Where do livestock issues fit into the coming farm bill debate? With the exception of dairy programs, livestock is always a moving target. In the 1996 farm bill, some livestock programs were included in the miscellaneous title; in 2008, there was a free-standing livestock title, which included the controversial amendments to the Packers and Stockyards Act setting new terms for swine and poultry contracts but directing USDA to propose rules – the infamous GIPSA rules – to implement. This issue is ongoing with new rules coming out of the Biden Administration 15 years later. The 2014 farm bill added three disaster/risk management programs: forage disaster program, livestock indemnity, and emergency assistance. It also includ...
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.
What You Need to Know Today: There has already been a strong run of flash soybean sales announcements in recent weeks, but more than 1.4 MMT reported this morning is an exceptionally large single-day total with major implications for the market. If the sales to China and unknown destinations w...
On Friday, at 6:57 AM, President Donald Trump announced, via a social media post, a 90-day window during which up to 300,000 metric tons of product for ground beef could be imported outside of tariff-rate quotas—a move aimed at bringing down costs for American consumers. This is the secon...