Limits of Leverage The livestock industry is awaiting word from the U.S. Supreme Court on whether it will hear its challenge to California’s Prop 12 but already there are possible cracks appearing in states going it alone. The state of Massachusetts had adopted its version of Prop 12 on animal welfare called Question 3, but now legislators are voting to delay its implementation. Massachusetts has one-sixth the population of California and ranks number 47 out of 50 states in agricultural production. Suppliers have not been quick enough to change their production methods to satisfy the demands of such a smaller market. Now California’s role as the top agricultural producer is threatened by climate change. Farmers are being paid t...
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.
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...