World Perspectives

Livestock Round Up: Ireland Considering a Climate Herd Buyout

The 1985 farm bill created the whole herd buyout program in response to falling milk prices. In Ireland, a potential buyout program is being considered to address climate change. The two programs are different in many respects – one was to adjust the market, the other is to help achieve environmental goals, but on the other hand, both are similar in a sense in that they are major interventions into the market that did (in the US) and will (in the EU) have unintended consequences. Markets, like nature, abhor a vacuum.   Under the U.S. whole herd buyout – officially known as the Dairy Termination Program (DTP) – the goal was to cut milk production by 9 percent (12 billion pounds at the time). It began in April 198...

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From WPI Consulting

Infrastructure investment due diligence

On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.

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