Process-based trade rules are a slippery slope since perceptions of efficacy can vary greatly. Since global fisheries are being depleted at a rapid rate, the WTO has spent many years fruitlessly pursuing an agreement to eliminate subsidies for certain forms of fishing, albeit with exemptions for developing countries. Fish meal contributes to over-fishing by allowing by-catch to serve as further economic inventive for indiscriminate haul-in. Certain species of farmed fish will not tolerate vegetable-based protein and require fish meal but almost half the fish meal production goes to animal feed and even fertilizer. Since amino acid structures can be adapted to most livestock and a substantial amount of fish farming, fish meal is unnec...
What You Need to Know Today: President Trump claimed the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was over, as both sides accused one another of violating the terms of the agreement. Commercial vessels are increasingly steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz as security risks escalate following Iran...
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...
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.