World Perspectives

Cliff II: Damn the Torpedoes

There was a bearish lean in everyone's outlook for 2013 agricultural commodity markets (see graph below). Presumably, there is a bearish and volatile view toward the U.S. government getting itself neatly out of its current fiscal pickle. Here is the calendar of upcoming events:LH Feb/FH March: The U.S. Treasury Department will run out of maneuvering tricks to avoid hitting the $16.394 trillion national debt ceiling.March 1: The Budget Control Act requires the imposition of automatic (sequestered spending) budget cuts across government, implying -7.6 to -8.2 percent cuts for most non-defense programs.March 27: The current temporary continuing resolution funding the government for fiscal 2013 expires.So the government:

is about to run o...

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From WPI Consulting

Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming

WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.

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