Mixed Action for U.S. Exporters The Biden Administration announced an initiative to boost U.S. business opportunities abroad. The effort will be led by the State Department, USTR, and the Commerce Department. No USDA. American industry has long run trade deficits but now agriculture has slipped into one. The initiative will reportedly focus on economic diplomacy. The fundamentals hurting U.S. agriculture include high labor costs, a strong dollar, new competition from South America, and the lack of new trade agreements. The latter may be part of the reason that Republicans are proposing budget cuts to USTR – the agency isn’t performing its function of negotiating trade agreements. Attacking American Citizens EU competition off...
There was heavy volume exiting soybeans, which dragged down the broader market today. The lack of a specific Chinese buying commitment for soybeans undermined speculators who had placed bets on state-directed trade. But even the Chinese do not totally ignore market fundamentals. They may still...
On Tuesday, 12 May, WPI reported on an Executive Order being prepared by the Trump Administration to suspend tariff rate quotas (TRQs) on beef from all exporters for 200 days as a means of addressing high beef prices in the United States. After considerable pushback from cattle producer groups,...
WPI has officially launched Transportation Perspectives as a standalone weekly report separate from our Ag Perspectives articles and analysis. Current Ag Perspectives subscribers will have gratis access to the report through 16 April 2026. Please email us or subscribe online after this date to...
From WPI Consulting
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.