Lucky Policymakers Former U.S. President Bill Clinton had his share of notoriety, but his political survival was based in part due to the fortune of a humming economy. Donald Trump is benefiting similarly and though a few agricultural commodities like soybeans are being hurt, supply shortages are helping many American farmers to weather the trade war. U.S. beef exports are rising despite punitive conditions in some markets. They can thank, in part, the drought in southeastern Australia that doubled the cost of hay and made U.S. beef more competitive. Ag’s Future The geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor reaches an unsurprising calculation about the agriculture sector: it is losing political influence. The reasons involve...
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
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.