A provision in the 2014 Farm Bill requires the U.S. EPA to create an advisory committee of agricultural specialists to advise the agency’s scientists before they make rules considered harmful to the sector. The EPA has largely ignored the requirement, and now the U.S. House is responding. Blame Game The UN’s Human Development Index (HDI) shows that life expectancy, education and per capita income have declined consistently in Zimbabwe over the past 40 years of rule by Robert Mugabe. The country is rich in platinum, diamonds and other natural resources, but Human Rights Watch says the wealth has been plundered by Mugabe and his supporters.Venezuela had slow gains in the HDI during the rule of Hugo Chavez, but it is now experiencing a decli...
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets remain mixed with Capesize vessels seeing continued pressure from weaker demand while fixtures and rate strength gradually increases towards the smaller vessel classes. Tanker markets are pulling back from their recent highs as tonnage moves out of the Mid...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
Key Takeaways: Texas illustrates the assumptions underlying the 2025 FMMO reform; Idaho exposes their limitations. The Southwest order blend (roughly 27 percent Class I, 32 percent Class III and 31 percent Class IV) exposes Texas producers to every lever USDA adjusted, with a near-neutral proj...
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.