In yesterday's report (see WPI, 6 February), Dave Juday pondered whether this is a different farm land boom. Today we will explore some of the differences in current trade policy versus that of the past.Blame the Policy: Americans were previously either oblivious or indifferent toward U.S. trade policy. Even when Japan was invading the American market in the 1980s, the blame generally fell to perceived Japanese manipulation, or the need for an American industrial policy. China is the new external villain but erupting from the Great Recession is grand skepticism about free trade policy. Unfortunately, instead of educating people on the rationale of Adam Smith and David Ricardo, the politicians have reinforced their constituents' prejudices...
What You Need to Know Today: Commodities were mostly lower across the board today after yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting hinted at a potential interest rate hike later in 2026. The dollar index reached its highest level in over a year, and a strong dollar makes U.S. agricultural expor...
Tomorrow is the Juneteenth federal holiday, and the USDA, along with the rest of the federal government and the CME, will be closed, so the monthly Cattle on Feed report was released a day early. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity on 1 June amounted...
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.