MFN Conflicts China announced 859 tariff lines that will see reduced import duties effective 1 January but these will not solely benefit the U.S. Governments can punish specific foreign countries and their suppliers of goods but, without the exclusivity of a free trade agreement, it is much more difficult under the WTO to single out a specific foreign supplier for privileged access into a country. Most Favored Nation (MFN) status requires a country to provide any concessions, privileges, or immunities granted to one nation to all other WTO members. Without specific tariff benefits, U.S. suppliers will have to be price competitive if they are to achieve substantial increases in exports to China. Alternatively, Beijing could “advise&rd...
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.