Fed cattle market issues continue to be the top focus in overall agriculture policy. There were three key developments this week. First, yesterday Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) sent a letter to Secretary Vilsack urging USDA to withhold FSIS inspection to enforce and leverage antitrust investigations, evidently even alleged problems. Hawley’s letter states: Federal statute provides you with robust authority to revoke inspection services following convictions for fraudulent behavior in the marketplace. Therefore, as a complement to any current, ongoing investigations with the Department of Justice concerning violations of the provisions of the Packers and Stockyards Act,[9] you must also aggressively use this inspection autho...
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.