With only a few days left until FY 2018 concludes on 30 September, this is a good time to look back at the huge changes in fiscal policy over the past year and consider the longer-term effect they might have on the economy. At the outset, it should be noted that the ag economy will be impacted by the ongoing trade war with China. But then again, when hasn’t it been affected by trade policy issues with that country? China’s market closures to poultry, eggs, pork, beef, dairy, corn, DDGS, ethanol and cotton, along with other actions such as currency manipulation as well as arbitrary sanitary/phytosanitary standards and enforcement, are all just top-of-mind issues that have resulted in financial losses for U.S. ag commodities over...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
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.