The draft agreement between Washington and Beijing reportedly calls for China to purchase $50 billion worth of agricultural products from the U.S. in 2020. That would be a 291 percent increase from 2019, or a 92 percent increase from the pre-war year of 2017. One would expect China to have added caveats to achieving such a large increase but then U.S. negotiators are unlikely to have allowed a loophole so large that significant purchases can be avoided. Total Chinese agricultural imports grew quickly during 2010 to 2012, increasing by 40 percent in 2010 alone, though from a base that was one-quarter the size of today’s import market. In more recent years, a four percent increase per year has been more reasonable. This means tha...
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets remain mixed with Capesize vessels seeing continued pressure from weaker demand while fixtures and rate strength gradually increases towards the smaller vessel classes. Tanker markets are pulling back from their recent highs as tonnage moves out of the Mid...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
Key Takeaways: Texas illustrates the assumptions underlying the 2025 FMMO reform; Idaho exposes their limitations. The Southwest order blend (roughly 27 percent Class I, 32 percent Class III and 31 percent Class IV) exposes Texas producers to every lever USDA adjusted, with a near-neutral proj...
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.