On 24 July 2018, USDA Secretary Perdue announced a $12 billion trade mitigation package that would be administered in three parts: Food Purchases and Distribution, Ag Trade Promotion (to supplement the Market Access Program), and the Market Facilitation Program (MFP). The latter, which will account for the bulk of the funds, would make direct payments to producers of soybeans, sorghum, corn, wheat, and cotton as well as dairy and hogs. Since the MFP payments were to be based on 2018 actual production, there were questions regarding how they would be reported to the WTO in terms of U.S. compliance with its Amber Box cap of $19 billion. At the time, USDA didn’t anticipate that this relief package would cause the U.S. to exceed that all...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
From WPI Consulting
Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming
WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.