Movers and Shakers Technology. Sustainability. Opportunity. Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO Expert: Nicole Thomas, Vice President – Information Services Expert: Eric Thornton, Commodity Specialist Expert: Jeffrey Rasinski, ConsultantMcKeany-Flavell

Corn Global corn stocks under pressure: More to come? USDA vs. CONAB: Cage match! Soy complex Domestic soybean stocks keep growing And soybean oil too! What to watch for moving forward Wheat Wheat feed demand cut Good news for hard red spring wheat buyers! Sugar Beet sugar lowered on concern of warm temps in Midwest Mexico imports down: Production …

How many jobs were created last month? It’s a substantial number Unemployment edged down Average hourly earnings: Is it covering inflation? Fed cuts still likely McKeany-Flavell’s Spring Market Seminar: Movers & Shakers In less than two weeks! April 17, 2024 Register at mckeany-flavell.com Better hurry! Seats are filling up fast! Host: Kevin Combs,…

Corn and soybeans Corn shocker! Soybean, not so much Wheat A surprise in acreage Which wheat class is at a six-year high? Sugar Acreage numbers are curiously down; find out why McKeany-Flavell’s Spring Market Seminar: Movers & Shakers April 17, 2024 Register at mckeany-flavell.com Hurry! Seats are filling up fast! Host: Shawn Bingham, Director of R…

Who is Lionheart Farms and what do you do? The down-low on coconut sap: A unique ingredient! What makes coconut palm one of the most efficient crops? What can users of coconut products expect in 2024? Mark your calendars! Upcoming webinar: Spring Market Outlook Webinar Tomorrow! Wednesday, March 27, 2024 Register at mckeany-flavell.com McKeany-Flav…

NIOP (March 17-19, Las Palmas, CA) Attended by Nicole and Marilyn The National Institute of Oilseed Products Renewable diesel update Soybean oil: Food vs. fuel Western Candy Conference (March 20-24, Scottsdale, AZ) Attended by Mike and Kevin Lots going on with 3-D printing Commodities panel What’s the latest on sugar negotiations? Mark your calenda…

Hot trends seen at this year’s expo Products that were MIA The hot, new innovative products coming to market soon Keep an eye out for your McKeany-Flavell rep next week: Nicole and Marilyn at NIOP (March 17-19, Las Palmas, CA) Mike and Kevin at Western Candy Conference (March 20-24, Scottsdale, AZ) Mark your calendars! McKeany-Flavell’s Spring Mark…

Grains markets: Quiet overall Corn Corn stocks left unchanged Global ending stocks reduced Soy complex No increase in ending stocks or demand categories Brazil soybean production down, differing from CONAB’s numbers Soybean oil ending stocks raised minimally Sugar Beet production lowered due to pile shrink Cane production increased, with a special …

Introduction to Eggs Unlimited All about the other AI (avian influenza) and its impact on the egg industry Egg prices over the last ten years The lowdown on cage-free What to watch out for moving forward Are eggs really a superfood? Mark your calendars! Upcoming webinar: Spring Market Outlook Webinar Wednesday, March 27, 2024 Register at mckeany-fl…

Big difference between 2023 and 2024 Less pressure to book this year Lots more people attending! Seeing more small users What was a major talking point? High-tier imports Shout-out to the volatile cocoa market for making an appearance Mark your calendars! Upcoming webinar: Spring Market Outlook Webinar Wednesday, March 27 Register at mckeany-flavel…

2025 sugar talk and negotiations are real Buyers should be prepared ahead of time Corn wet milling talk around net corn Demand weakness present in many markets, including sugar Don’t forget your sunscreen! McKeany-Flavell’s Spring Market Seminar is fast approaching! April 17, 2024 in Oakbrook, IL Theme: Movers & Shakers (Technology. Sustainability.…

CPI numbers: The inflation fight is not over! Cocoa futures set a record high High cocoa butter prices: Sustainable? Chocolate companies: Update on layoffs What to expect moving into spring Chocolate demand? Look to the Q4 grind numbers Mark your calendars! McKeany-Flavell’s Spring Market Seminar coming April 17, 2024! Register now at mckeany-flave…

Corn / soy complex Not much in the way of change for U.S. corn / soy complex balance sheets Can we get USDA and CONAB to chat ahead of time? Wheat Only a few changes for wheat Most notable: food demand cut 10 million bushels NOAA news more impactful: La Niña watch for H2 2024 Sugar Beet production lowered while cane is increased Mexican sugar impor…

Ten Senses and Pamoja Farms A Kenyan-based company focused on sustainability and traceability Specialize in macadamia nuts and coffee The macadamia nut market Learning from the challenges of 2023 2024: great opportunities ahead! Product changes Demand and volume going up Heading to the Natural Products Expo West? March 12-16, 2024 in Anaheim, CA Re…

World sugar surpasses 50% retracement off the lows this week Speculators done with long liquidations but have not been buyers yet on this rebound Historical correlation between #11’s & 16’s is a wild ride but currently above 90% #16 domestic raw futures up $0.04 vs. last year approaching negotiations Mark your calendars! McKeany-Flavell’s Spring Ma…

Introduction of PanaSource Ingredients and alternative sweeteners Trends and growth categories for the sweetener industry The Stevia resurgence: What’s driving it? The latest on sucralose and allulose Challenges that may lay ahead in 2024 for natural sweeteners You can meet with Samantha and the McKeany-Flavell team at the 2024 International Sweete…

Sugar Sugar production forecast at record 9.391 million STRV High-tier imports increased 110,000 SRV to 575,000 STRV Mexico production lowered 267,000 MT to 5.016 MMT Wheat Winter wheat seedings released: 34.4 million acres, down 6% Harvested area should improve YOY Little change for WASDE and ending stocks Corn USDA surprises with better U.S. corn…

December jobs growth surprises Beating estimates! U.S. economy job production numbers What may keep the Fed on hold a little longer Rate cuts are still a “when” not an “if” When will cuts most likely be seen? McKeany-Flavell’s Spring Market Seminar coming April 17, 2024! Registration opens Jan. 10 on mckeany-flavell.com Host: Michael Caughlan, Pres…

Dairy Herd will eventually stabilize and start to grow again We will begin 2024 with 50,000 fewer heifers than we did in 2023 Milk output will begin to grow again by spring flush Buyers should be defensive and buy into weakness to extend coverage Cocoa Fundamentals are only now starting to catch up to the price move we have already seen Lag in arri…

Grab your hot cocoa, sit back, and enjoy this year's McKeany-Flavell holiday poem. Happy Holidays! Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO Expert: Nicole Thomas, Vice President – Information ServicesMcKeany-Flavell

Innovations that are solving challenges in the candy industry The brilliance of gummy vitamins MCT oils: What are they? The shift in edible oils and respective availability Western Candy Conference: March 20-24, 2024 Come join us! Registration available at Western Candy Conference Reach out to AJ at Khoury@capol-group.com Host: Michael Caughlan, Pr…

Corn, soy complex, and wheat No major change to grains balance sheet Sugar Sugar imports increased Stocks-to-use at only 12.8%, below the target 13.5% High-tier imports raised massively Mark your calendars! Spring Market Seminar: April 17, 2024 Le Méridien Chicago - Oakbrook, IL Registration opens January 2024 Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CE…

Wheat Best winter wheat planting conditions since 2019 Optimism for better yields and production weighs on prices Sugar USDA adjusts raw sugar TRQ Mark your calendars! Spring Market Seminar: April 17, 2024 Le Méridien Chicago - Oakbrook, IL Registration opens January 2024 Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO Expert: Eric Thornton, Commodity Spec…

Unpacking the cost of a Thanksgiving Day meal Estimates vs. reality Nicole carves those numbers up! Fashion advice for the big day Football friends and foes Coping strategies for problem family members Wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday! Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO Expert: Nicole Thomas, Vice President – Information Servi…

U.S. crude oil hits record monthly production Operational oil rigs are 25% fewer? U.S. per capita gasoline demand and consumption expectations The impact of fuel efficiency and EVs The effect renewable diesel and SAF will have on feedstock usage Become a subscriber to McKeany-Flavell's IQ Ingredient Intelligence platform! Schedule a demo today Host…

Wheat USDA finally gets on par with changes to Indian and Russian production U.S. balance ending stocks rise 14 million bushels Corn & soy complex USDA revises corn, soybean yield higher Tight stocks get tighter 2022/23 strong year for soybean oil in biofuel setting up lower stocks for 2023/24 Sugar Beet crop raised to record 5.363 million STRV USD…

Weather in the U.S. and South America will have a heavy influence on production expectations for grains Watch the #11 sugar market: Is it possible to see even higher prices? West Africa cocoa production will either confirm or debunk supply concerns currently in the news Quick picks on energy ahead of webinar Next webinar: Energy Markets Update with…

Draught in Mexico reducing cane prospects U.S. beet and cane harvest update Red River Valley and Florida look great Texas is suffering from drought What will the USDA do? Mark your calendars for our next webinar on the energy market Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, 11am PT / 2pm ET Be on the lookout for your invite coming soon! Host: Michael Caughlan, Pre…

Cocoa and chocolate Q3 cocoa grind deteriorates further North America suffers worst reported Q3 grind in past 15 years Soybean oil Soybean oil futures may “rise from the dead”? Strength in soybean oil consumption: providing a jump scare down the road! Host/Expert: Nicole Thomas, Vice President – Information Services Expert: Jeffrey Rasinski, Consul…

Corn and soy complex Lower yields expected and were delivered for both Wheat U.S. wheat production bucks trend of global reduction Sugar 2022/23 US sugar imports lowered 154,000 STRV 2023/24 production lowered 12,000 STRV as lower beet production mostly offset by higher cane production 2023/24 ending stocks lowered 157,000 STRV Next Wednesday! Join…

Non-farm jobs jump 336,000 in September, beating estimates by 166,000! July and August revised higher, an indicator for potential increased wage inflation Fed funds increased the chance of a Nov. 1 rate hike from 20 to 30% Triple whammy of bearish energy news this week Crude oil falls more than $7 per barrel Relief for soybean oil buyers, but the d…

Corn Carry-in lowered for 2023/24 A surprise reduction in production Soy complex Soybean stocks up from September WASDE projections Causing a ripple effect through the soy complex Soybean oil: Good opportunity for futures coverage? Wheat Big surprise for wheat! Yield increase well outweighs harvested acre decline Stocks as expected at 178 billion b…

Planting has begun for winter wheat and the 2024/25 crop year More acres anticipated for hard red winter wheat Why germination could be different this Fall Long-term outlook is promising Still risk and weather to work through Upcoming webinar: Fall Market Outlook! Mark your calendars: Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, 11am PT / 2pm ET Host: Michael Caughla…

Two weeks away from the new 2023/24 cocoa crop year Ghana has already opened its new season: Why? Farmgate prices have increased Competition is heating up between the different origin countries Save the date for our 2024 Spring Seminar! Wed., April 17, 2024 Oakbrook, IL More details to follow: Be on the lookout! Host: Eric Thornton, Commodity Speci…

Wheat No changes to the U.S. balance sheet Global production and stocks are down Ukraine production is up: Impressive given the war Corn USDA finds more acreage: Magic! Minor reduction to carry-in Look to the Grain Stocks report out end-of-month for a better idea on 2022/23 consumption Have we reached a soft floor for Dec-23 corn futures? Soybeans …

Commodity prices across the board are well above their long-term median prices Energy, weather and geo-political events have pushed most into the top quartile of their historical ranges The top 5 as ranked today versus the last 20-years are mostly driven by input costs as well as demand for biofuel Food inflation may change consumer habits but ther…

Florida and Louisiana cane crops are spared from Hurricane Idalia Beet sugar harvest is ready to get started Sugar deliveries flat YOY for first 9 months of 2022/23 crop Bulk sugar deliveries are down 4% Liquid sugar deliveries are up 3% Upcoming webinar: Inflation and the Economy with Shawn Bingham Wednesday, Sep. 13, 2023, 11am PT / 2pm ET Regist…

The Pro Farmer crop tour and why it's important A boots-on-the-ground look at crops in over seven states What exactly the group measures Findings for corn and soybeans Takeaways from the 2023 crop tour: Main word: Variability Record potential in Ohio? Struggles for Minnesota? Any shockers? Corn market reaction and what lies ahead for yield expectat…

A look at fundamental conditions this year compared with last year Update on U.S. active rig counts and storage trends across the country What are OPEC and the world's large natural gas exporters up to? Lastly, how is weather impacting this market? Mark your calendars! Upcoming webinar on inflation and the economy Wednesday, Sep. 13, 2023, 11 am PT…

Corn Exports down: Still a little high? Domestic stocks maintain more than 2.0 billion for 2023/24 Soy complex Soybean yield lowered to 50.9 bushels per acre Globally, not many changes to production: Argentina still not reduced! Food consumption for soybean oil continues to be strong Wheat Little pullback in yield and acreage Exports lowered Many c…

The American Sugar Alliance Who they are and what they do Key topics discussed at the symposium: The Farm Bill is up for renewal: Will we get a new Farm Bill? Update on beet and cane crops Sugar reduction at the federal level Sustainability investments: What’s its economic worth? Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO Expert: Craig Ruffolo, Vice P…

What’s the current scenario in Ukraine? Updates from VFI office in Kiev Resilience of farmers and processors Crops getting delivered despite war damage and financing challenges How is it affecting oil availability? Oilseed crops in Europe looking mostly good Recent weather helping sunflower and soybeans Canola better than expected Rapeseed variable…

Ukrainian ports on the Danube River attacked by Russia Wheat Concerns rise in the wheat market Wheat goes limit-up Monday Corn Some supportive impact on futures Corn buyers have one thing going for them: Brazil’s safrina crop now in harvest Sunflower oil Folks looking for alternatives Glut of inventory in Europe Host: Nicole Thomas, Vice President …

Taffy Town, a multi-generational, family-owned candy manufacturer Maintains 80 flavors of taffy every year! Most current: honey lavender (yum!) Look for bold, new mash-ups next year Past and present challenges Labor more of a challenge 18 months ago Fuel spikes down from last year A looming UPS strike, expected on Aug. 1 Latest innovation for Taffy…

Fête de la Fédération? Happy Bastille Day! BIG data dump this week included WASDE, CPI, PPI, and EIA STEO Multiple moving parts this week Soy complex moving one way and corn the other Crude oil rallying CPI/Inflation lower, sending the dollar into a tailspin Machine trading adding steam to the extreme volatility situation Tracking value requires pr…

Sugar Beet and cane numbers are down Due to early harvest adjustments? Big changes in imports: Up, up, up! What’s Kevin got to say about the 2023/24 beet crop and the number we could hit? Wheat Some yield appreciation Boost to harvest acres: Big surprise! Production and demand see nice uptick EU wheat production down: Could other countries follow s…

USDA acreage report whipsaws speculators in corn, who were forced flat by dry weather in June Corn selloff accelerated by seasonal bias, new speculator shorting, and producer selling Risk premium still present in most commodity prices Additional supply suggests corn still has room lower Volatility already increased from weather Risk likely to linge…

Corn and soy complex Corn wins big with 2 million more acres in prospective plantings Holy soybeans, Batman! 4 million acre loss in prospective plantings Sugar Beet acreage down from 2022, but up 17,700 acres vs. March intentions Cane acreage down 7,800 acres, or 0.8% vs. last year Wheat Wheat acreage comes out lower at 49.6 million Stocks of wheat…

Concerning crop conditions and weather outlooks Not time to panic, but corn yield will fall short of USDA target (181.5 bushels per acre) Spring wheat crop should improve: Off to a good start! Upside potential for corn/soybean acreage Stocks for wheat should rise above 600 million bushels for 2022/23 Don’t forget to register for our upcoming webina…

Three central committees met last week to make decisions on interest rates and where the economy is going The Federal Reserve “Hawkish pause” on raising interest rates, but future hikes may be needed Problem areas to watch: Jobless rate Housing prices: Starting to abate? New and used car prices Japanese Central Bank left rates unchanged European Ce…