Legacy Support There are about 15 staple crops from which most calories are derived, and yet public financial support is centered around a relatively small number of these crops. Part of the reason for this is legacy from a period when the food supply was less certain and so governments subsidized the crops from which citizens received the most calories. While crops like potatoes play an important role, a very high percentage of food energy consumed comes from rice, corn, and wheat. It is safe to say that consumers in rich countries today can afford to pay the full cost of basic calories, and a reasonable question is why more money is not spent on the foods that are under-consumed based on nutrition guidelines, such as fruits and vegetable...
What You Need to Know Today: Commodities were mostly lower across the board today after yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting hinted at a potential interest rate hike later in 2026. The dollar index reached its highest level in over a year, and a strong dollar makes U.S. agricultural expor...
Tomorrow is the Juneteenth federal holiday, and the USDA, along with the rest of the federal government and the CME, will be closed, so the monthly Cattle on Feed report was released a day early. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity on 1 June amounted...
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.