As WPI has reported several times, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the key issue for the next farm bill, much like it was in 2014. As we noted on 17 February, the 2014 farm bill started as the 2012 farm bill - introduced in April 2012. It was not completed until February 2014, 22 months later. Much of the delay was caused by debates over SNAP funding and work restrictions. In July of 2013, the House passed a “farm only” farm bill by a vote of 216 to 208, stripping the bill of the nutrition title just to get a farm bill completed. The nutrition title was put back in during the conference with the Senate. From that experience most farm and commodity groups oppose having a farm program only farm bill, but t...
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) enters its mandated six-year review on 1 July. The original intent of the review is outlined in Article 34.7, which obligates members to: Provide recommendations and decide on appropriate actions. Extend the USMCA for another 16 years and meet aga...
Key Market Insights Geopolitical Limbo: Geopolitical risk remained a key driver across global commodity markets today. President Trump stated that the Iran memorandum of understanding is not yet final and warned that military action could resume if negotiations fail. Both sides continue w...
From WPI Consulting
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.