Dissecting the Trade War Wrong Goal: During this past weekend’s bilateral negotiations, China offered to buy $70 billion worth of American farm, energy and other products – but only if the U.S. immediately reversed course on imposing tariffs. The Trump administration has declined, seeing the energy purchases as merely redirected trade from other buyers and understanding the near-term limits of farm export supplies. This is precisely why the negotiation should involve the concession of improved trading terms (reduced tariffs and nontariff barriers) and not micro-management of specific transactional outcomes. Wrong Coverage: Journalists like Margaret Brennan now regret the way they covered trade in the 2016 election. She says th...
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.