Free with a Twist A group of U.S. Congressional Democrats are proposing universal free meals to all school children. The massive expansion in federal food aid would make permanently free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all pupils, regardless of family income. The merits of universal free food aside, the legislators have added a provision that would give schools an extra 30 cents per meal if at least 25 percent of the food is from local sources. The rational for the latter provision is unclear. Nor is it known how 30 cents and 25 percent were developed. It is not even clear what is local? It must be more expensive since there is a bonus provided. Is it healthier? Does it have a lower carbon footprint? The local food movement remain...
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
Communicating importance of value-added products
Facing increasing pressure to quantify the value of export promotion efforts to investors, a U.S. industry organization retained WPI to develop a quantitative model that better communicated the importance of exports. The resulting model concluded that value-added meat exports contributed $0.45 cents per bushel to the price of corn, increasing support for that sector’s financial support of WPI’s client. In addition to serving the red meat industry with this type of analysis, WPI has generated similar deliverables for the U.S. soybean and poultry/egg industries.