Some policymakers are signaling the desire for us to eat less meat and consume more vegetables. The question is whether the agricultural system is prepared for such a transition. Until recently, the focus was on increased calorie consumption and dense nutrients such as grains and meats ensured against starvation. Americans would need to eliminate nearly 500 calories per day to meet the recommendations of the EAT Lancet Commission. Since vegetables contain fewer calories than meat or grain products, production would need to rise. With some fluctuation amongst nutritionists and between geographies, there are some specific vegetables that are viewed as more nutritious. At least a quarter of these recommended plants are not included in the FAO...
Key Takeaways: The CME Group is launching new 90 percent Lean Beef and 50 percent Lean Beef futures and options contracts in July. There are five key factors that must be present in physical markets and futures contract specifications for futures contracts to become successful. The two l...
What You Need to Know Today: The hot, dry weather forecast continues to drive strength in grain futures with corn and soybeans hitting another day of strong gains. Monday’s Crop Progress and Conditions data were in line with market expectations and showed relatively few concerns for the...
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.