USDA corn crop estimates keep inching lower but are still higher than what private analysts were anticipating following the devastating spring floods in the Midwest. In Thursday’s WASDE report, the USDA cut its corn production forecast, but it also raised yield per acre and lowered projected corn usage for ethanol and exports.

Following a 10-year fight, the World Trade Organization finally sided with the U.S. in a case involving subsidies the European Union gives to Airbus (the top Boeing competitor). As a result, the U.S. Trade Representative (on Oct 2) announced a plan to impose retaliatory tariffs on European products. The tariffs will go into effect on Oct 18.

The U.S. pork industry continues to be driven by two distinct narratives: 1) very large current pork supplies, and 2) the prospects for a huge increase in future exports due to China’s African Swine Fever hog losses. In Friday’s quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, the USDA reported total U.S. herd inventories on Sept 1st at 77.7M head, up 3.4% from a year ago and a half-point above analyst’s expectations.

Friday’s Cattle on Feed Report was bullish for prices. The USDA said new placements onto feedlots in Aug were 9.0% below a year ago, and that the Sept 1st feedlot inventory, at 11.0M head, was down 1.3%. In last week’s Livestock, Dairy & Poultry Outlook, the USDA highlighted the Aug 9 fire at a Tyson Foods plant in Holcomb, KS, and how capacity constraints will slow the pace of cattle slaughter through year’s end.