The railroads report that they are working on solutions to the rail backup problem for the fall grain harvest season, and BNSF projects that it is on track to have eliminated past due deliveries by mid-September. The issue is not isolated to railcars, however.Rail backups were wreaking havoc this year on the ethanol sector, pushing prices up on the coasts and down in the Midwest near production facilities. Now we're seeing some of the same issues with regard to grains. The Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board (the Board) requested that BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway disclose their plans for resolving the backlog of grain car orders as well as begin providing weekly progress reports. The weekly reports were...
What You Need to Know Today: The Trump administration announced new tariffs of 10 percent to 12.5 percent on imports from 60 major U.S. trading partners as part of a Section 301 action aimed at combating forced labor in global supply chains. Countries that have agreed to adopt and enforce bans...
Key Takeaways: Grain futures pulled back sharply in overnight trade Friday on rumors that Ukraine proposed two possible options for ensuring civilian vessel safety in the Black Sea. Both Russia and Ukraine have recently targeted civilian vessels carrying oil and grain in the Sea of Azov...
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.