CAP Reform At the insistence of the net contributors to the budget in Brussels, the EU's Council of Ministers issued a recommendation for at least 5.65 billion euros in Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) expenditure cuts during 2014-20, which is contrary to the plans of the EU Commission. France immediately objected and the Commission argued that austerity will hurt the Continent's economic recovery. The two sides meet at a special summit later next month to duke it out. If the cuts are not made, it could add pressure for changes in the reform proposal package to placate the losers. Politicians Versus Economists While both President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are espousing the primacy of manufacturing jobs, the regu...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. weather is getting more attention this week as conditions vary greatly across the western, central, and eastern corn belts, with the different regions battling dryness and too much rain simultaneously. The ProFarmer Crop Tour began today in Indiana and Nebrask...
Unlike the 2022 fertilizer shock, today’s disruption is rooted less in rerouted trade flows and more in damaged production capacity, raw material constraints and uncertain recovery timelines. That makes this a longer-duration risk for U.S. agricultural producers and retailers who must sec...
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.