Low Art of Rhétorique There is much to parse from French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech to the annual Salon International de l’Agriculture, but that is because it was first and foremost a political speech. Last year he told French farmers to step up their own investments in order to be competitive. However, after battling this winter with the Yellow Vests, his message now is that Brussels must spend big to protect farmers from foreign competitors. He made a paean for the protectionist concept of “food sovereignty” and oddly said that dependence on imported soybeans brings volatility, even though free trade is understood to reduce it. President Trump is justifiably criticized for his boneheaded statements...
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.