Bittman Helps Big Ag Mark Bittman at the New York Times is hypercritical of industrial agriculture, but his latest rant promises it a bright future. Bittman says that, "there are two food systems, one industrial and one of small holders, or peasants," and that the latter is "arguably more efficient." Counter-intuitively, he asserts that peasant agriculture cannot produce the same yields, but it produces more food and thus peasant agriculture should be the policy goal. Bittman fails to understand that but for Big Ag, his policy approach would promise a brighter future.World Bank lending and development assistance to agriculture has been increased with the inevitable result that more countries will improve self-sufficiency, if not become...
What You Need to Know Today: Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans continued to accelerate, with USDA reporting another 558 KMT sold to China and 236 KMT to unknown destinations. Combined with sales announced Wednesday and Thursday, the latest purchases bring the three-day total to approximately...
Key Takeaways: With the fall calf run now upon us, producers are finally getting a glimpse of what their realized profits will be for 2026. Some producers may have already obtained a strong estimate of 2026 revenues, especially if calves were forward sold in, for example, the mid-summer...
As fall begins, wild migratory birds are starting their seasonal migration. That has the industry and government officials worried about the potential spread, again, of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Some members of Congress have called for the United States to be prepared for a pote...
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.