A draft text of Trump administration negotiating objectives for modernizing NAFTA reflects an undramatic change from the Obama administration’s trade policy. NAFTA Objectives A draft text of Trump administration negotiating objectives for modernizing NAFTA reflects an undramatic change from the Obama administration’s trade policy. The document was floated on Capitol Hill to obtain recommended changes before it is formally submitted to begin the negotiation process. Notably, the Trade in Goods section twice references “addressing U.S. import sensitivities,” but the phrase does not occur in the Agriculture and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures portion of the text. Look for an effort by U.S. sugar growers to change this aspect.The ti...
What You Need to Know Today: Pro Farmer’s crop tour pegged the 2026 U.S. corn crop at 173.2 BPA and anticipated a 15.344 Bbu crop – both figures well below expectations. Pro Farmer forecast 2026 U.S. soybean yields at 53.3 BPA, above most private estimates and USDA’s August W...
Key Takeaways: Gene editing makes targeted changes to a plant’s existing DNA, while genetic modification can introduce genetic material from another organism to create traits not naturally present in the crop. Gene editing is unlikely to replace genetic modification entirely, as the two...
USDA’s August cattle on feed report was released Friday, with the total number of cattle in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more amounting to 11.1 million head, 102 percent of last year and the same as last month. Placements dropped in July to their lowest total for the month s...
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.