World Perspectives

CBO Proposes Crop Insurance Spending Cuts

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report, “Options to Reduce Budgetary Costs of the Federal Crop Insurance Program,” on 22 December. This is an exercise in presenting Congress with budget options, which the CBO does occasionally. It is essentially a laundry list of ways that Congress can reduce crop insurance spending via the farm bill. The options put forth would reduce spending by $47.5 billion over the next 10 years.

The report was not requested by any specific member of Congress, which is how many such efforts originate. However, these options follow a number of crop insurance reform plans introduced in Congress. The three biggest cost savings are: 1) eliminating the harvest price option; 2) reducing premium...

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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.

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