World Perspectives
livestock

Labor Situation and Livestock

Tomorrow, USDA releases its monthly WASDE report. Last month’s report projected red meat and poultry production in 2021 to be 100.7 percent of 2020. Beef was projected to be 101.8 percent and broilers 100.5 percent, with a slight reduction in pork at 99.9 percent from its record in 2020. Slaughter and meat production are well above last year’s levels, but that is because last year at this time it was the height of the packing plant disruptions; heavier weights later in the year helped bring production back to normal. But with high feed costs, there’s not much incentive for heavier slaughter weights.  Much of the outlook will come down to pace of slaughter; implicit in that projection is the impact of labor. Indeed, t...

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From WPI Consulting

Weighing in on strategic realignment

WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.

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