China is emphasizing larger, better capitalized hog production facilities that can deploy better disease management practices. Chinese farmers are taking pigs to larger size before slaughter to capture a better return in the current high-priced market. However, there are potentially permanent changes in what the Chinese eat as a side effect of the disease problem. The Chinese constitute roughly 19 percent of the world’s population and consume nearly 30 percent of the world’s beef, chicken and pork. However, that is largely due to the country’s out-sized consumption of pork. Pork disappearance in China reached its peak in 2014 and its share of global pork consumption had begun to decline before the outbreak of ASF. ...
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...
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...
Let’s return briefly to the fake meat hype cycle, now sitting somewhere in a dusty corner of your mind, not entirely forgotten. What happened to all those products, known as plant-based alternative proteins? They were supposed to be as good as real meat—cheaper, more environmentally...
From WPI Consulting
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.