December 15, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock:  CATTLE MARKET SITUATION AND OUTLOOK | November Fed Cattle Price Rally | Beef Production and Fed Cattle Outlook | Feeder Cattle Outlook

Grain:  GRAIN UPDATE | Export Sales: Corn Lags, Beans Strong | USDA Revised World Supply-Demand Projections | January 10 USDA reports

December 1, 2002  (pdf)

Grain:  HOW TIGHT IS THE WORLD SOYBEAN SUPPLY-DEMAND BALANCE?

Livestock:  CME CHANGES TO LEAN HOG CONTRACT

November 15, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock:  Optimism in Cattle and Hog Markets | Hogs…  | Spring-Summer Outlook… | Cattle… | Cattle feeding opportunities… |

Grain:  U.S. Corn & Soybean Supplies Remain Tight, But World Picture Tempers Upware Price Potential | Summary | Highlights of the U.S. crop report are as follows: | Corn | Soybeans | Changes in the world picture| Export Update | South American planting progress

|November 1, 2002  (pdf)

Livestock:  NEW DATA INDICATES LOWER RETAIL MEAT PRICES

Grains:  MARKET SIGNALS & GRAIN STORAGE ECONOMICS | Own the grain or own the call options? | Alternative call options positions | What to do about grain already in storage? | Risk in storing corn and soybeans? | Potential price trends

October 15, 2002  (pdf)

Grains:  U.S. CORN CROP ESTIMATE UP 1.8 BUSHELS/A., SOYBEANS DOWN MARGINALLY: MARKET FOCUS TO SHIFT TO DEMAND | Summary | Supply-Demand Balance | Will South American Soybeans Fill U.S. Supply Gap? | Shift from Animal to Vegetable Protein Nearing Completion | Export Sales Lag | Crop Estimates by States & Iowa Regional Estimates | Marketing Considerations

Livestock:  Country or Origin Labeling Guidelines | Labels allowed | Required Record Keeping | Enforcement and Accountability | Enforcement and Accountability | What Should Producers Do?

October 1, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock:  NO SURPRISES IN THE HOG REPORT | Report Summary | Packer Capacity | 2003 Prices | Other Market Factors | Packer Margins

Grains:  STOCKS REPORT POSITIVE FOR CORN & WHEAT, BUT WEST COAST DOCK STRIKE, SLOW CORN EXPORT SALES & YIELD REPORTS PRESSURE PRICES | Dock Strike | Implications of Lower Stocks | Corn Export Update | Soybean Expert Update | Corn Crop Estimates: How Much Increase? | Technical Support Areas | Marketing Considerations

September 15, 2002  (pdf)

Grains:  U.S. AND WORLD FEED GRAIN AND WHEAT SUPPLIES TIGHTEN SLIGHTLY | Summary of Changes in Crop Estimates | World Stocks Situation | Will crop estimates decline further? | Price changes, September to May:  In other similar years | Export Sales

Livestock:  HOG OUTLOOK | Cattle Outlook

September 1, 2002  (pdf)

Livestock:  HOG MARKET COLLAPSE OF 2002 | Is It 1998 Again??? | Capacity Issues | Bright Spot | Survival Strategies

Grains:  GRAIN MARKETS TO FOCUS ON EXPORT SALES AS WELL AS PRODUCTION | Overview of recent market developments | Will crop estimates increase on September 12? | Futures Price patterns, Other Weather-Stress Years | International crop conditions | Marketing Considerations | Call Purchase vs. Storage example

August 15, 2002  (pdf)

Livestock:  AAEA CONSENSUS OUTLOOK | Production Forecast | Barrow and Gilt Prices | Cattle Prices | Milk Prices

Grains: CORN AND SOYBEANS WILL NEED RATIONING OF USAGE THROUGH HIGHER PRICES |  Overview | Market Implications | Updated Balance Sheets | International Developments

August 1, 2002 (created July 25, updated August 6) (pdf)

Livestock:   JULY 1 CATTLE INVENTORY REPORT | July 1 Cattle Inventory Remains Steady | Drought Condition Update | Cattle-on-Feed Inventory | Slaughter Weight Developments

Grains:  GRAIN MARKETS CONTINUE TO REFLECT PRODUCTION UNCERTAINTY | Longer Term Prospects | Soybean Crop Conditions |
August vs. January Corn Yield Forecast

July 16, 2002 (pdf)

Grains: GRAIN PRICES REMAIN SENSITIVE TO WEATHER, EXPORT DEVELOPMENTS | Correction for the July 1 Iowa Farm Outlook | Soybeans | Crop Condition Reports | Exports to Date and Prospects | Weekly Export Needed to Meet USDA Expectations

Livestock : HOG INSURANCE COMPARISON | How Well Would it Have Worked | LRP vs LGM | Insurance vs Futures and Options

July 1, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock:   JUNE 2002 HOGS AND PIGS SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS | Inventory and Production Summary | Fourth Quarter Slaughter Estimates | Quarterly Price Forecast | Trade Developments

Grains:   ACREAGE AND STOCKS REPORTS BOOST PRICE SENSITIVITY TO WEATHER | Possible Future Acreage Revisions | Eastern and Western corn Belt Patterns Offsetting | Crop Condition Ratings Decline in Late June | World Crops & Condition | World Stocks: Lowest Since 1995-96?

June 14, 2002 (pdf)

 Livestock:   CANADIAN FEEDER PIG IMPORTS | Wide Boxed Beef to In-the-Meat Spread

Grains:  USDA REPORT OFFERS A PERSPECTIVE ON DELAYED PLANTINGS IMPACTS | Soybean Use and Corn Exports to Date | U.S. Acreage Prospects Still Uncertain | Historical Pattern: Less Corn; More Soybean Acres | Upcoming Planted Acreage Report | Corn Crop Condition Improves

June 1, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: HOG MARKET COLLAPSE | Change in Pork Production | Monthly Pig Crop

Grains:  EASTERN CORN BELT DELAYS CONTINUE, MORE FARM PROGRAM DETAILS | Corn Crop Condition Rating Record Low | Other Price Influences | Planting Progress | More Farm Bill Details | Updating FSA Bases and Yields | General Guidelines for Base Updating Decision

  Note Special Feature : Research Shows Performance of New-crop Pricing Strategies (pdf)

May 15, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: IMPACTS OF A DROUGHT IN CATTLE COUNTRY | Implications | Opportunities? |

Grains: CORN MARKET RESPONDS TO DELAYED EASTERN CORN BELT PLANTINGS | Recent Market Action | World Crop Estimates | Technical Market Factors | Export Sales | New Balance Sheet Projections | Accuracy of USDA New-crop Price Projections in May | Planting Progress | Historical Record Shows High Risk in Storing Corn and Soybeans Beyond May | China and GMO Labeling

May 1, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: ARE BEEF PRODUCERS FACING 1998 ALL OVER AGAIN?  | What is the Outlook | Similarities Between 1998 and 2002 | Differences Between 1998 and 2002

Grains: FARM BILL IMPACTS AND EXPORT UPDATE | Summary of Market Factors | Farm Bill Raises Corn, Wheat Loan Rates, Lowers Soybeans | Detail on Types of Payments | Example of Counter-cyclical Payment | Export Update|

April 15, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: 1998 ALL OVER AGAIN?   | Spring and Summer Slump | Fall Factors | Producer Bottom Line | Watch for the Signs and Act Accordingly

Grains: WORLD CROP UPDATE | China: GMO Labeling | Foreign Feed Grain Competition | USDA’s U.S. Corn Balance Sheet | Export Sales & Shipments Update

April 1, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: MARCH HOGS AND PIGS ANALYSIS – WILL WE ENTER THE DANGER ZONE?   | Supply Forecast | Other Factors | Price Forecast and Risk Management |

Grains: PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS SHOW POTENTIALLY HIGHER SOYBEAN PRICES | Implications for Soybean Prices | Corn Price Prospects | Will Planted Acreage Match Intentions? | Corn Price Trends

March 15, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: CATTLE MARKET SITUATION AND OUTLOOK, MARCH 2002 | Supply | Demand | Summary

Grains: GRAIN MARKETS AWAIT NEWS FROM CHINA ON GMOS; USDA PLANTING INTENTIONS REPORT | Loan Rates and Payments in New Farm Legislation | Updated Balance Sheets | Changes in USDA March 8 World Crop Estimates, Positive & Negative | More on Ethanol and Distillers Grains | Exports and Outstanding Unshipped Sales

March 1, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: PORK AND BEEF TRADE IN REVIEW | Structure of the U.S. and Iowa Cattle Feeding Industry | USDA Production and Price Outlook

Grains: GRAIN PRICE OUTLOOK: SEASONALITY, ACREAGE, CHINA ON GMO, ETHANOL | Seasonal Tendencies in Grain Prices | Prospective 2002 Corn and Soybean Plantings | USDA Baseline Projections | Farm Bill to Impact 2002 Acreage? | Ethanol Developments

February 18, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: FEBRUARY CATTLE ON FEED REPORT | Structure of the U.S. and Iowa Cattle Feeding Industry | USDA Production and Price Outlook

Grains: EXPORTS; FARM BILL; NEW MINNEAPOLIS CORN & SOYBEAN CONTRACTS | Corn Exports | Sales to Formerly Embargoed Countries | Sales to China | Soybean Sales | Imports of Brazilian Beans or Meal into U.S. ? | Strong Winter Soybean Crush |   Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGE) Cash Index Contract | Senate Passes Farm Bill

February 1, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: JANUARY 2002 CATTLE REPORT: CATTLE INVENTORY CONTINUES DECLINE | Industry Structure | Price Outlook | Hogs

Grains: WHAT ARE THE GRAIN MARKETS TRYING TO TELL US? | Lagging Corn Exports | Grain Sorghum Exports Up Sharply | South American Corn Crops Down | Winter Quarter Corn Feeding | Worst Case Impacts on the Corn Carryover | Low Prices Despite Low Reserve Supplies

January 15, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: CATTLE CYCLE AND PROFITABILITY OF HEIFER PURCHASES | Fed Cattle Market Update |

Grains: USDA REPORTS REINFORCE POTENTIAL CORN PRICE STRENGTH; SLIGHTLY IMPROVE SOYBEAN PRICE PROSPECTS | Soybean acreage drops below 2000 plantings | Other Positive Corn Developments | Lower Corn Carryover this Year | World Vegetable Oil Production

January 2, 2002 (pdf)

Livestock: USDA DECEMBER HOGS AND PIGS REPORT | December Inventories | Demand Factors | Competing Meats | Production and Price Forecast | Industry Structure and State Inventories

Grains: CORN AND SOYBEAN MARKETS: ANY HOPE FOR HIGHER PRICES? | Why Lower Prices? | Is the Corn Market Overreacting? | Why the Soybean Price Pressure? | LDPs and Low Prices | Domestic Corn Feeding | South American Update | Southern Hemisphere Corn