USDA released its cold storage report yesterday afternoon with a few surprises for the trade, while today's Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report indicates that pork supplies are likely to grow in 2015.USDA released its cold storage report yesterday afternoon with a few surprises for the trade. Pork was down, beef was up. As of the end of November, the amount of pork in commercial cold storage was down to 485.8 million pounds compared to 524 million pounds a month earlier and 546.2 million pounds a year ago. That was a 7.3 percent decline on the month and an 11.1 percent drop for the year, more than was expected pre-report. The monthly drop was 38.2 million pounds, which compares with a five-year average monthly drop in November of 20.9 million po...
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.