Challenging COVID Subsidies There has been an increase in the use of agricultural subsidies by several countries and that is especially true as governments this year have been fighting the adverse impacts of the coronavirus. Increased subsidies by China and India have been successfully challenged in the WTO. U.S. dairy farmers are urging the Trump Administration to challenge the EU’s Skim Milk Powder Intervention Program, claiming it has cost them 2.2 billion in income losses. Some in Europe are questioning whether the Trump Administration’s farm subsidies due to the trade war with China and now COVID have exceeded WTO limits, and they likely have. Dispassionate adjudicators are unlikely to care about the rationale for exceedin...
Wool is one of the most misunderstood U.S. agricultural commodities. Fine wool in the 17–21 micron range commands premium prices in luxury apparel, technical outdoor gear, and high-end knitwear, while coarser wool is gaining support as building codes and standards shift toward natural-fib...
There are plenty of major headlines moving across the markets today, but the reaction beneath them remains cautious. Crude oil is holding steady despite reports of progress involving the Strait of Hormuz, corn and soybeans remain tied to changing weather forecasts, and wheat continues to weigh...
Key Takeaways: Sugarcane is the world’s largest crop by total production volume, surpassing major commodities such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, and supplies roughly 80 percent of global sugar production. Sugarcane’s perennial growth cycle allows farmers to harvest multiple crops f...
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.