speculative and technical buying. Near-term forecasts for parts of Argentina and southern Brazil are dry, potentially stressing crops. There’s also more rain in the forecast for central Brazil, further delaying the early harvest activity. For all the weather talk, there hasn’t been much movement yet on production projections, especially for Brazil, […]

U.S. export sales during the week ending January 23 rd were mixed. The USDA reported week-to-week improvements for beef, wheat, rice, and soybean products, against dips for soybeans, corn, pork, and cotton. Those mixed sales were due to a combination of factors, including the value of the dollar against competing currencies, seasonal supply changes, and uncertainties about possible tariffs against key trading partners. The USDA’s next round of supply and demand numbers is out February 11 th

Soybeans were lower on profit taking and technical selling. Brazil’s harvest continues to move slower than average, with more rain in the forecast for some areas. There is a chance for improved rainfall in parts of Argentina in some medium-term outlooks and while some analysts have lowered their outlooks for South American production, there won’t […]

The USDA’s long-awaited Cattle Inventory report indicates further contraction of the U.S. herd is likely. At the start of 2025, the number of heifers weighing 500 pounds and heavier were 1% lower than at the start of 2024. That includes 1% year-to-year declines for beef, dairy, and all other replacement heifers. The number of calves […]

The USDA’s ag prices indices moved higher in December. The index of prices received by farmers was up 5.3% from November thanks to gains in corn, calves, market eggs, and broilers against losses in hogs, milk, lettuce, and broccoli. The dairy index for December 2024 was down 3.7% from November, but up 14% from December […]

The number of U.S. sheep and goats increased over the past year. The USDA says the sheep and lamb inventory was up slightly on the year, with gains in the breeding and market herds, ewes, and the lamb crop. Wool production in 2024 was down 1% from 2023 due to a lower number of sheep […]

Soybeans were lower on profit taking and technical selling, adding to the week’s modest losses. The trade is monitoring weather in South America, with the chance of better harvest weather in parts of Brazil and some possible rain for Argentina. Ag commodities in general were also waiting for any updates on the potential for new […]