Newly-installed Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has indicated that Congress will be officially notified on 15 March that a renegotiation of NAFTA is being sought, a concept that is worrisome to U.S. agriculture. Hyperbolic War The Trump administration issued its first trade policy agenda, and it has several people worried. Headlines initially charged that the document indicates the Trump White House will ignore some WTO rulings if they are deemed unfair. Spokesman Sean Spicer subsequently denied that interpretation. Others say the document was worse before seasoned trade advisors got involved. Even if that were true, however, it would not be new.The U.S. has ignored several past adverse WTO rulings such as the one against the Continu...
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.