USDA Reports
Lance Honig, chair of the Agricultural Statistics Board and a NASS official, addressed farmer concerns in a Farm Journal interview explaining the major January data revisions that caused corn prices to sink on Monday.
Brian Grete with Commstock Investments says the corn market is still trying to digest the shock of USDA’s January reports. March corn futures came within striking distance of the Aug. 12 low at $4.10.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says strong cash has been supportive of the cattle futures and he expects a higher week in the fed market again this week. Grains are still digesting USDA’s bearish reports.
Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist with StoneX says the move surprised him even though their customer survey’s during the season had yield at 186 bu.
All eyes were on final yields and production, and USDA delivered with record corn numbers. The agency left soybean yields basically unchanged from the November report but did raise overall production.
Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group, says many farmers believe that corn and soybean yields need to be cut but he will be watching the ending stocks for direction.
Darren Frye with Water Street Solutions says the trade guesses are fairly conservative with not many changes expected. However, that is not the history of the January reports. So could there be a surprise?
Live and feeder cattle futures were lower early Friday but Scott Varilek of Kooima Kooima Varilek says it didn’t take long for the markets to firm up supported by the cash market.
The January USDA reports have been historically a huge market mover and a great deal of the focus will be on final yields and production.
Rich Nelson with Allendale, Inc. says there is a general lack of news for the grain markets so some of the pressure is coming from end of the quarter and end of the year positioning by traders.