The International Monetary Fund increased its forecast for U.S. GDP growth this year to 2.8 percent, versus 0.8 percent for the Euro Area and the 0.9 percent average for the non-U.S. G-7 countries. Competitiveness is said to be the primary term in Brussels these days, as it should be. The average EU worker produces just 70 percent of the goods and services as the average U.S. employee. Europeans have used all sorts of excuses for the growing transatlantic difference including Americans’ worse life style that includes longer working hours and fewer hours at the café. The Economist has cited other factors, including greater American entrepreneurship and willingness to change jobs. It should be noted that the differences are even greater...
On Wednesday, the White House submitted a national security supplemental spending request for $87.6 billion. The majority of the request includes funding for the conflict in the Middle East, but there are agricultural provisions as well. The supplemental funding package includes more than $11 b...
Can we really expect a bushel of corn to carry an environmental passport throughout the entire food system? One that reliably documents its carbon footprint, biodiversity impacts, water use, soil carbon, and other environmental attributes all the way from the farm field to the consumer? This is...
Key Takeaways: Despite little progress in a U.S.-Iran framework for a peace deal or an agreement itself, vessel transits are picking up in the Strait of Hormuz (SOH). On Wednesday morning, Kpler reported 31 verified vessel transits of the SOH in a positive sign of increased activity in t...
Key Takeaways: An aging farmer population and fewer younger successors are creating growing farm succession challenges, leaving many operations without a clear future High land values and capital requirements create major barriers to farm ownership for new producers Farmland consolidation and...
From WPI Consulting
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.