As we reported on 16 November, a transition memo for USDA was issued from Duke University’s Climate 21 Project proposing a CCC-run carbon bank. Robert Bonnie, formerly Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA in the Obama Administration, was the primary author of the memo; he’s now Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Senior Advisor for Climate to the Secretary on Climate. USDA’s plans for a carbon bank are moving forward and could be unveiled yet this year. Depending on what is developed, it could meet with some controversy. There is, however, near unanimous agreement from the agriculture sector that farm and pasture land present a great opportunity for greenhouse gas (GHG) sequestration and an opport...
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.