The FY 2020 budget process in Congress has begun. Under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Section 301(d)), each of the congressional authorizing committees is to send a “views and estimates” letter to its respective chamber’s budget committee. On Thursday of last week, the House Agriculture Committee debated, approved and filed its letter accordingly. The message of that letter to House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky) could be distilled down to one request: fully fund the 2018 Farm Bill. The letter states: - “The Committee’s budget priorities are aligned with the full implementation of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.” - “The Committee took our duty to be fis...
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
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.