New policy initiatives to curb food waste are likely to be part of the new farm bill. Depending how far these efforts go, some big changes to long-standing policies could result.A number of chefs descended on Capitol Hill this week to demand policy reforms to end food waste. Their coalition is organized under the name Plate of the Union and is sponsored by the Food Policy Action (FPA) education fund and the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The latter is of course an active force in the effort to reform farm programs as well as farm and conservation policy, while the former is a group headed by TV celebrity chef Tom Colicchio. He commented at the Plate of the Union farm bill summit in April that, “For too many Americans, access to affordab...
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
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.