The underlying fundamental issue with crop insurance is its actuarial soundness, and gaining higher levels of coverage through premium subsidies has been a key leveraging tool to bring more acres with better actuarial histories into the program.As commodity markets went on a multi-year bull run over the past few years, crop insurance costs grew accordingly, exceeding $8 billion. Together with the 2011 renegotiation of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement, this brought new attention to the federal crop insurance program and the various subsidies imbedded in it. While the agriculture sector rallied around crop insurance as the new, primary risk management tool in the last farm bill debate, outside factions that included budget hawk public...
What You Need to Know Today: The Trump administration announced new tariffs of 10 percent to 12.5 percent on imports from 60 major U.S. trading partners as part of a Section 301 action aimed at combating forced labor in global supply chains. Countries that have agreed to adopt and enforce bans...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today, along with the semi-annual cattle inventory report. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more amounted to 11.4 million head, or 102 percent of last year. All cattle and calves totaled 94.2...
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.